We’ve all had enough of the plain old medical masks, and we want to have fun with our face mask designs. However, some of the latest trendy face mask designs defy the whole purpose of wearing one. These designs might be fun to wear and look at, but they’re definitely not recommended by experts. Which ones are they and how should you choose the right one? Let’s take a look.

Your Cocktail Can Wait, Seriously!

One of the most trending fun mask designs right now is the “cocktail mask.” This unique design has a hole for your straw to pass so you can enjoy your cocktail parties. As fun and unique as it looks, the void creates an opening for a lot more than just your straw. All kinds of viruses, bacteria, and contaminated particles can enter through the hole and infect you directly through your mouth and nose. It’s as dangerous as wearing armor with a breach!

Your Mask Should Have Zero Zippers

Some of the other fun mask designs have zippers on them. This zipper’s purpose is somewhat the same as that of the hole- consuming food and drinks without taking the mask off. However, the idea is not as genius as it may look. Even though the zipper allows creating a precise opening, it still creates a breach in your mask, allowing contaminants to enter as they please and make you sick.

Masks With Plastic Openings Are A Bad Idea

Plastic windows and openings provide aid for deaf people and those who read lips to communicate. However, as helpful as that is, it’s yet another compromise to the mask’s effectiveness. Plastic windows mean that there’s no fabric in that particular area, and there’s a discontinuity in the mask. Any punctures, holes, and tears in the material could invite the virus inside and allow it to leave and infect others.

Don’t Get Smile Masks

Smile masks have a very similar mechanism to the plastic window masks mentioned above, and they’re unsafe for the same reasons. A few months ago, this trend popped up in a very positive context. The design preached spreading happiness and calm vibes even under a mask so that your presence would soothe others. These fun mask designs might be a great idea and a unique opportunity to spread some joy. However, they’re not the most amazing in terms of safety and effectiveness for the obvious reasons mentioned above.

How To Select A Face Mask?

So, amidst all these fun mask designs, how do you know which ones are safe to try? Here’s a little criterion to keep in mind: 

• The mask should have multiple layers of fabric. 
• It should efficiently and completely cover both your nose and mouth from all sides. 
• The fabric should be principal and washable. 
• Your face mask should not have any gaps. It should have a snugly fit against your face. 
• Choose a design that is continuous and does not have any holes, windows, or tears anywhere. 
• Avoid choosing masks that are hard to breathe in and have valves or breaches on their structure.