A medical surgical mask, sometimes called a medical face shield, is an essential personal protective gear worn by medical professionals during medical procedures. It helps reduce the risks of infection and injury to the wearer and prevents foreign bodies from entering the throat area. As well as this, it reduces the risk of the patient being allergic to any part of the face mask. It is designed so that the air flowing through the mask does not touch any of the face, which is often a common occurrence with disposable masks made from plastic.
These types of medical surgical masks are normally made of a solid, rigid, and resistant fabric. This is usually durable enough to be used in theatre settings, though you may want to opt for one with a disposable heat lamp fitted to it. The rigid fabric is designed to stay put and does not slide down. Some also come with an adjustable nose pad, so the fit can be adjusted according to the size of the nose. The benefit of this is that the whole mask stays put, so there is no risk of it becoming dislodged during surgery.
Another important feature of these medical surgical masks is the inner layer. Usually made of a thick flexible, clear plastic, it provides protection against any particles, so that there is no chance of the particles entering the patient's nasal cavities. There is often a disposable inner liner that gets replaced periodically. The outer cover is usually made of a transparent polyurethane which looks just like the regular face mask filter layer.
Medical surgical masks made of non-woven cloth are much cheaper than their women counterparts. Non-woven cloth is also easily disposable as the cloth itself is made up of simple cells of tissue, similar to your hair. However, there is a major disadvantage in using cloth as a face shield. Since you cannot see the particles, there is a higher risk of the particles interfering with the surgeon's vision. For this reason, some practitioners prefer to use disposable microbeads instead.
Nontraditional medical surgical masks include the full face and nose protector. These are much like the full-face masks but have a wider width. They fit perfectly onto the upper jaw, over the nose, and below the chin. The advantage of this kind is that they cover the entire nose and mouth areas, covering any obstructions that may be present, including the trachea, the windpipe, and the adenoids. However, since they do not completely cover the nose, they are more easily damaged if the patient loses air pressure during a procedure.
Finally, there are two additional kinds of medical surgical masks that are gaining popularity. The first is the face and nose protector, which are available without a liner. This type of protection works by using two pieces of fabric which are connected together in the back, above the nose, below the chin, and to either side of the nose, depending on the user's needs. This is very similar to using a face shield, except it provides greater protection to the nose and mouth. The second is a full body protection, which covers the torso and back as well as the face and nose.
