Surgical Masks vs. Cloth Masks vs. Respirator Masks

You have likely worn a certain kind of mask at some point of time in your life to shield yourself against either pollution, an industrial hazard or any infection. To help you understand the basic categories, we intend to discuss the differences between the three major types of masks- surgical, cloth and respirator.

Build and Making:

Respirator masks are way sturdier than surgical masks or cloth masks. Depending upon the targeted use, respirators can be made of many different materials like spun-bond fabric, rubber, synthetic polymer fiber, melt blown fabric and other materials. Conversely, surgical masks are usually made of non-woven material. Cloth masks, as the name implies, are made of cloth, usually cotton or linen, but sometimes of other fabrics as well. All the three types of respiratory protection equipments have single or double loops or bands to facilitate wearing. The masks may or may not have metal band meant for the purpose of snug fit around nose.

Single use or multiple uses:

While both surgical and respirator masks are usually meant for single use, there are few types of respirators that can be used multiple times by changing filters or by following decontaminating process. Product instruction manual of specific respirator and surgical mask would share details related to the amount of time the mask can be used. Cloth masks on the other hand can be used many times, but only when they are thoroughly washed and dried after every use. The length of the use depends on the layers of cloth in the mask and the level of contamination in the air.

Fitting:

Respirators are designed to form a tight seal with the wearer’s face. Wearers are expected to be trained in fit testing to make sure that there is no leak whatsoever before entering the contaminated area and that they are using a respirator of suitable size and model. Contrarily, surgical masks do not give leak-proof coverage. They are loose towards the edges leaving a lot of scope for air to pass both ways. Cloth masks can have many varieties when it comes to fitting. Many of them facilitate leak-proof fitting while many others don’t.

Approvals:

Respirator masks have more stringent requirements compared to surgical masks and cloth masks. There are various approvals that need to be taken based on the target usage of the respective mask.

To summarise, every type of mask is made to provide protection from different aerosols of different sizes and intensities. One must read the user manual carefully before choosing a mask for a specific environment. Make sure you follow all the instructions and dispose and change the mask as required.