Face mask fit and design analysis: discussion

Here is some discussion of my analysis of face mask fit and design. I've compiled it here in a blog post so that it'll be (somewhat?) easier to follow compared to a bunch of disjointed tweets and replies.* Please read the aforementioned post so that this discussion will make more sense. 

DW Rowlands: Thanks for sharing!  I am struck by how common "ear loops too loose" is as a problem for you, too.  I really don't get why ear loops seem to be an almost-universal standard when it seems like tie-on masks fit a lot better. It does make sense that more-deeply pleated masks would fit better.  And I really should buy more masks instead of wearing the same ones multiple days in a row (though I rarely go places near other people when I'm outside). I just continue to be stressed out about spending money on things that turn out to not fit. 

Rachel Taylor: Ear loop masks are definitely easier to put on or remove, but I think the fit benefits of ties being more adjustable can outweigh the convenience of ear loops, especially if the ear loops don't fit well, which happened with many of the masks. Anyways, it depends on the situation one is wearing the mask -- a long period where you won't take it off? The slight extra time it takes to use ties doesn't really matter. If you only need to wear the mask very briefly, then ear loops are a bit more convenient.

The Gap adult size mask, which had the longest ear loops, would've fallen off my face if it weren't for my glasses tenuously holding it in place (before tying the ear loops shorter). Maybe ear loop masks are cheaper and/or easier to manufacture at scale? Just speculation though.

yeah, it's annoying [to buy and spend money on ill-fitting masks], especially since masks can't be returned. Though perhaps some sort of secondhand mask swap (where you sell/trade ill-fitting [clean and laundered] masks to others) would be useful -- as long as it were thoroughly washed, I'd be alright w/ a secondhand mask. Pleat depth is *not* something you can really measure without wearing the mask and/or actually having it in your hands with a tape measure. And I doubt it's listed in the descriptions when shopping online. I've never seen it discussed before regarding mask fit at all, really.

DW: *sighs*  For something that we're treating as our first-line of defense against a deadly pandemic, society/capitalism really isn't trying very hard to make sure masks fit and work and are generally effective.

Rachel: I agree (and that's with the assumption that mask-wearing rates are decent in one's community, at least in indoor and/or crowded public spaces).

DW: *nods*I don't know if things are actually better in other countries (they seem to be in some places from their infection rates?), but this just contributes to me feeling like American society is fundamentally doomed... Like, we don't even have the willpower/competence to take basic steps to stop a deadly disease?  Why should I have any faith we'll ever fix our cities and transit networks to any appreciable extent?

Maybe [ear loop masks are cheaper/easier to manufacture], though I don't see why they would be?  My first guess would be that people don't like or are perceived to not like having to tie things, and ear loops are easier.  Plus people caring less about a good fit than they should, given how unseriously Americans are taking things. Also, given how many people seem to like wearing their masks on their chin and only putting it over their mouth when really close to people, I suppose ear loops make that easier, and people who want to do that presumably don't care much about effectiveness anyway? I wonder how the popularity of different approaches compares in other countries where people are taking masking more seriously?

Rachel: True [about people only putting their mask on when close to others]. This is also sort of a situational thing -- at least in the places I go these days, there aren't many situations where I'd be frequently taking a mask on and off repeatedly like that. Either I'm outdoors in my uncrowded suburban neighborhood and can stay far away enough from others (or am only passing them briefly for a fleeting moment) and don't feel the need to wear a mask at all, or I'm inside a store and can't/shouldn't be taking my mask off intermittently in that situation. 

[re: people being perceived to not like having to tie things] I mean, lots of people wear shoes with laces, neckties ... admittedly, probably were more common when people went into offices, but it's not like tie-on clothing items are unheard of. But maybe convenience just won out??

[re: people not caring enough about proper mask fit?] Masks should cover one's mouth and nose, but there doesn't seem to be any specific guidance about how high on one's nose it's ideal to wear the mask. I feel like I wear my masks higher on (covering more/all of) my nose than some people I've seen. For me, it's decently important that I not have to adjust the mask much/often because it's not stable and moves around too much on my face when I talk or otherwise move my face, but maybe some/many people just don't care (much) about that factor? 

DW: Same: I try to cover all of my nose, and feel like that's optimal.  Though I guess the real question is how small an air gap can you have?  Since the goal is to have air going through the mask and not around it... Given that you're not supposed to be touching the mask for risk of contamination, I'd think that that would be very important.  Plus, if it's moving around on your face, I doubt the fit is snug enough to keep all your breath from just leaking around the sides. 

Rachel: Right, which is why (deep) pleats and ties are better at helping the mask to conform closely to the contours of one's face and not slide down or up. I think my glasses frames help a bit in pressing the top edge of the mask closer to my face/cheeks. (which is why it's important to me that masks have a pliable top edge/seam that won't interfere too much with how my glasses rest on my nose and face; I'd like not to feel like they're about to fall off my face because the mask is pushing them off)

I'm not even sure there's really that much *definitive* information/research on the intricacies of cloth face mask fit. Yeah, some mask is better than nothing, but whatever variations may exist due to how tightly or loosely a mask fits on the face? *shrug* It seems to be decently established that more layers = better, but how much of a quantified difference does, say, two layers make compared to one? As long as the fabric is rather tightly woven/not super thin, I'm not sure exactly how much better/safer more layers is.

DW: Me either.  And I assume all of that depends on an assumption of "snug enough that most air goes through, not around, the mask"? Yep.  Which is why I really distrust loop masks.  The ones I have, I use an ear protector to try to force them to fit more tightly, which sort of works?

Rachel: Given that it's not really possible to measure (at least not at home) how much air is escaping around a mask, yeah, (rhetorical q.) what is the minimum snugness of fit needed for a mask to be effective? I don't think a bandanna loosely tied around a face is enough, for example. Obviously N95 masks (if properly fitted) form a full seal around the wearer's nose and mouth, but I don't think we can expect that level of... sealing with cloth face masks for people to wear in their everyday lives. 

"ties allow for a closer fit along the bottom of the mask; they allow for a stronger anchor point at the bottom corners (and they pull the mask close to the face there at a better angle as well?)" I think ties being independently adjustable is better to get a tighter fit. With ear loops, you can't really tighten the fit of the top of the mask independently from the bottom, it just... overall fits a bit more closely (and pulls more on your ears...) if the loops are adjusted shorter. 

DW: I'm not certain.  I somewhat go with "can I feel air escaping around the edges with my fingers." I agree with this assessment, and I think it's another good case for ties. Also, I feel like "a bunch of Twitter threads at once" is a really disorganized way to have a conversation: I'm not sure if anyone will be able to follow this if they come along later... [author's note: that is why I put together this blog post!]

Rachel: Maybe I'll make an additional blog post with our discussion here compiled in a way that's easier to follow... I wish more people were interested in discussing the analysis of face mask fit and design; it seems like it's... quite relevant to our lives now.

Rachel: Oh, I'm not sure if this is useful in any way, but I measured my face as well (aspects of it that may pertain to mask fit, like how people measure waist/hip for clothes). Front of ear to front of ear across the front of my face was 10 in, nose bridge to underneath chin was 5 in.

*if you want to try and make your way through the disjointed tweets and replies (or maybe reply yourself?), feel free to look at my thread.