Facial Hair and Respirator Fit
For a respirator to provide effective protection, there must be no facial hair under the respirator face seal area when it is worn. Facial hair can interfere with the seal between the mask and the skin, potentially allowing harmful substances to bypass the filter.
Official guidance from the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supports this. Their guidance clearly shows which facial hair styles are acceptable and which can compromise the mask’s effectiveness should facial hair compromise the respirators seal.
Always ensure the face is clean-shaven in the area of the respirator seal.
Key Points:
- No facial hair should be present where the mask seals to the face.
- Facial hair can break the seal, reducing protection.
- CDC guidance highlights acceptable and unacceptable facial hair styles.
Facial hair guidance illustration:
The proof
This video highlights the importance of being clean shaven when wearing a tight fitting respirator.