diver with a beard

[Greg Doyle]

I trim my mustache slightly below my nose, and then apply food grade silicone to the stache. I used to use Vaseline, but my DM during my OW suggested that it will eventually destroy my mask because it's petroleum based. Since using the silicone, I've had no problems with leaking. I'm careful to not get any of the silicon on the lens and clean it well at the end of the day.
G
https://www.amazon.com/Grade-O-ring...sr=8-4&keywords=food+grade+silicone+lubricant

I'm going to update this message as I've learned that food grade silicone has solvents in it that will destroy the mask. It took some time, about a year, but what happened is that I started getting splits in the mask just below my nose. It happened on a liveaboard trip to the channel islands and my mask kept leaking. I couldn't find the problem and one of the others on the boat mentioned he'd seem me using silicone on my stache. He was able to show me barely visible cracks that we letting water in. Sure enough, I looked at some go-pro selfie video when I returned home and I could see water coming in below my nose.
So, use vasoline if you do anything at all.....
G

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I've never had a problem with my beard in scuba, just my mustache causing a leak in my mask. To remedy that I trim my mustache a bit at the top between my nose and my lip. It takes a bit of practice to getit right but even just trying helps enough to make it comfortable.
BTW welcome to SB

This. I forgot to touch it up before my last couple of dives and the leak was minimal. If i remember to trim ~1/4"-1/2" below my nose...i'm leak free.

I see LOTS of divers with beards, so this is definitely something that can be overcome OP.

 

[Rred]

Food grade silicones "shouldn't" be able to harm silicone rubber diving masks. It sounds more like there is an impurity involved, specific to the gunk that was used, or that perhaps the "silicone" in the mask is faulty. Leaping to the "obvious" conclusions requires ignoring the huge amounts of contrary experience out there.

Contacting the "gunk" maker and the mask maker both would be in order.

 

[In2theabyss]

Bearded diver here as well..........keep it trimmed under nose and do alot of mask clearing as required!

 

[metaldector]

Been diving a beard for 35 years. No issues here. You might need to clear your mask a few times more than without a beard but really it becomes automatic. Get your face wet, stay wet and you'll be fine. Never used Vaseline, never had to.

 

[IncreaseMyT]

No problem with a beard here. In fact it may help me a little when clearing the mask.

 

[pauldw]

Having a mustache helps with defogging. Look straight down and let the water swirl around on the surface of the mask, and it clears up.

 

[Johanan]

Try Vaseline smeared in your beard below your nose and learn how to mask clear really well.

If sunscreen is harming corals, what about Vaseline? Is it any less harmful?

 

[BigJoshCRNA]

Wearing a thicker stache than in years past and during a dive in Belize last week I bubbled some salt water into my eye and DEAR JESUS it burned...I tried some silicone on the top lip and it helped for a bit, but I'm a partial nose breather/exhaler and I ended up flooding the mask again halfway through the dive. Anyway, gonna play with a purge mask, some trim work on the top edge and more sealant.

 

[Rred]

Had uncovered (sealed over, had to cut open) the purge button in one mask a long time ago. And it works like magic, although on a deep dives the little nylon purge assembly really presses against my (whatever you call the space between the nose and mouth?). Also generally use a non-purge mask, and if that means I just have to let a little water slosh around (which clears any fogging) and then purge a little more from the mask every 10 minutes...so be it.

I think the ultimate solutions are to wear a hard hat or become a bald-faced liar.(G)