Moustaches and mask flooding

[tddfleming]

Chapstick works great for me. But it gets salty after a year in my bcd pocket.

And I thought I was the only person that carrys chapstick in my bcd. I have a wonderful retractor pocket that is perfect for it. However, it does take on the smell of the water afterwards. But if you are a chapstick addict, then no problems.

My husband just shaved his off and left the chin portion, kind of reminds me of a married amish guy.

 

[Charlie99]

I also carry a chapstick container, but it is filled with silicone grease. I apply just a small amount, right where the mask sits on my moustache.

I also find that combing so that all the hairs are pointing in the same direction makes getting a seal easier. On a few dives where I was having leakage problems, just a little grooming/combing of the moustache with the side of my finger stopped the leaking. The silicone grease or chapstick also helps to keep the stray hairs from making bumps that leak.

And when diving frequently, when showering I use lots of conditioner to keep the moustache smoother and more flexible. The mask doesn't seal as easily when my moustache has the rough, stiff, strawlike texture from long, repeated saltwater exposure.

I put my mask on well before entry, and then suck in hard through my nose a few times to seat it. This works better than slipping on the mask and then splashing in immediately.

When looking for a mask, consider frameless masks. They seem, for me at least, to seal better.

It also helps if you are tolerant of water in the mask. If it is leaking, I only clear it when it starts getting up near my eyes. Otherwise I'll wash out all of the defog early in the dive and will have to purposely flood my mask later in the dive to defog it.

Don't forget to clear before flipping upside down to look at a ledge. I forget way to often and do an unintended saline sinus rinse.

A flooded mask should be just a minor irritant, not a big panic inducing problem. Your husband really, really needs to be comfortable clearing his mask and breathing with no mask on.

Don't pull the mask strap too tight. Beyond a certain point, pulling the straps tighter actually causes more problems. OTOH, if the mask seals good when you are looking down, but leaks a lot when you roll over on your back and look straight up, then you need to tighten up another notch or so on the mask strap.

 

[Charlie99]

Additionally I found that silicone applied to the mustache in the areas covered by the mask helps also. Trident makes it and it comes in a tube like Chapstick. I have used Chapstick but it is petroleum based and, long term, is not good for silicone mask skirts.

I suspect that chapstick and vaseline damaging mask skirts is an old wives tale left over from the days when the mask skirts were some other material than todays silicone.

OTOH, my bifocal mask is expensive enough that I just go ahead and use silicone grease. I find a convenient dispensers are old chapstick tubes that I fill from the 2 ounce tins of grease.

 

[FireInMyBones]

In my bearded days I would shave a narrow strip immediately under my nose, which really didn't affect my mustache very much. My mask sealed perectly. Small price to pay for diving, IMHO.

That's what I do. I love my beard and diving. Small price to pay.

 

[Max Speed]

I have a beard and full moustache. I do not do any of the above. I just put up with frequent mask clearing at the shallower depths. At the deeper depths it is not even noticeable. ( no, I don't have mask squeeze problems)

Ditto. A little extra clearing shallow. Seals nicely deeper. No mask squeeze either. I'd give it a try before making amusing decisions.

 

[vann evans]

I use a product called "Unpetroleum Jelly". I find it at Whole Foods in a yellow-orange tube. It is similar to vaseline, but not petroleum based. It is not sticky or greasy. I apply a ribbon about 1/4" x 1' on my index finger and smear it on the part of my mustache immediately under my nose, It rinses off easily after the dive. I have used it for years with no leaks and no damage to the mask skirt. I keep it in my dive bag all the time and I have given it to lots of my friends with mustaches and they all like it.

No need to shave or have a leaking mask.

Vann Evans
Sand Dollar A4

 

[treidm]

I dive with short (trimmed), full beard & mustache (click on my avatar to see, hmmm was bad hair day at festival!)

Just make your own Un-Petroleum Jelly (The store bought type has coconut oil in it and may irritate some and can have a drying affect)

I do it this way:

1 oz or 28.35g for metric friends (weight) beeswax
I bought Natural Golden Pastilles beeswax (Comes in little pellets so easy to work with and melt)
Plus it isn't refined so it still has a slight odor of honey. Before that I just contacted a local honey maker and got some beeswax off him.
I wouldn't use the bleached processed cheap kind found in hobby shops etc. (It's for candles)

Then add 1/2 cup (4 fluid oz) or 118.29ml for metric friends, of your favorite oil.
Olive oil is good and easy to aquire. You don't need to use extra virgin, Grade A is fine for this and cheaper. Organic Olive Oil would be best.
A really good one is Sweet Almond Oil, very good for skin.
Use multiple oils if you wish.

1) Weigh beeswax
2) Measure oil
3) Put beeswax in double boiler and melt
4) Stir & mix in oil
5) Remove from heat & stir until cool
You can adjust consistency by adding or reducing one of the ingredients
You can do this in a microwave, but have less control of process.

You can also use this instead of petroleum jelly for diaper rash, skin protector etc.

If you want a homemade petroleum jelly
use same process, but put in mineral oil


THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THOUGH, IS TO FIRST TRY MANY MASKS TO FIND ONE THAT FITS FACE.
Then a very small amount is all you'll need, if any.

 

[NoDiver]

Thanks for the tips all you hairy types!

Frameless mask and un-petroleum jelly or silicone grease sounds good...we'll give it a go!

 

[Diver0001]

One thing several people have said that I think needs to be repeated is to try *many* different masks. If you start focusing only on "frameless" masks then you're limiting your choices and may miss finding a mask that would have fit better.

Don't start out limiting your options, especially with fitting masks. Try everything you see. Seriously. You may end up with a frameless mask but then again you may not....

R..

 

[NoDiver]

One thing several people have said that I think needs to be repeated is to try *many* different masks. If you start focusing only on "frameless" masks then you're limiting your choices and may miss finding a mask that would have fit better.

Don't start out limiting your options, especially with fitting masks. Try everything you see. Seriously. You may end up with a frameless mask but then again you may not....

R..

Of course, good point.