How to wear a medical mask correctly and which side

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Medical masks as a preventive measure help limit the spread of the virus. Depending on the variety, they serve from 2 to 6 hours. But in order to achieve the desired effect, you need to understand how to wear a medical mask correctly, and which side to face it should be turned.

Where is the top and where is the bottom?

The top area of the mask has a bendable but stiff edge. This part, when put on, allows you to repeat the shape of a human nose. If the mask is two-tone, the outer side of it may be:

• blue;
• light gray;
• light green.

The inside is usually white. If the colors on both sides match, you can navigate by indirect signs. The outer one is in some cases more rigid and dense, while the inner one has a soft structure. Some models have a logo on the surface.

How to put on a medical mask correctly?

For those who are trying to understand how to properly wear a medical mask, and which side to face it, special recommendations will help.

Pharmacy medical masks are usually standard sizes. Horizontal - 18 cm, vertical - 8 cm. This means of protection must fit snugly to the face, cover the nose and mouth, otherwise wearing it is useless.

To put on the mask correctly, the following steps must be followed:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water. Rub them thoroughly for at least 20 seconds and then rinse with tap water. At the end of the procedure, dry your hands with a cotton or paper towel.
2. Check the mask for defects. Look carefully for any holes, breaks, defects in the material structure. The defective product should be discarded immediately and replaced with a new protective device that has not been used by anyone before.
3. Turn the mask white side to face. Most of the products are white on the inside and a different color on the outside.
4. Position the top area correctly. The mask should be as close to the skin as possible. The upper area has an edge that follows the contours of the nose exactly. This side should be facing up.
5. Put on a mask on your face. Medical disposable masks are equipped with various attachment options. Most have ear loops made of elastic material. You should take them in your hands, fix them on one ear, and then repeat the manipulation with the other.
6. Adjust the position of the product near the nose. After making sure that the mask is in the correct place, all that remains is to pinch the flexible area with your thumb and forefinger, adjusting the position of its edges from above around the nose.

If necessary, you can correct the lower area as well. For a protective device equipped with ropes attached at the top and bottom, you can correct the one that is located near the base of the head. If the garment has shifted, you can re-tie the fastener.

Make sure the mask covers your chin. This should be done when the accessory is fully worn. The bottom edge of the mask should be at the chin.

Understanding how to properly wear a medical mask, and which side to place it in relation to the face, it is important to focus on the type of protective equipment. Some masks are fitted with fabric stripes. They should be tied behind the head. Stripes are present at the top and bottom of the product.

To put on such a mask, you need to take the top mount, wind it by the back of your head and tie it with a bow. The same should be done with the ropes at the bottom.

If we are talking about models with long elastic bands, then the latter should be placed around the back of the head. The mask is placed in front of the face, after which both strips are secured. One of them is fixed on the neck, the other in the back of the head.

Does it matter which side of the mask is worn - the opinion of experts

Experts have their own opinion on how to properly wear a medical mask, and whether it matters which side to face it is worn. Most healthcare professionals agree that side doesn't matter for standard medical masks.

You can wear them with the white side to the face, and multi-colored. It is usually customary to wear an accessory with a white area inside. But this is more of an aesthetic aspect that does not in any way affect the level of protection against viruses.

If we talk about a mask used for medical purposes and equipped with a nose clip, there is no alternative. The instructions are clear: the accessory should be placed with the inside towards the face. In all other situations, you can follow the generally accepted recommendations or the manufacturer's instructions.

If there is a water-repellent impregnation, such a product should be in a dark layer inside. This area has not been treated with the specified impregnation. Additional specific features are usually indicated in the accompanying instructions.

Summarize

1. It is customary to wear the mask with the white side inward and the colored side out.
2. Medical masks for medical procedures, equipped with a valve for the nose, are worn with the inside of the mask to the face.
3. For standard medical masks, the level of protection against viruses does not change in any way depending on which side is wearing the protection.