The Correct Way to Wear Medical Mask and the Selection of It

Ⅰ. What is the correct way to wear a medical mask?

Usually, the disposable hygienic masks we buy in pharmacies are medical general surgical face masks, which have two sides, the darker side (blue side) is facing out, and the lighter side is facing inward, which sticks to our face.

1. The mask has white and blue sides. Place the medical mask with the white side facing in and the side with the metal strip facing up. First, tie the bottom two straps behind the neck and pull them tight so that the bottom of the mask reaches the base of the chin.

2. Pull up the upper edge of the mask to cover the mouth and nose. The two upper straps are pulled behind the ears and fastened on the head, and cannot be tied on the ears.

3. Use the index fingers of both hands to press the metal wire at the root of the nose on the top of the mask to make it close to the skin of the nose. Then gradually move the index finger to both sides so that the entire mask is close to the facial skin.

Ⅱ. How to choose a medical mask?

Medical masks are divided into ordinary medical mask, medical surgical face mask and medical protective mask. Their level of protection increases step by step.

1. Ordinary medical masks generally lack the efficiency requirements for filtration of particles and bacteria. The efficiency requirements of ordinary medical masks for filtration of particles and bacteria are lower than that of medical surgical face mask and medical protective mask.

Ordinary medical mask is generally of the hanging ear type, which can be used for disposable hygiene care in ordinary environments, or to block or protect particles other than pathogenic microorganisms such as pollen.

2. Surgical masks are divided into 3 layers. The outer layer has a water blocking effect to prevent droplets from entering the mask, the middle layer has a filtering effect, and the inner layer has a moisture absorption effect.

Medical surgical masks are generally lace-up, which are suitable for basic protection of medical personnel or related personnel, as well as protection against the spread of blood, body fluids and splashes during invasive operations.

Compared with ordinary medical mask, medical surgical face mask has a better barrier effect on respiratory infectious diseases, and the dustproof effect is also better than ordinary medical mask. However, compared with medical protective masks, the protection level of medical surgical face mask is slightly weaker.

3. Medical protective masks are suitable for the protection of airborne respiratory infectious diseases, and the barrier effect on dust and haze is also very good. The protection level is the highest among these masks. The N95 masks we often say belong to this category.

Even the protective effect of ordinary cheap medical mask is much better than that of the various masks on the market. So is it better to choose a mask with a higher level of protection?

Of course not, you have to choose to wear it according to the specific environment. Everything has its two sides, and masks are no exception. A mask with better protection function will have a relatively better airtightness. In simple words, medical mask will be stuffy, and wearing them for a long time will cause physical discomfort.