Coronavirus: Lose your mutton chops, Van Dyke and stubble if you want your face mask to work, says CDC
Face masks have been flying off the shelves amid rising fears about the spread of the new coronavirus. But have you ever wondered that your extended goatee or that full beard might not work with face masks?
A 2017 guide from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has now resurfaced, shows that certain types of facial hair will not work with a protective face mask. According to it, Van Dyke, mutton chops, a long stubble and a Dali are a complete no-no. A soul patch and side-whiskers are, however, safe bets, according to the infographic.
"So, you want to grow out your beard, but wear a tight-fitting respirator at work? Ensuring the respirator seal is a vital part of respiratory protection practices. Facial hair that lies along the sealing area of a respirator, such as beards, sideburns, or some mustaches, will interfere with respirators that rely on a tight facepiece seal to achieve maximum protection," says the 2017 blog called "To Beard or Not to Beard? That’s a good Question".
Accordingly, for all those who are unsure as to what type of facial hairstyle will work with a tight-sealing respirator, the CDC created the infographic with their "best guesses" complete with a line representing a typical sealing surface. The chart breaks down 36 types of facial hair.
It shows that a full beard, French fork, ducktail, extended goatee, Verdi, circle beard and Fu Machu, among others should be avoided if you plan to wear a respirator. Styles such as lampshades, Zappa, Walrus, painter’s brush and Zorro are good to go, according to the CDC infographic.
While the chart does not include all types of facial hair, it says that for any style, hair should not cross under the respirator sealing surface. It says if the respirator has an exhalation valve, some of these styles may interfere with the valve working properly if the facial hair comes in contact with it.
Experts say that gases, vapors and particles in the air will take the path of least resistance and bypass the part of the respirator that captures or filters hazards out.
So why can't facial hair act as a crude filter to capture particles that pass between the respirator sealing area and the skin? According to experts, while human hair appears to be thin to the naked eye, hair is much larger in size than the particles inhaled. Facial hair is just not dense enough and the individual hairs are too large to capture particles like an air filter does. And nor does a beard trap gases and vapors like the carbon bed in a respirator cartridge.
"Therefore, the vast majority of particles, gases and vapors follow the air stream right through the facial hair and into the respiratory tract of the wearer. In fact, some studies have shown that even a day or two of stubble can begin to reduce protection. Research tells us that the presence of facial hair under the sealing surface causes 20 to 1000 times more leakage compared to clean-shaven individuals," the blog says.
The CDC, however, does not recommend healthy people to wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. They only recommend sick people to wear a facemask when they are around pets and other people (for example, sharing a room or vehicle) and before entering a healthcare provider's office.
"Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility)," an expert recommends.
In its guidelines too — on frequently asked questions about respirators and their use — the CDC does not recommend the routine use of respirators outside of workplace settings (in the community).
The experts say that most often, the spread of respiratory viruses from person-to-person happens among close contacts (within 6 feet).
"CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, such as avoiding people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes or nose, and covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue. People who are sick should stay home and not go into crowded public places or visit people in hospitals. Workers who are sick should follow CDC guidelines and stay home when they are sick," says the CDC.