Personal protective equipment and methods

A method of donning a mask having an air-permeable portion configured to be placed over at least a portion of a face of a wearer, and an adhesive strip, the adhesive strip comprising (i) a back side comprising an adhesive portion, wherein a lower portion of the adhesive portion is configured to adhere to an upper portion of the air-permeable portion of the mask and an upper portion of the adhesive portion is configured to adhere to skin of the wearer and (ii) a outward-facing front side, the outward-facing front side having at least one removable backing strip pressed thereon, the method comprising:

• pressing on the at least one removable backing strip so as to cause adherence of the lower portion of the adhesive portion to the upper portion of the air-permeable portion;
• placing the mask over the at least portion of the face while pressing on the at least one removable backing strip so as to cause adherence of the upper portion of the adhesive portion to the skin;
• and
• after the adherence of the adhesive portion to the skin, peeling off the at least one removable backing strip from the outward-facing front side of the adhesive strip.

A method of donning a mask having (i) an air-permeable portion configured to be placed over a mouth and nose of a wearer, the air-permeable portion comprising at least a top edge;

• (ii) at least one strap which is configured to secure the mask to the wearer;
• and (iii) a first strip having a first adhesive portion comprising a lower portion configured to adhere to the top edge of the air-permeable portion, and an upper portion which extends above the top edge of the air-permeable portion and is configured to adhere to at least malar skin of the wearer, the method comprising:
• engaging the at least one strap to secure the mask to the wearer;
• removing from a rear side of the mask a first removable backing strip, the first removable backing strip covering the first adhesive portion, the removing exposing the first adhesive portion;
• placing the mask over at least the mouth and the nose of the wearer while pressing on at least one second removable backing strip disposed on an outward-facing side of the first strip so as to cause adherence of the first adhesive portion to the at least malar skin, the adherence forming a moisture vapor seal between the first adhesive portion and the at least malar skin of the wearer so as to limit fogging of optical apparatus used by the wearer while wearing the mask;
• and
• removing the at least one second removable backing strip disposed on the outward-facing side of the first strip;
• wherein the at least one second removable backing strip (i) imparts a degree of rigidity to the first strip so as to enhance the adherence of the first adhesive portion to the at least malar skin, and (ii) comprises third and fourth removable backing strips respectively covering left and right sides of the outward-facing side of the first strip, the third and fourth removable backing strips configured to be peeled off after the adherence of the first adhesive portion to the at least malar skin.

A mask comprising:

• an air-permeable portion configured to be placed over a mouth and nose of a wearer;
• at least one strap which is configured to secure the mask to a head of the wearer;
• and
• an adhesive strip, the adhesive strip comprising:
• a back side comprising an adhesive portion, wherein a lower portion of the adhesive portion is configured to adhere to the air-permeable portion of the mask and an upper portion of the adhesive portion is configured to adhere to skin of the wearer of the mask;
• and
• a front side, the front side having two removable backing strips coupled thereto, the two removable backing strips covering left and right sides of the front side of the adhesive strip and configured to (i) enable a pressing of the upper portion of the adhesive portion against a face of the wearer, and (ii) be removed after the upper portion of the adhesive portion is adhered to the skin of the wearer of the mask.