CPAP-Reviews

Sizing
The Phillips Respironics Flexifit 405 has proven to be a comfortable CPAP mask for me for several years. To accommodate a wider range of users, they included two sizes of silicone seals with every mask: a small one and a large one. Most users could only use one of these seals. The new generation of the old Flexi Fit 405 have broken out the mask into two different products: the FlexiFit 406 and the FlexiFit 407. The FlexiFit 406 is the “petite” model which is equivalent to the small silicone seal in the Flexifit405 and the Flexifit407 is similar to the larger size of the large seal included with the Flexifit 405 nasal CPAP mask.

The Good
One of the best features of the FlexiFit 405 is the glider bar that allows a greater range of movement for the CPAP user. The Flexifit 406 and 407 both include this feature. They advertise a new diffuser mechanism that doesn’t require the old white diffuser and is supposed to allow the user to get closer to their partner since it is supposed to be quieter and direct the air away from the other person in bed. This is great in theory, but read on to the bad. The narrower seal makes a smaller contact patch with the face which seems to reduce the contact patch with the face while still increasing the chance that the mask stays sealed on your face. I once woke up with only three of the four straps attached and the seal was still not broken!

The Bad
I really wished that this mask diffused the air away from my partner as advertised. Unfortunately, it really doesn’t. I still can’t face her, and I’m stuck sleeping to the left as usual. The air blows out pretty hard for about a foot in front of it, and you have to be about two feet away from it to feel nothing! That’s terrible, in fact it’s pretty much in the same league as the old FlexiFit 405. Maybe they should try a design out that blows the air in a different direction for a change.
I don’t like how the top strap attachments on the mask changed from a U shape to a C shape. The top straps now come off much more often with the C shape attachment, which is definitely not a good thing, but somewhat acceptable given the better seal overall. The mask would probably be better with the old U shape clips that are still found on the bottom.
The new Flexifit 406 mask (the petite/small size) seems about the same loudness as the old Flexifit 405. I expected some noise reduction but there isn’t any perceptible difference.

Thumbs Up
Overall the new FlexiFit 406 and 407 do provide better seals than their predecessor the FlexiFit 405. The diffuser part has also been eliminated which is a tiny win for the environment since it seemed like it wasn’t entirely necessary. Unfortunately the new masks don’t deliver in providing less noise and less discomfort to the other person in bed since the exhaust airflow will still remain a problem for both parties in bed.

I have been using the Respironics FlexiFit 405 CPAP Mask for several years now and I have noticed that the part that wears out the fastest is this gray foam piece that sits between the plastic mask and the silicone seal:. After several months of daily use, this part starts to disintegrate and little gray pieces of material start falling off. Since this is the part that wears out the fastest, one would think that this part should be available by itself to CPAP patients through their medical provider to reduce costs. My health care provider will only send out new masks, not parts from a mask such as this. So I have about half a dozen or so of these masks sitting around while I really only needed one mask and 6 or 7 of these foam things. One problem here is that the little part costs more than the copay for the entire mask! However if the insurance provider decided to sell off this replacement foam part then they would definitely be incurring some major cost savings. You’re wasting money Apria Healthcare.

The more often you use your CPAP equipment, the more often it will need to be cleaned, adjusted, and eventually replaced. After a month or two of using the same mask you may find that the mask fits differently. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments as necessary.

My mask became looser over the course of just two weeks and required adjustment of the headband to keep it from leaking air. It fit snugly and leak free when I was on the ramp mode and falling asleep however when the full pressure of my CPAP machine came on some leaks developed. Even minor leaks can ruin your sleep. Now I make sure that my CPAP mask is a little tighter before going to sleep to ensure a good night’s rest.

Try to keep your mask on all night even if you wake up in the middle of the night. If your Sleep Apnea machine has a ramp feature (lower initial pressure that ramps up to the prescribed pressure) then you may want to hit that button to help you get back to sleep if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night. I definitely notice a difference if I keep the mask on longer.

The ComfortClassic CPAP mask is an inexpensive mask that is ok for occasional use. I have it around for a backup when I don’t have time to throughly clean and dry my normal equipment however I don’t think it’s the best mask out there. I tried one out for about a month when I first got my CPAP machine and here are my findings:
Positives:

• inexpensive
• somewhat quiet, maybe a 3 out of 5, 5 being super quiet
• gel forehead pad could potentially be comfortable because of the material (but read on to the negatives)
• comes in small or large size (this can be a negative if you don’t know your size)

Negatives:

• parts are not really removable (gel forehead pad and seal that goes around your nose are stuck on the mask)
• doesn’t have a slider bar so the mask may stay in place while you turn your head so it’s easy to have an air leak
• single small forehead pad (made of gel) can create more pressure on the forehead compared to larger pads or multiple pads

Overall I’d give this mask about a 2 out of 5. It’s ok, but I wouldn’t order another one since there are better options available.