Protecting Your Hair With a CPAP

By Brittany Washington

2 min read

Have you ever woken up with your hair plastered to your head after sleeping with your continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine? Or have you experienced thinning or breaking in 1 spot while using your CPAP? I discovered a helpful tip for how to protect hair while wearing CPAP for treating my sleep apnea.

When I noticed that I needed CPAP hair protection

I started to notice some breakage in the front of my hair, and it wasn’t from tension because I rarely put my hair in a ponytail. I noticed that the breakage was right around where my headgear sits, about 2 to 3 inches from the front of my hairline.

Tossing and turning all night with the straps running on your hair can cause friction. I have restless leg syndrome (RLS) also, so I toss and turn a lot. I was devastated because I had a huge patch of hair that was thinning. You could literally see where a patch of hair was broken off from the headgear.

Hair accessories I use

Pineapples

When I’m wearing my hair curly, I pull it up in a pineapple in which I use an oversized satin scrunchie and pull it gently.

Mesh wrap

When my hair is straight, I wrap it around my head and use a mesh wrap and then put a bonnet on top. These 2 steps have stopped me from having flat helmet hair from the straps of the headgear.

Hair bonnet

When I wear protective styles it can be hard to fit my headgear because of the extra hair; however, my hair is braided down underneath the locks so I change my routine and pull the extensions around the headgear so that it fits (picture below). Then once I get my headgear on to keep the style from getting frizzy, I put a jumbo bonnet over my hair and the headgear.

Washington sharing how she protects her hair from her cpap machine.

How to protect hair while wearing CPAP?

I purchased satin bonnets in different sizes for when my hair is curly, straight, or in a protective style like braids or crochets. Using a satin bonnet doesn’t dry your hair out like cotton. The bonnet allows a layer of protection between your hair and the headgear. If you toss and turn, that can be a lot of friction directly on your hair with no barrier.

Once I started using a bonnet I noticed that the breakage stopped. I would massage my scalp with a few drops of castor oil in the spot where it had thinned out from the breakage. It took about 3 months before I started noticing that section of my hair had thickened back up.

Nightly hair havoc

Wearing headgear at night can wreak havoc on your hair. The only thing that helped the thinning and breakage of my hair was protecting it at night with a satin bonnet.

When I wasn’t using my CPAP I couldn’t keep a bonnet on my hair because I sleep so wild. So, I made the switch to a satin pillowcase and sheets. The headgear then works in my favor protecting my hair. Also, it stays on all night because of the headgear, which was a first for me.

What do you use at night to protect your hair with your CPAP machine?

Please share a comment or photo below.

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ChroniKat Member
<inline-mention username="Brittany Washington" user-id="4151120"/> , I've only been on CPAP 3 months, so haven't noticed any hair breakage (yet), but the headgear does mess with my head. I have thick, coarse hair with loose curls and waves, and the headgear mashes it down on top and in the back. Actually makes my hair hurt when it gets pressed the wrong way. I can't use the BleepSleep, @Hipgramma , because I breathe through my mouth at times and drool in my sleep. And I can't tape my mouth because of skin sensitivities and allergies, and I don't want to choke on my own saliva. Wouldn't you know there is a better solution out there that I can't use, owing to those issues (and others)!
CommunityMember7812f4 Member
I have an area across my nose all red. I have problems with my mask leaking. I wear it tight. I have developed wrinkles and I de too s on my face from the mask being so tight. I hate it. A medium is too big a small is too small on mask and head gear. I cannot wear one for nose I sleep with my mouth open and my mouth dries out bad. I constantly have sores on my lips and nose. Wised by straps being too tight and mask. So I just live with it. 
1. kailahholmes Community Admin
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember7812f4" user-id="6622895"/>, this must be frustrating! Are you using a silicone or memory foam cushion to help protect your skin? Perhaps this might be a good option for you to look into. Or, perhaps checking in the skincare aisle at your convenience store, they may have some type of nose tape that soft on your skin and does not interfere with the functionality of your CPAP machine. I found this article that may be helpful: <a href='https://sleepapnea.sleep-disorders.net/living/cpap-mask-cushion-material' target='_blank'>https://sleepapnea.sleep-disorders.net/living/cpap-mask-cushion-material</a> Wishing you all the best! -Kailah (SA Team Member)
Lisa Bond, RPSGT, RST, FAAST Member
Great article Brittney!! Warmly, Lisa (SleepApnea.Sleep-Disorders.net Team Member and Advocate)