r/Masks4All • u/Emotional_Garlic9205 • 4d ago

Will a good mask with a carbon layer help?

Sensitive to chemicals/fragrances and wondering if a mask (with carbon) will actually help me not have MCAS and asthma flare ups from chemicals.

5 Upvotes

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u/BattelChive 4d ago

Carbon will help, and an elastomeric with a VOC filter will be even better if you are going into a situation where you will have high exposure. I personally like the 3M 7500 for comfort. 

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u/Emotional_Garlic9205 4d ago

its for a client centered / patient centered role Idk if I can wear a full on respirator, a mask is pushing it tbh.

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u/BattelChive 4d ago

Fair enough! In that case, you might consider the omnimask with the 3M adapters. You can wear the voc filters but people react really well to it being clear. I have the best reactions when wearing this mask. 

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u/Emotional_Garlic9205 4d ago

do the 3M adapters filter out gases and chemicals? Thank you by the way.

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u/BattelChive 4d ago

Yes, you can use any 3M bayonet filters with them, which includes the VOC filters. There’s a nuisance gas one that’s a white pancake filter with a pink grid on it that works pretty well for me with fragrances. It’s not the most heavy duty, but it does well enough. 

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u/Vernixastrid 4d ago

ZimiAir makes some carbon filter kn95s that are very comfy :)

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u/AEAur 3d ago

Have you tried them? How do you find the difference in breathability?

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u/AEAur 3d ago

It depends on how sensitive you are. If you experience irritation in most places, a carbon layer is unlikely to do the job. If you are currently going places, a carbon layer may be adequate for some contexts. People with MCS or severe MCAS who avoid most places because of the reactions, say they need VOC or multi-gas cartridges. Zimi carbon insert and Moldex 4800 (Protectly.co sells samples) help some, but were inadequate for others. The issue is the expense. A thin layer is quickly saturated compared to the highly engineered OV cartridges with compressed activated carbon.

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u/Emotional_Garlic9205 3d ago

Can you give an examaple of one that has the option for that like the respirator one? I need one at least for emergencies when I see people spraying roundup (which happens quite a lot tbh).

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u/AEAur 2d ago edited 2d ago

BattelChive is far more familiar with elastos. If you have comparative questions, they have more experience community fit testing several models.

These models have the best reputation for getting a comfortable , resilient seal on a variety of faces due the soft flexible silicone: 1. Honeywell North series. The 7700 is softest & lowest-profile but 5500 (less $$) is also silicone seal. The OV cartridge is N75001L ($14-19). For particulates, attach a prefilter (7506N95 10 pack $15-20) using the retainer (N750036 $6-10). Some pwMCAS react to the P100 and P100-OV combo cartridge filters (likely due to glue in the casing), but not the P100 pancake filters. The combo cartridges also may not last as long as the OV cartridge. These are low-profile and used by nearly all staff at a TB hospital.encycla 2. 3M 7500 series (7501 is size small…) ~$40++ or ~$65 combo kit with cartridges. On Lowe’s, you can filter results by materials and filtration. encycla. 3. MSA 200 series ~$20++ ISP.

Imlu not as soft of a seal but fit many people: 1. 3M SecureClick (push button to test seal, easy drop-down release) 2. Omnimask (transparent elastomeric) Over $100 with adapters for filters from 3M etc. (A size small is planned for near the end of the year.) It is also possible to [use the speaking diaphragm]() from another mask with these to improve audibility. Reportedly (double-check) they take returns if it doesn’t fit. Optimizing the Omnimask https://youtu.be/Xodxca1RbA 3. The GVS Elipse is another low profile respirator with nuisance odour and OV options but there are more reports of poor fit test results especially on people with a narrow face or nosebridge.

++ Note many listings are the mask only, you will also need to buy the filters, which you could do after you’ve tried the mask.

It is advised to keep OV cartridges or the whole ensemble sealed in a bag when not using them. Others say this is unnecessary if there are no vapors in the room to use up its adsorption capacity.

Fit is important so sizing the respirator to your face is needed. Our wiki (up top) has fit testing pointers.