See-Bak's
Winter Hood includes a Drug Free Breath
Kleener FaceMask
The Hood and Facemask : The facemask's thermal exchange design captures heat and moisture from every breath exhaled and converts this energy to warmth, while humidifying the incoming breath. This thermal exchange helps to preserve the body temperature. The hood and face mask combination maintains a warmer body temperature under your winter garments.
Cold Air Breathing: The body is equipped with remarkable devices
to regulate the temperature of air inhaled into the body. The nasal passages
send air through a lengthy maze that heats air to 98.6 degrees F in a matter of
less than a second. Breathing through the nose will alleviate a lot of the
problems.
Cold air can effect the respiratory system (nose, nasal passages, airways and
lungs) in many ways. Longer exposure would increase these effects. The entire
respiratory system is lined with a system of mucous and small hairs (known as
cilia) which are responsible for trapping foreign particles and moving them out
of the airways. Cold air stimulates mucous production, but also makes the
mucous thicker and less able to remove harmful substances and organisms. Also,
when the nasal passages warm cold air, this is done by exposing the air to a
large surface area of blood vessels. These blood vessels dilate to expose the
air to more blood if needed. This dilation can cause congestion. Coupled with
the increased thicker mucous, this can make breathing through the nose rather
difficult.
If cold air actually reaches the lungs, histamine is released. Histamine is
a substance released from injured cells that can cause itching, irritation,
and allergic reaction. If someone is especially sensitive to its actions,
or pre-disposed to asthma, this release of histamine from the lungs can cause
wheezing triggered by a constriction of the airways. In persons with asthma,
this can aggravate the condition and cause an attack.
Long exposure to cold air will distribute blood to the mechanisms that warm
air, and to the vital organs and away
from extremities. Also, up to 40 % of body heat is lost in cold weather warming
up the inhaled cold air.
It is recommended to breathe through the nose as much as possible, because
breathing through the mouth warms the air less effectively. Wearing a face mask
is another option. Also, keeping the body fully hydrated by drinking lots of
water may help keep mucous loose. Be sure that you go through appropriate warm
up and cool down periods when exercising in the cold, so the body can more
easily adjust to the temperature change.
Cold air effect on the defense mechanisms can make you more susceptible
to infections, so be sure to wash hands frequently and after coming in from the
cold.
FaceMask: The mask can be used independently or as an accessory
to the hood, worn either tucked in or worn over the hood. A storage pocket
is located on the right side of the hood for storing the facemask, glasses,
etc..
The construction of this facemask is unique in design. The mask's basic concept is to incorporate an air chamber between two layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose. A separator and fleece baffle that deflects cold air from directly entering the nostrils is located between the inner and outer layers. In freezing temperatures (32 degrees and minus) the warm moist air in exhaling causes the outer layer of the mask to frost up. The colder the temperature the greater the frost-up thus helping to restrict the amount of cold air inhaled. The additional air needed to inhale is warm and comes from under the mask.
See-Bak, Inc. --
P.O. Box 128 -- New Britain,
CT. 06050 Telephone (860) 225-5616 http://www.seebak.com
Breath Kleener FaceMask is Patent Pending