The Food and Drugs Administration has given its approval to the first completely translucent surgical mask globally. They're made by ClearMask, an American medical supplies firm.
By rendering the mouth open, while also maintaining a high degree of security, the company claims their solution helps enhance contact. Certain versions of the mask are authorized for use in operating rooms.
Even there's a good use for @the_clearmask in football! @AlabamaFTBL #maskup #rolltide https://t.co/hZ1jGHsnOC — ClearMask (@theclearmask) August 19, 2020
The masks are ready for order. A pack of 24 non-medical masks usually start at $67. The price then increases to $87 for a pack of 24 medical masks.
Transparent face mask's importance
For people with hearing impairments, where lip reading is necessary, ClearMask says their masks are particularly helpful. In conversations with individuals who do not speak the same language, the organization has said it helps.
Allysa Dittmar, president and co-founder of ClearMask, told Business Insider that ClearMask calms nervous patients with a noticeable, reassuring smile at the hospital, links educators and childcare providers with their students and infants, and offers vital connectivity to the 48 million Americans who have hearing loss, including the aged, those with dementia, veterans, and many others.
According to Dittmar, transparent face masks were built to improve visual communication and make healthcare more human to solve this dilemma. "For someone who depends on facial expressions, visual cues, and lip-reading daily, traditional surgical masks blocked Dittmar's providers' faces, impeding effective communication and safety," according to ClearMask.
@LouiseDeafAware looks great in her #Helloface mask. The mask fits nicely around her head and does not interfere with her hearing aids! Tag us in your selfies to be uploaded on our social media! #TheHelloface #Helloface#facemask #mask #transparentmask #clearmask pic.twitter.com/Su0PjgBnLk — The Helloface (@thehelloface) November 12, 2020
Transparent face mask's increasing demand
ClearMask began planning its FDA approval application in 2019 but did not obtain clearance until April this year as the coronavirus pandemic rippled through the world.
Dittmar said the business had little sales until securing the FDA approval since it had not yet begun selling its product.
In 2018 and 2019, the website went from 6,000 unique users a year to more than 2 million from April to September alone in 2020, Dittmar notes.
ClearMask has expedited its masks' production to satisfy this rising demand and widened its initially expected target group from "specialized populations in healthcare" to customers beyond this sector. Originally, the team did not intend to introduce two separate mask styles, but according to Dittmar, the decision to unveil a more inexpensive non-medical variant came in April due to rising mask requirements.
According to Dittmar, since ClearMask has branches both in the US and abroad, the organization has bypassed the PPE restrictions and raw material shortages to help other countries such as Canada and the UK while assisting in international PPE scarcity problems.
According to Dittmar, the organization is now continuing to grow outside of the US through partnering with numerous foreign governments and officials.
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