The full face scuba diving mask is a type of diving mask that can completely seal the face of the diver from water. It includes a mouthpiece as well as a demand valve that is used to give the diver enough breathing gas. The full face scuba diving mask is considered as being much more secure than when one breathes from a mouthpiece, especially in the case where a diver should become unconscious since the mouthpiece is gripped between the diver’s teeth.
The full face scuba diving mask is commonly used by professional divers. It enables the diver to communicate with those above on the surface as well as providing protection to the face from water that may be polluted. When the diver undertakes recreational diving, the full face scuba diving mask is used for protection to the face from cold water as well as stings such as those that might occur from jellyfish or coral.
An additional benefit of the full face mask is that it is more comfortable than having to grip the mouthpiece between the teeth over long periods of time. The full face scuba diving mask is sometimes called the Jack Browne rig, as it is named for a Desco engineer who was the person who designed an early version of the full face scuba diving mask that also had an integrated air-supply attachment.
The full face scuba diving mask also has straps that firmly fasten it to the head and they also have valves to switch between breathing through the mask and breathing without it. The full face scuba diving mask also does not easily get dislodged from the diver’s face as compared with the mouthpiece. Because of its sealing effect, there is much less risk of water leaking and the diver is also able to communicate without removing his mouthpiece and also facilitates use of communication equipment such as intercom wires or modulated ultrasound to be fixed in the mask and provides greater benefit to divers.
However, there is a hazard with the full face scuba diving mask and that concerns dead space that would result in carbon monoxide retention. In order to counter this danger, one may have a small mouth-and-nose breathing mask inside the full face scuba diving mask and this will greatly reduce the dead space. In addition, to prevent the full face scuba diving mask from becoming misted or fogged and one may thus need to treat the inside of the mask window with a demister.
