What to do about itchy nose?

[allanri]

If you're like me, within seconds of putting on your mask, you get the urge to itch your nose or a part of your face that's under your mask.

This happens throughout the night, where I find I have to either work my finger under the mask to scratch an itch, or, take the mask off entirely.

I don't have any skin condition that I'm aware of, and I generally don't have an itchy nose; it just seems to happen when I have my mask on!

Has anyone else encountered this? Or better yet, solved the problem with some kind of cream or ...?

[Walla Walla]

I think it's normal. You can switch to a pillow type mask or just keep putting your finger into the mask. The brief moment you use to scratch won't cause any major problem with your leak rate.

[Marillion]

I use a P10 nasal pillow and I get that occasionally as well. No solution except to either move the mask a bit back and forth or actually reach under to scratch momentarily. As mentioned by Wall Walla, it won't cause any drastic changes in your treatment or even leak numbers.

[mesenteria]

I just wiggle the mask, or go to the trouble to stop the machine, unmask, scratch, and then get on with the night.  I am often able to just shrug it off and attempt to fall asleep.  I rate about 50/50 on that one.

If this is consistent, and you know you don't have a body hair or a bit of lint in there, you could try a cream with lidocaine or something like it...even a quick dab of Benadryl cream for mosquito bites and such.

Does the itch move around?  If it's in the same spot every night, suspect a hair or filament of some kind.  Some masks have straps of the flexible silicone material built into them to help them withstand stress and deformation.  My AirFit N20 nasal pillow has two, one near each nostril.  I sometimes feel those.

[Hydrangea]

I just reassure myself that my nose doesn't itch. Most of the time I can believe my lying self.

[allanri]

I just reassure myself that my nose doesn't itch.  Most of the time I can believe my lying self.

[greatunclebill]

we learned about this in military basic training. in different situations if you move you're in trouble, in combat you could get dead. you become scared to itch.  you learn very quickly just to ignore it. and it works. i didn't say it's fun, just that it works. 

it may also work if you give yourself a good rubbing everyplace it might itch before putting the mask on.

[Sheepish]

There are all kind of things you can do to alleviate the problem, from simple creams to more drastic measures...



...but no need to be so dramatic. Just scratch it.

[PaulaO2]

If it is *inside* the nostril, try lanolin or Ayr gel. I use the Ayr if I have a wound from a cold or whatever.

If it is outside the nostril, just scratch and move on. Or use lotion in the morning. Could be the mask dries your face out, kinda heals during the day, and the air blowing on it irritates it again.

[allanri]

Could be the mask dries your face out, kinda heals during the day, and the air blowing on it irritates it again.

If anything, I find my face is damp after I take the mask off. Guessing it has something to do with humidifier?

Anyway, thanks all, for the tips!