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What is the Mask-Cot™
hygienic absorbent disposable cover? |
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Mask-Cot™
covers are custom-made to fit over the standard rubber, silicon, or leather
Soft-Seal mouthpieces on today's popular speech silencers for voice
writers. The Mask-Cot™ was conceived only after
extensive research of all the alternatives or solutions. The only common complaint throughout the industry was about the speech
silencers and the very nature of the way we use them on our faces.
However, since using a speech silencer is our method,
this has left an unanswered industry-wide complaint for over 60 years. Finally, in August 2001, the
Mask-Cot™ was introduced to provide the voice reporter with an absorbent sanitary mouthpiece cover that keeps your skin dry and
comfortable throughout the hours behind the mask, promotes healthier skin,
and affords the reporter the kind of professional appearance we deserve
and need to project to the public.
In actual field tests conducted
by voice writers, it has proven to eliminate the excessive perspiration buildup thereby
reducing the other associated skin problems and providing a more
comfortable professional appearance for the reporter.
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How does the Mask-Cot™
actually work to eliminate excessive perspiration, redness and break-outs? |
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In order to understand how it works, it is necessary to
understand some basic histology of skin and why these problems occur when
using the permanent rubber, silicon, or leather soft-seal mouthpieces.
Regardless of a regimen of proper cleansing before using, the problem is
they do not allow the skin to breathe and function properly during usage.
Simply put, perspiration or sweating is
the body's way to deal with the heat generated from exercise or ambient
heat in the environment. As water evaporates on the surface of the skin,
heat is lost to the environment. Under normal circumstances most of the
sweat produced evaporates into the air. A major factor that
influences the rate of evaporation is the relative humidity of the air
around you. If the air is humid, then it already has water vapor in
it, probably near saturation, and cannot take anymore.
Extremely humid environments, such as
inside your mask, greatly decrease the degree to which sweat vaporizes and
cools the skin. When normal vaporization does not occur, the skin
will continue to try and cool itself which results in the production of
even more perspiration. This condition can also lead to a red or
flushed appearance (obvious by the red ring on your face when you remove
the mask).
Sweat glands are coiled, tubular glands. Their
ducts open at the skin's surface, similar to the opening of a hair
follicle. These glands
secrete mostly water, sodium chloride (salt), urea, ammonia, and uric
acid. Urea, ammonia, and uric acid are waste products of protein
metabolism. These waste products are toxic to the body.
Sebaceous glands produce sebum, an oily substance that also contains waxes
and lipids. Sebaceous glands are embedded in the dermis over most of the
body but are more concentrated in the scalp, face and forehead.
Disruption in the normal, continuous flow of sebum is one of the causes of
acne. Acne is an inflammation of
obstructed sebaceous glands. When the non porous rubber mouthpiece
is continually pressed against your face, the normal flow of sebum is
blocked and restricted because it has nowhere to go.
In essence, the Mask-Cot™ works as a constant blotter by absorbing this excessive perspiration and sebum flow.
It reduces blocked pores and allows the skin to cool itself and regulate
its temperature while keeping you dry and comfortable.
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What material is the Mask-Cot™
made of? |
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Your Mask-Cot™ cover is
made of carefully selected premium 100% cotton moleskin fabric and is
manufactured and packaged under stringent hygienic guidelines to ensure
its quality. This fabric was chosen because it has been proven to be non
irritating for most users in other skin related applications. Obviously, should a rash
or allergic reaction develop, discontinue use immediately and
contact your licensed practitioner. back to top |
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The Mask-Cot™ is disposable but can it
be reused? |
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For optimum results
and healthy skin, it is essential to apply a clean cover at
the beginning of each daily session or job and discard the soiled cover after
use.
The Mask-Cot™ cover is designed
to be disposable for obvious hygienic purposes. Our research proved there
was no type of permanent fabric cover that could be kept clean without time-consuming thorough hand washing and drying after each use which then presents other problems in
and of itself.
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Why was the color
beige chosen instead of black and why are there high or low tack styles? |
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The Mask-Cot™ was designed
in beige for several very important reasons. First, due to the cover's
absorbent properties and because your mask is repeatedly handled, laid
down on tables and so forth, for sanitary purposes it is important you
know when the cover is soiled and needs to be discarded. Black merely
disguises this problem.
Secondly, because so many female voice reporters wear makeup, beige was
the predominant choice to disguise any makeup runoff. Black mouthpieces
look
messy - not to mention sticky - because makeup rubs off and shows
up vividly on the black. And thirdly, the Mask-Cot™ is
virtually indiscernible when
on the mask so we felt beige was the best choice for the
hygienic and makeup camouflage reasons stated above.
When the original Mask-Cots
were produced it was necessary to choose one material and adhesive type
for the initial production so that the covers would be affordable.
The high tack, we found, was a little too strong for use on the soft-seal
leather mouthpieces but high
tack adhesive was necessary on the large Stenomask and smaller silicon
rubber mouthpieces to ensure a proper snug fit. The demand for the
low tack came from our many users requesting a Mask-Cot for the soft-seal
that would remove easily and leave no adhesive residue afterwards.
With so many requests, we were happy to supply this new low tack for
soft-seals. back to
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Does the Mask-Cot™
actually enhance voice silencing? |
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Using a Mask-Cot™ on your mask will certainly not
interfere with normal voice silencing effects or cause you to be heard.
If, in fact, you can be heard, you need to lower your voice or tone which
has nothing to do with the cover. In fact, many, many users have
reported to us that it actually enhances voice silencing for them.
It is the pressure of your face against the
mouthpiece or Mask-Cot™ that gives you the "seal" for voice silencing.
It is this same pressure that causes the excessive perspiration and
associated skin problems. The Mask-Cot™ was designed to relieve this
pressure by providing an additional absorbent soft layer to keep you dry,
clean and more comfortable.
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How do you apply the large cover? It seems too small to adhere down everywhere on the mouthpiece. |
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You may be having a little trouble because the cover
actually does not adhere to the inner side edges or down on the chin flap
as you might expect
Carefully remove film backing using starter tab. Begin applying at
the nose position by reaching in with your pointer finger to push up and
out on the nose flap. Gently release nose flap while guiding the
cover in with your other pointer finger. Align bottom outer edge and
press down then smooth cover down on both side outer edges. The
adhesive will allow you to pull up and adjust the alignment if necessary.
TIP: Once you have the first cover on, you can then use that
as a base cover. Additional clean replacement covers
are just applied and replaced over it. Should you ever use your mask
without a Mask-Cot, you can then remove any adhesive residue at that time. back to top
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What is layering and what product can be
used to remove any adhesive residue from my regular mouthpiece should I
ever run out of covers? |
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The general consensus from our users about
any adhesive residue
left after using a Mask-Cot™ is "no big deal" because you're applying another
one right over that. If you've begun using Mask-Cots it is because
your old mouthpiece is wet and uncomfortable anyway! In order to
adhere down snugly on the contoured shape of Martel's standard small
silicon mouthpiece, the new Sylencer and large Stenomask, a high tack
adhesive is necessary on the cover. However, most pre-cut and large
Stenomask style users generally
leave the first cover on and then apply a clean cover one at a time over the
first
one (they peel off easily from one another) which eliminates cleaning any
residue off at all in between uses and provides even more cushion and
enhanced voice silencing.
Beginning 5/7/03 to
eliminate confusion and possible damage to the delicate leather of the
soft-seal accessory mouthpiece on Martel's Minimask, we now only sell the
Soft-Seal Mini Mask-Cot for that type of speech silencer since a high tack
is not necessary for its shape to adhere down. The soft-seal mini
Mask-Cot removes easily from the leather and will leave no adhesive
residue to clean off between uses.
The residue that is left when using
either the pre-cut or large Stenomask styles is
very similar to what
a Band-Aid leaves and a little gummy. Should you ever run out of
covers or for some reason need or want to use your old mouthpiece without a
Mask-Cot™, we
recommend using either "DeSolv-it" citrus solution or "Goo-Gone"
citrus power. Both of these products are readily available in most major
grocery stores. Simply follow the label instructions. The cost
is about $3 to $4 dollars for a substantial amount.
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