Water leaks into mask because of nasolabial lines (next to nose)

[RXTdiver]

I will repeat what the Chairman said, positive pressure in the mask at depth will reduce or remove most leaks caused by smiling.

Does this mean adding more pressure into the mask? If so, how would you do that?

 

[RXTdiver]

Yes! I tried Vaseline, silicone grease (did not notice any effects on mask skirts, though I worried - silicone grease ruined some silicone o-rings and killed a camera before I figured that out), position and tightness of strap on head, elastic vs. velcro head strap, etc. I tried slight positive pressure (helps, but did not stop it), shaving the top of my mustache - all no help. I could feel water leak in around the area of the right nasolabial fold. I had to clear between every few breaths and maybe every 1-2 minutes, depending and blew through way too much air. Finding the right mask is what worked for me (and my SAC improved to "below average"). A little grease or wax on the mustache helps, but even when I forget that, I am vastly better off than with all the other masks I tried. Try all that other stuff, but with the best-fitting mask you can find, if you have non-average face.

What do you mean by positive pressure?

What mask worked for you?

 

[Boarderguy]

If there is a small break in the seal below my nose, I would think that water can leak in. How is this not possible?

Physics my dear Watson. Water can only ingress if there is room for it. Keeping your mask equalized means the pressure is equal to the exterior. If you don't exhale through your nose slightly on decent then you'll get mask squeeze. If you get squeeze and your mask is ill fitting then you'll get water ingress.

Think of it like a plastic cup that you press into a full sink. It holds the water out. Now poke a small hole anywhere above the water line inside the cup. Air will escape and water will replace that volume. The hole in the cup is the equivalent to having a higher point in your mask that leaks. That higher leak can also be the point of water ingress.

Exhale through your nose lightly on occasion to maintain a positive pressure in your mask and to keep water out. Improperly fitting masks will leak no matter what you do though.

I'm not sure what you mean. How would you add a slight pressure into the mask?

Also, between the surrounding water and the air inside your mask, which one has more pressure?

See above amigo.

 

[boulderjohn]

I'm not sure what you mean. How would you add a slight pressure into the mask?

Also, between the surrounding water and the air inside your mask, which one has more pressure?

Put a good-fitting mask on your face without putting on the strap. Sniff in slightly. That will make the pressure outside the mask higher than the pressure inside the mask. The mask should now stay firmly on the face, even without the strap being in place.

I used to do this demonstration before every class. I would sniff in, and the mask would be in place even with the weight of a snorkel dangling down. I would talk about this while moving my mouth as little as possible, and the mask would stay in place. I would then smile, and the mask would fall off.

I once was doing some surface work prior to an instructional dive, and my mask strap broke. I did an entire equipment setup dive with no mask strap.

 

[CT-Rich]

Tightening the mask almost never improves the fit. A well fitting mask will barely require any inhalation to hold it in place. If it stick when you inhale and falls off a few seconds later, it doesn't fit. The strap is mostly there to keep the mask from getting knocked off.

Prolonged mask squeeze isn't a solution. I had a mustache, and it had minimal effect on mask fit, but YMMV.

 

[KenE]

Does this mean adding more pressure into the mask? If so, how would you do that?

Just release a bit of air through your nose, this will create positive pressure in the mask. It only works underwater at depth due to pressure from the water on the outside of the mask. The positive pressure will push air out instead of letting water in, however in most cases it just blocks the small opening.

 

[Nemrod]

Nasolabial folds are the creases that run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth.

I'm pretty sure these lines next to the nose is causing water to keak into my mask.

Is there a hack or anything that can prevent this?

The Hollis M1 mask has been mentioned. It, and quite a few similar, are knock offs of the original (and still produced) Atomic Frameless mask. It and the similar copies are particularly good at fitting a wide variety of faces and even being too dry. The Atomic is expensive, the Hollis less expensive. Another (expensive) mask, often copied, that fits a lot of faces and is known to be dry is the ScubaPro Frameless (of which the Hollis M4 is similar) which is the original frameless mask.

You might try a mouthpiece with a longer bite or the AquaLung/Apeks genuine Comfo Bite.

The tips on positive pressure are right on. Over the course of a dive it is common for the mask to begin to press inward, just exhale a tiny bit from your nose to relieve the suction. It becomes automatic with increasing dive count. And clear sinuses help!

 

[RXTdiver]

The Hollis M1 mask has been mentioned. It, and quite a few similar, are knock offs of the original (and still produced) Atomic Frameless mask. It and the similar copies are particularly good at fitting a wide variety of faces and even being too dry. The Atomic is expensive, the Hollis less expensive. Another (expensive) mask, often copied, that fits a lot of faces and is known to be dry is the ScubaPro Frameless (of which the Hollis M4 is similar) which is the original frameless mask.

You might try a mouthpiece with a longer bite or the AquaLung/Apeks genuine Comfo Bite.

The tips on positive pressure are right on. Over the course of a dive it is common for the mask to begin to press inward, just exhale a tiny bit from your nose to relieve the suction. It becomes automatic with increasing dive count. And clear sinuses help!

What are the pros and cons between frame and frameless?

 

[RXTdiver]

Just release a bit of air through your nose, this will create positive pressure in the mask. It only works underwater at depth due to pressure from the water on the outside of the mask. The positive pressure will push air out instead of letting water in, however in most cases it just blocks the small opening.

Thank you.

 

[Nemrod]

What are the pros and cons between frame and frameless?

Frameless masks tend to be very close fitting despite being a single lens for a wide field of view, lighter weight, less bulk due to there being no frame surrounding the lens and require a single lens design because the glass lens is what provides the structure. A dual lens mask with a recessed frame can fit very close, even closer due to the mask being able to slightly wrap and also be nearly equally svelte. I like the single lens frameless designs like the Atomic type and Scubapro (Frameless) type.

I used to use the dual lens framed Mares X-Vision masks. I still have a couple. Really, framed or frameless, just get a mask that has good and secure buckles and fits your face. The Mares X-Vision fits a lot like the Atomic Frameless.

If you need a prescription some dual lens framed masks can have the lenses popped out. A frameless single lens cannot because the lens is bonded in and thus requires a custom prescription to be bonded inside.

Hope this does not break your screen, Atomic Frameless with Pacific Prescription Dive Masks bonded lenses, playing with my new camera in the pool prepping for a trip. If you need a prescription do not purchase a cheap mask, you will want something that lasts and of course fits. If you do not need a prescription, lucky you .