Pastel Allergies
/By PAH Member Jack Kinkelaar
Aloha everyone. I am going to write about pastel allergies today. I am doing so because a second person emailed me about pastel dust issues. The first person is on Oahu and I think we may have figured out a solution for her. So if this information helps, use it. If not, save it for when someone needs it.
I’m writing this as a Registered Nurse. Not a diagnosis, just some information.
When you paint with pastels, you get dust on your hands and in your air space. Some people react to pastel dust. Think about it, it is made up of ground pigments, some are natural and some are totally chemical. But it is still dust that can enter your airway and get into your bronchioles and lungs. In the past you could see in Pastel Journal vacuum systems that connect to your easel. I’m not seeing them anymore so either they didn’t work, were too expensive or just not marketable. Those vacuum systems would still have to be emptied and have filters cleaned. So if you are allergic to pastel dust who is going to maintain your system?
In the world of nursing we have patients with airborne diseases such as tuberculosis. When we take care of these patients we need to wear masks that actually seal onto our faces so that microscopic airborne diseases do not get ingested into our lungs. Not any mask will do. The ones that are made to keep out all particulate are called N95 masks. You can order these on Amazon.
Because of the volcanic gasses and ash that we are experiencing on Hawaii Island, N95 masks are now available at Drug stores and Hardware stores here. These masks are made to keep you safe from airborne pathogens. If you are allergic to pastel dust, I recommend that you try using these masks.
Unfortunately, these masks are hot because they seal around your nose and mouth and you are rebreathing some of your air. From a nursing perspective having a patient in airborne isolation was a pain because of the masks which are uncomfortable and hot. But they work! Every year all staff that take care of patients had to have a fit test to make sure that they were using the mask properly. You put on the mask and go under a hood and someone spays aspartame sweetener into a hole in the hood. If you taste any sweetness, you fail and have to try a different size mask or learn how to get your mask to really fit tight on you face.
You as a pastel artist do not get to do a fit test on these N95 masks so you still might have a reaction to pastel dust if your are allergic to it. At this point I’m not allergic and I hope the majority of you are not either.
N95 masks are good for up to 8 hours. Surgical masks do NOT protect you from particulate because they are not sealed. Plus the standard surgical mask is only good until it gets moist from breathing which is about twenty minutes. The masks need to say N95. You can go to YouTube and watch a video on how to wear and remove N95 mask. Also I’ve noticed that someone is recommending N95 masks if you live near one of the major fires that are happening on the mainland. http://youtu.be/bo-PEzHE7iw (this is a link that shows you how to put on and fit a N95 mask).
This is a surgical mask. This is not the kind of mask that you need if you are allergic to pastel dust. It might work well in an airport security line or for robbing a bank, but not very well on the plane (if you are germophobic) or when painting with pastels.
This is an example of a N95 mask. Notice the wire band up where the mask sits on your nose. You form fit this wire to nestle on the bridge of your nose.
This is the hood that they test you with using the aspartame spay. I’m not sure why the person under the hood is not wearing a mask. So much for stock photos.