Why So Many Face Masks?

From left to right: cotton, buff, black aerosilver, polyester/cotton, cotton poplin, sports, white aerosilver, aerosilver with designs. 

Why so many face masks? When COVID-19 began appearing in the U.S. and my job didn’t have enough PPE’s, I ordered my first cloth facemask from all places, New York, when their infections, hospitalizations, & deaths were peaking.  The masks were OK and I used them at work, however when I took a deep breath, the cloth would get sucked into my nostrils. Thus began my quest for a better face mask that enabled me to breathe in more easily especially when I was doing my brisk walking exercise. Next I tried buffs. There were nice designs, quite breathable, but if I positioned the back part below my ears, the buff would eventually slide off. Then came the mask that a lady in her car gave me. It was called a “fashion mask” (not in photo) which was too thin and although very breathable, not protective enough, so I had to put a bandanna on top whenever I exercised. I found a company advertising on Instagram and they were selling what’s called an Aerosilver mask. The pic looked similar to the one the lady gave me so I thought they were the same and maybe I can wear 2 masks instead of the bandanna. I also found a company which sold the “fashion mask” and I ordered a pack of 10 (not included in photo). However, it was being shipped from China and didn’t arrive until  55 days later. Thankfully, the company gave me a refund but let me keep the masks for free.  When the Aerosilver masks arrived, they were thicker and more protective than the fashion mask but also breathable because of its 3D shape. However it only came in black. Searching for more colorful but breathable mask, a swimming company in Torrance looked promising so I ordered 2 of them: a bubbles design & a California republic design. I encountered the same problem as the cloth masks. The fabric would get sucked into my nostrils so it was hard to breath while exercising. Then I tried the reversible poplin cotton masks. Nice colors but same breathability problems.  Then came the black “sports mask”. Again, too thin, not enough protection and crushed my nose. On Ebay, I found white Aerosilver masks which feel cooler on warmer days. The final mask I bought (hopefully!), were also Aerosilver with the American flag, tie-dye, and camouflage designs. Gosh darn, I spent so much time & money searching for what works for me! Lately, when I go to a store, I’ve been doubling up on what I wear: an old N95 mask under a cloth mask and hoping it’s more protective when I’m exposed to more people. While these masks don’t guarantee that I don’t get infected with COVID-19, I’ll try my best not to.