Advice on Upgrading Your Mask
Here’s what to do to level up your mask-wearing game.
Make sure it’s comfortable. Whatever mask you choose, make sure it’s something that you can comfortably wear on a regular basis. “I could create the best mask in the world, but if it’s super-uncomfortable, people just aren’t going to wear it,” says A.J. Prussin, PhD, a research scientist in the department of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.
Understand the types. By now, N95 and KN95 are household names. But knowing the differences between them can help as you’re considering how to upgrade your mask.
An N95 respirator, as it’s technically called, gets that designation based on requirements from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for performance and manufacturing. It must filter out at least 95percent of very small particles. The N95 is intended as a workplace mask, so the NIOSH standards are meant to ensure that it provides adequate protection on the job. To maintain that certification, regular quality control is required, says Anne Miller, executive director of Project N95, a nonprofit organization that sources high-quality and reliable masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and the general public.
Other types of respirators, such as the KN95 (from China), are subject to their country’s standards for performance. Like N95s, KN95s must be able to filter out 95 percent of small particles. But they’re not regulated as heavily as N95s, Miller says, requiring a one-time certification rather than ongoing scrutiny. And according to the CDC, about 60 percent of KN95s that NIOSH evaluated during 2020 and 2021 didn’t meet the standards they were claimed to.
Still, if you can confirm they’re authentic (see tips below), they or similarly high-performing masks (such as Korean KF94s) will provide some of the highest levels of protection, Prussin says.
And remember, you can also seek out other types of devices that provide equivalent or better protection than an N95. One good option, Jimenez says, is an elastomeric respirator. Its appearance might seem like something out of a sci-fi series, but these devices, some of which are also regulated by NIOSH and can be used as PPE in the workplace, can be highly effective, particularly because they may be easier to fit properly. A small study published in March 2021 in JAMA Network Open found that when performing mock CPR, a strenuous activity that requires a lot of movement, elastomeric respirators leaked less and provided better protection for healthcare workers than N95s.
A major bonus: Unlike disposable medical masks, elastomeric respirators can be cleaned and reused. If you opt for one, however, just make sure it doesn’t have a filterless exhale valve, which would allow your unfiltered breath to escape, potentially endangering others if you’re infected.
Double up. Better than any cloth mask or surgical mask on its own, Prussin says, is a tight-fitting cloth mask layered over a surgical mask. He recommends looking for a surgical mask that meets ASTM standards, which should provide a minimum level of filtration. (More on this below.)
Get a good fit. Although many cloth masks don’t perform as well as medical masks, upgrading your mask is about more than just the material it’s made out of. A well-fitting cloth mask made from at least three layers of tightly woven cloth (with the middle layer being a different type of fabric), would probably outperform a surgical mask that has gaps on the sides and is constantly sliding down off your nose, Jimenez says.
That’s because air takes the path of least resistance. “Any gap between the face and the mask defeats the purpose, because the air has a much easier time going through those gaps instead of going through the cloth of the mask,” Jimenez says. This is a potential problem even with highly effective but ill-fitting N95, KN95, and KF94 respirators.
There are a number of strategies you can use to get a better fit, such as double masking, using a mask brace or fitter, or strategically knotting ear loops. For more on how to make your mask fit better, see our guide here.
Different face shapes and sizes may be suited to different types of masks. If you buy one type of mask and find that it doesn’t fit and that you can’t adapt it well enough to close the gaps—or you just find it to be uncomfortable and difficult to wear—don’t give up. Try another brand or style.
Shop smart. It’s a good idea to look for ASTM standards not just when you’re buying a cloth mask but also when you’re buying a surgical mask. Surgical mask makers can make products that meet ASTM standards for the material used, which guarantees certain levels of filtration and breathability. (These are different standards from those used to evaluate cloth and nonmedical masks.) Look for masks that are labeled ASTM Level 1, 2, or 3. You’ll still need to make sure the mask fits well to your face, however, because the certification applies only to the mask’s filter material and not its overall performance.
Counterfeit KN95 or equivalent face coverings, or products that don’t meet U.S. or international standards, have been a problem during the pandemic. But reliable sources for masks and respirators exist, including this list of products tested by the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory. Project N95 is another resource. And although the FDA revoked its blanket emergency use authorizations for various types of personal protective equipment in 2021, the list of products that received the authorizations is also a good place to look, Miller says.
If you find a product on a site like Amazon and you’re not sure it’s authentic, CR’s Dickerson recommends that instead of putting it right into your cart, try searching for the brand name’s stand-alone site. Look for what’s said about the testing it has done and the standards it has met. Be wary of a site that offers little evidence about the effectiveness of its masks. Another good practice is to make sure you’re buying either directly from a manufacturer or directly from an authorized seller for a product, such as that brand’s official Amazon or eBay store.
