RE: Brands / types of tape for mouth taping?
I have a tape gallery in my bathroom right now, experimenting once again to get back on a nasal mask. The FFM does work for me, but it is confining, does push the chin back requiring max pressure (I hit 13 very often with the FFM, usually stay below 11 with a nasal mask). I'd never had much success with taping, but I'd only tried the 1" 3M tape, and this thread got me interested in trying once again.
The 2" 3M tape worked well on the mouth leaks, seems to stick too well, though, 2nd day I had little spots where it'd plucked a whisker or 2. The Hypafix tape has worked as well on the mouth and hasn't caused the whisker plucking yet. Does tug at the skin, though, as I pull it off. Maybe I'm doing that wrong.
I still have painter's delicate surface to try out, and I ordered the Hypafix Gentle Touch as well, be here tomorrow. I think I'm going to win with one of these and relegate the FFM to back up duty.
RE: Brands / types of tape for mouth taping?
After trying three different brands of paper tape (3M Micropore held best, but caused irritation; the "gentler" other two both failed pretty colossally), I've switched back to the 3M Nexcare light-blue, silicone-based tape. This seems to have a great mixture of hold and easy removal, without causing irritation issues. It's not cheap, but I've started to see cheaper pharmacy store brand versions that I'll likely try next.
Beyond this, the more crucial change is related to the following:
(08-03-2020, 05:02 PM)SilverSleeper Wrote: A beard would be a problem, I would partly shave it so you can go for the full 15 cm cheek to cheek method.
Yeah, getting tape that would be strong-enough to hold things in place, and then not subject you to an "invigorating follicular experience" when removing it in the morning, seems to be an issue. I ended up trimming the beard down much shorter, and with the tape also extended an inch or so past the mouth edges so far the tape is holding much better. (New look seems to work better for me as a side-benefit.)
RE: Brands / types of tape for mouth taping?
That Hypafix Gentle Touch is going to be the one for me, I think/hope. I used it last night and it held up pretty good, though I did have about 30 minutes total (out of 6 hours) of mouth leaking, one which woke me, so I think it let me force my trap open to vent a mouthful of air, had a dry mouth so I know it wasn't a mask leak. Tonight I'll focus more on getting it better adhered.
I tried the painter's delicate surface tape the night prior, and while it would be in 3rd place (after the 2 different hypafix tapes), for some reason it was chipmunk cheek night, 3 separate 15 large leaks, 2 awakenings for it, both with a peel off a corner to get the air out of my cheeks. Wasn't bad to remove.
Based on the post prior, I may hunt down some of that Nexcare Blue stuff.
RE: Brands / types of tape for mouth taping?
I had my second good night with Somnifix. I actually reused the same strip, despite manufacturers suggestion that it shouldn't be reused.
I can't see any legitimate/compelling reason NOT to reuse-there's little risk in doing so...other than a mouth leak.
The stuff is VERY sticky. There is a distant risk of having it fall off completely and get swallowed I guess, but as soon as my strips become anything like NOT being really sticky anyway, I'll put on a new strip!
If anyone has thoughts about reusing the Somnifix strips, please post here-that's what the forum is for! 
Aloha
AB
RE: Brands / types of tape for mouth taping?
(08-07-2020, 10:31 PM)Bassline Wrote: Yeah, getting tape that would be strong-enough to hold things in place, and then not subject you to an "invigorating follicular experience" when removing it in the morning, seems to be an issue.
I have little experience with tape, but from my brief period of use (Somniflex), I wonder if it's really necessary to cover the entire mouth from end to end. So, perhaps this makes a beard or mustache less of an issue.
I am been shaving my moustache (daily) and leaving the beard full length, and it appears that tape is working well-which is why I am wondering whether the entire mouth needs to be covered to prevent mouth opening/associated leaks.
AB
RE: Brands / types of tape for mouth taping?
(08-08-2020, 12:37 PM)edfreeman Wrote: Based on the post prior, I may hunt down some of that Nexcare Blue stuff.
The local pharmacy branded version is called "Mepitac Soft Silicone Tape". I don't know whether that's specific to the chain, or if it's a generic name. Haven't tried it just yet.
(08-08-2020, 01:15 PM)BB63 Wrote: (08-07-2020, 10:31 PM)Bassline Wrote: Yeah, getting tape that would be strong-enough to hold things in place, and then not subject you to an "invigorating follicular experience" when removing it in the morning, seems to be an issue.
I have little experience with tape, but from my brief period of use (Somniflex), I wonder if it's really necessary to cover the entire mouth from end to end. So, perhaps this makes a beard or mustache less of an issue.
I am been shaving my moustache (daily) and leaving the beard full length, and it appears that tape is working well-which is why I am wondering whether the entire mouth needs to be covered to prevent mouth opening/associated leaks.
AB
Except with the weaker paper tapes, all of my adhesion failures have been exclusively at the corners of my mouth. This is usually caused when I shift to my side, then saliva weakens the adhesive. Extending past the corners has seemed to help some.
What I'm also fighting is likely that the SCC isn't doing much to keep my jaw closed when I'm on my side. It's one thing for the tape to seal the mouth, it's another to have it support the weight of the jaw as well. That's a tweak that I need to work on next.
08-08-2020, 05:09 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-08-2020, 05:10 PM by mesenteria.)
RE: Brands / types of tape for mouth taping?
If you are getting chipmunk cheeks, it means you have sufficient occlusion of potential openings that your machine is able to overcome the leak created, if there is some seepage, and maintain your therapy pressures. So, cheempunk cheeks is good.  All it means is that you have relaxed everything above your larynx and air is being forced into your mouth. You can get used to the cheempunk cheeks. Just two nights ago I actually fell asleep on my back, fully ballooned. It's rare because the first time my cheeks balloon I take that as a sign to turn on my side and slip into Never Land.
I was cautioned my my father's CPAP issuer ( I sat in on his welcome and intro to his machine) to try to get away from using tape. Her reasoning wasn't that it was inherently problematic due to inadvertent swallowing of the tape, or somehow suffocating...it was that aging skin will not do well against most/all tapes that will adhere well enough and be tolerated by the skin. That is, the removal of the tape runs the risk of tearing away thin aged skin. She added that she was a nurse for many years, and learned that lesson the hard way.
Whichever tape you use, it should help you to get the best rest you can manage. If it slips off, gets into your mouth, won't tape over longer facial hair, won't stay affixed when spittle makes contact with it...it's dog poop as far as I am concerned. You must have sleep that is as uninterrupted as possible, as unhindered as possible, and deep enough as possible. Every imposition that interrupts your path through successive stages of sleep is bad...period. So, whatever you settle on in the way of therapy and accessories, it has to be both 'effective' and reliable. You must have confidence in it. It has to work consistently.
RE: Brands / types of tape for mouth taping?
Just to close out my thinking, the Hypafix tapes work best for me, just the right amount of stick. I can get away with the gentle touch on some days, but the other hasn't really caused much whisker pulling marks.
I prefer these over the delicate surface painter's tape, the Nexcare blue (sensitive), the Nexcare paper tape (also 3M).
RE: Brands / types of tape for mouth taping?
(08-11-2020, 10:22 PM)edfreeman Wrote: Just to close out my thinking, the Hypafix tapes work best for me, just the right amount of stick. I can get away with the gentle touch on some days, but the other hasn't really caused much whisker pulling marks.
I prefer these over the delicate surface painter's tape, the Nexcare blue (sensitive), the Nexcare paper tape (also 3M).
Good to know - I'll likely try Hypafix in the near-term, especially since it appears to be a lot cheaper than Nexcare blue. (The cheaper alternative that I thought that I found was actually mislabelled in the store.)
One thing that I've found is that the Nexcare blue adhesive is extremely sensitive to skin oils: if your skin is at all oily or greasy at the time that the tape is applied, Nexcare blue will not stick at all. A quick wipedown and dry before application, even with just water, improves adhesion tremendously.
08-12-2020, 02:15 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-12-2020, 02:16 PM by brianc18t.)
RE: Brands / types of tape for mouth taping?
(08-02-2020, 09:27 PM)Bassline Wrote: (07-31-2020, 05:08 PM)brianc18t Wrote: I use Micropore 2 inch tape ... (it takes my skin off with it if I don't use 3M Cavilon barrier film which is annoying but the two together work well for me).
Yeah, after the second night with the OEM Micropore tape, I'm starting to get irritation on the corner of my upper lip. I'm probably going to try the Band-Aid brand of paper tape to see if that makes a difference. (Just looked at the 3M Cavilon barrier film, including the price ... 3M sure does like that product a lot, doesn't it?)
Honestly I find the Cavilon cheap in the long run. I have used it every night for over a year and it must still be at least 3/4 full. It is crazy how long it lasts!
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