While there aren’t any states currently requiring that people wear face masks in public places, there are some U.S. states that mandate individuals in specific high-risk settings still wear face coverings, such as those that work in long-term care and health care facilities.

On top of that, there have been many recent reports of an increase in COVID-19 cases around the country, including in parts of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California. In fact, L.A. County is planning on bringing back indoor mask mandates as a result of an increase in hospitalization and deaths.

Whether you’re choosing to wear a mask because of your occupation, your personal safety, or because it’s mandated, it’s essential that your face mask fits you correctly and comfortably. There are several ways that face masks can be ill-fitting, but one particularly annoying occurrence is when your face mask nose wire won’t stay in place.

Why does this happen? Let’s take a look at five common reasons why the nose wires on your mask might be slipping around, causing discomfort, and reducing your mask’s efficacy.

1. Your Mask Isn’t the Right Size

If you’re wearing inexpensive, disposable masks, there’s a good chance it simply doesn’t fit you right. Whether it’s a bit too snug or too large, having a mask that isn’t the right size for your face can make it difficult to keep your nose wire in place.

When you wear a face mask that is too large, it can feel like it’s always slipping off your face and otherwise losing its ideal position. If you’re in a bind, you can help adjust a face mask that’s too big by tying knots in the ear loops to help hold the mask closer to your face. If you try this fix, though, it’s important to make sure you don’t tie it so tight that your mask flares out at the sides, as this will reduce the effectiveness of your mask’s protective qualities.

With masks that are too big, you might find that the nose wire slides up, down, and to the side. This can be frustrating and uncomfortable, but, most importantly, it means you don’t have a complete seal. If you work in an industry where you need to wear a face mask for your protection and the protection of others, the best solution is likely to purchase a mask that is better suited to the size and shape of your face.

If your mask is too small, it can create pain behind your ears and pressure against your face. It can also mean that the nose wire doesn’t fall in quite the location, leaving it to slip around rather than maintain a firm seal. For a quick fix, you can use a string to tie the mask behind your head by tying the two loops together rather than wrapping them around your ears.

2. Your Nose Wire Is Too Small

In some face masks, the nose wire only extends across the bridge of the nose rather than across the entire top of the mask. Therefore, when you have a mask with a short nose wire, you might find it much more likely to slide around than when you wear a mask with a full nose wire.

This is because shorter nose wires don’t provide as much grip on your face as a full wired mask. These masks are also problematic because they don’t create a complete seal, unlike a properly fitting full-wire mask.

3. You Wear Glasses

If you wear glasses, you are probably well aware of the difficulties that come along with combining spectacles and face masks. Glasses tend to fog up when you’re wearing a face mask, leaving you in a position where you are constantly adjusting your mask in the hopes that condensation will stop forming on your glasses.

When you wear a glass, it pushes your breath upwards rather than straight out in front of you. Since your breath is moist, the air you breathe fogs the glass when it hits the comparatively cool surface of your lenses.

Of course, our glasses do us little good if we aren’t able to see through them. For this reason, people often pull down or otherwise adjust their face masks with the hopes that they will clear up their fogged glasses. This can leave them in a position where their nose wire is constantly being reshaped and therefore doesn’t stay in place when they pull their mask back over their nose.

One of the best ways to avoid having your glasses fog up is to ensure your mask is properly sealed on your face. This isn’t possible with all types of masks, but if you’re wearing a face-fitting N95 mask or higher, you’ll want to ensure that it fits snugly against your face.

When your mask is completely sealed, your breath won’t be able to escape through the top of your mask. Instead, it will move through the filter as it is supposed to. This means you won’t have to frequently readjust your mask and lose your nose wire shape due to your glasses fogging up.

Wearing glasses can also cause your nose wire to slip out of place if your style of glasses is large enough that they overlap your face mask. On top of this, glasses constantly slipping down your nose can also cause your nose wire to lose its position.

4. You Have Facial Hair

Having facial hair can also cause issues with wearing a face mask, including making it difficult for the nose wire to stay in place. This is because facial hair can interrupt the ability for your mask to be fully sealed on your face. Not only does this cause a face mask not to fit properly, but it also means that the mask isn’t providing the full extent of its protection.

Facial hair can also make it so a mask doesn’t sit properly on the face, pushing it out away from your skin. This can create a situation where your nose wire doesn’t stay in place and constantly has to be readjusted.

Some of the other issues that can be caused by having facial hair while wearing a mask include:

• A mask might not be able to properly wrap around the chin with longer beards, making masks less comfortable and less effective.
• It can be painful to remove a mask with facial hair because the ear bands can catch on the hair.
• Wearing a mask can irritate the neck when doing so causes a beard to fold back towards the body.
• The skin can get irritated when a mask rubs against facial hair for hours at a time.

If your face mask nose wires aren’t staying in place because of facial hair, there are several potential remedies you can try.

One solution is simply trimming or shaving your facial hair. This might not be desirable in your situation, but some people find that doing so is the best possible option. For example, if you work in a role where you are constantly dealing with hazardous materials, you might find that the benefits of having a tight seal on your mask outweigh your desire to have facial hair.

You might find that simply adjusting your facial hairstyle solves the problem. For example, you might find that having a shorter beard allows your nose wire to stay in place, while your longer beard makes it difficult for your mask to stay properly fitted to your face.

If you’re pretty sure that facial hair is the reason your nose wire isn’t staying in place, check out our list of five tips for wearing a mask with facial hair.

5. Your Mask Doesn’t Have a Nose Wire At All

It’s possible that your face mask isn’t staying in place because it actually doesn’t have a nose wire at all. Nose wires help to improve the fit of face masks, particularly when you’re using a certified N95 mask. Because these masks require a full face seal, the nose piece helps keep your mask fit snugly across your face.

Nose wires in masks can also help make wearing a mask more comfortable. This might seem counterintuitive, but the wire can help distribute the pressure from the mask and protect the bridge of your nose, while wireless masks tend to put quite a bit of pressure right on your nose’s bridge.

If your mask is constantly slipping out of place and doesn’t seem to want to fit across your nose, try to determine whether there is a nose wire installed in the mask. There are also many different types of nose wires, including medical-grade aluminum, crafting wire, pipe cleaners, and twist ties. The flimsier the material, the less likely it will hold position.

Is a Face Mask With a Nose Wire Right For You?

There are many pros and cons to wearing a face mask with a wire, but most people agree that masks with nose wires fit better, are more comfortable, create less condensation on your glasses, and are typically higher quality. They also are usually more effective than masks without a wire, as they create a tight seal when they fit properly.

The reason that masks with a wire fit better is that they help the shape of the mask conform to the shape of your face. Not only is this more comfortable, but it also means that there is a more effective seal. In terms of comfort, a mask with a nose wire can help to distribute pressure, so it lightly sits across the bridge of your nose rather than pressing intensely against it.

Masks with wires also make it much easier for your mask to stay in place. If you’ve been frustrated with a mask that is constantly falling down when you’re trying to protect yourself from contaminants, you might find that a mask with a nose wire is the right choice. A mask with a nose wire will help ensure that air isn’t escaping through the top of your mask, which means that it will reduce condensation and be more effective.

One of the most compelling reasons to get a face mask with a nose wire is to help reduce the condensation that can build up on your glasses. When your breath is escaping through the top of your mask, humidity can rise and cool on the surface of your lenses, creating fog.

On the other hand, face masks with a nose wire tend to be a bit more expensive. This is because they take more labor to assemble, and there are additional material costs. This increased cost, though, is typically very nominal, so this alone shouldn’t be a reason to discount face masks with a nose wire.

The other major downside to face masks with nose wires is that they can be uncomfortable when they don’t fit correctly. In these cases, they might dig into your nose due to the mask being too tight, or they can slip around for all of the reasons mentioned above. This is why it’s important to find a mask that fits you well and adjust it to suit your face so you can feel comfortable all day long.

Are You Looking For the Right Face Mask?

Choosing the right mask for your needs has to do with the types of contaminants you are trying to protect yourself from. A face mask with a nose wire can be a good choice when you are aiming to protect yourself from COVID-19 when you are out in public.

We designed MyAir masks in 2014 to help reduce the stigma associated with wearing a mask. We know it’s just as important for you to look good as it is to feel good when you are out and about in the world. Our advanced filtration system provides both protection and comfort, ensuring that your exposure to airborne pathogens and irritants is reduced while maintaining humidity for your health.

The unique design of MyAir makes these masks highly breathable and feather-light without compromising protection. The filters are replaceable, and the masks are washable and reusable.

If you’ve been struggling with face mask nose wires that won’t stay in place, you might find that MyAir is a perfect choice. Because of their design, one size fits most adults, and they conform to a wide variety of face sizes and shapes. On top of that, the ear loops are stretchy and soft, meaning they’re much less likely to cause irritation or discomfort. Why not give one a try today?