Oxygen face mask

What are Oxygen Masks?

Oxygenmasks are mainly utilized in persons who are not able to perform oxygen intake, and are considered one of humanity’s most significant inventions. Whenever oxygen levels are low, or breathing issues are present, oxygen masks can be utilized, providing a constant air supply. Oxygen masks siphon supplies the oxygen to the subject from an oxygen tank. These masks are usually built out of rubber, silicone or plastic, and usually cover the nose and mouth alone, but can also be for the whole face. Such masks are distributed to airplanes, paramedic teams and hospitals.

Oxygen mask design and usage

The design of oxygen masks varies depending on what they are originally meant for. Plastic masks are easily disposable and light, making them common in hospitals. Their design allows the face of the patients to be visually perceived, adding to their popularity and significance to paramedics. Silicone and rubber masks cover the whole face, and are utilized in cases of medical emergency. Their purpose is to provide pure, unfettered oxygen to a patient, usually required due to some form of poisoning. This mask is also utilized by pilots, as it can remain on the face for prolonged time periods and it enables air recycling. The simplest sort of oxygen masks is delivered to commercial airplanes due to their lightness and ease of storage. These are ejected in case of pressure loss and turbulence in aircraft, to aid the passengers breathing in such situations.

Types of Oxygen Masks Available

Oxygenmasks can be divided into several types. A diluter-demand mask only releases oxygen upon inhalation, and is specifically made for environments of high altitude, with maximum heights being 40.000 feet. A pressure-demand mask’s height range is 34.000 feet, but exhalation is not easy due to internal and external pressure. The final type is the Continuous Flow mask, which has continuous flow and is made of plastic. These require no inhalation for the oxygen to be released. Other more specific kinds of masks exist as well. Examples include masks tailored for astronauts, as they require different adjustments due to the effects of the space environment. Certain treatments and medical tests call for custom built, personally tailored oxygen masks for those choice patients.

A majority of these mentioned masks are quite common and can be bought by the general public, and have been known to not only improve the quality of life, but also to save the lives of a large number of individuals.