Now that you’ve hopefully got a few face masks to wear in public, the next step is to make sure you feel comfortable and safe when wearing one. If you’re concerned that it’s not as close-fitting as it should be, you’re not alone.
On many people, the disposable surgical masks that are a popular option can be slightly loose around the sides of the face, meaning there’s still an opportunity for viral particles to go around and reach your nose and mouth.
Luckily, Dr. Olivia Cuid, a dentist in Montreal, has shared a great face mask hack that will help yours fit better. Cuid shared it on TikTok, where her 60-second video tutorial has already been watched more than 400,000 times since June 22.
After pointing out that a downside of surgical masks is that “the sides of your face are left very exposed to the outside,” she provided the following tips:
- Fold the mask in half, lengthwise.
- Tie each of the ear loops into a knot, as close as possible to the mask.
- Open up the mask.
- Tuck the small opening on the sides next to the ear loop underneath the ear loops.
It might sound like a lot of work but Cuid makes it look so easy in her video. Just watch her do the whole thing in a matter of seconds and you’ll see what a difference it makes to the fit of her mask.
@oliviacuidmdHighly requested 60s version of my viral mask hack ##fyp ##doctorsoftiktok ##masktutorial ##covid19 ##viral ##maskhack ##learnontiktok⬠original sound – oliviacuidmd
And that’s it! You can now wear a more snug-fitting face mask even if you have a smaller face. Oh, and if you don’t have access to disposable surgical masks, this hack should work for loose-fitting cloth masks, too.
TikTok users thanked Cuid in the comments.
“Wait this is so helpful thank you for sharing!!” one wrote, while another commented, “Me and my pea head thank you!”
In a growing number of states, face masks are now being required in many businesses, including shops, restaurants and even transportation services like Uber and Lyft. It looks like this is going to be the norm until daily COVID-19 cases start to level off, so any tips to make wearing a mask more comfortable and effective are welcome.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
