Breathe Better™

How M21® Works

a mask that achieves more

Watch our video to learn how M21® works!

The Problem

The traditional face mask design, over 100 years old, was designed for minimal usage time and was never intended for long-term daily wear by the general public.

For an entire century, this design has forced face mask wearers to breathe in their own, continuously recirculated, exhaled air containing carbon dioxide (CO2) and restricting oxygen (O2).1-4 This type of breathing can impair normal airflow5-7 and may be associated with the following potential harms and risks:

Hypoxia & Hypercapnia

Low levels of O2 in your body tissues (“hypoxia”) and high levels of CO2 in your blood (“hypercapnia”).1,2,5,6,8-11 This can cause symptoms such as dizziness, tiredness, headaches, difficulties concentrating, problems understanding, breathing difficulties, and increases in heart rate.1,3,4,7,11,12 Hypoxia and hypercapnia could trigger or worsen medical conditions, like lung or heart disease, and might have other negative effects on health.1,3,6,7,11,12

Aerosol-Contamination

A release of potentially toxic and infectious particles from the mask material.11,13,14 This occurs because breath passes back and forth through a traditional face mask, increasing the temperature and humidity in the space between your mouth and the mask.11,13,14 Breathing in contaminated air through a face mask could damage your body or might increase your risk of developing an infection.8,11,13,14

Self-Contamination

Cycles of harmful substances. This occurs because breathing or coughing through a face mask, touching a face mask, and reusing a face mask causes bacteria and other substances to reside on the inner and outer layers of the face mask.3,8,11,15 Repeatedly rebreathing these substances or transferring them to other body parts can lead to a wide range of medical disorders.3,8,11

Self-Toxicity

A weakened immune system is caused by a compilation of the harms and risks already described.3,6,16,17 This can reduce your body’s ability to defend itself against foreign organisms or intruding substances, leading to frequent and recurrent infections.3,16,17 Self-toxicity could aggravate and worsen existing medical conditions, often with more severe symptoms that last longer than usual and can develop into complications.3,17

Learn More About the problem
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Supporting Scientific References
  1. Kisielinski K, Wagner S, Hirsch O, et al. Possible toxicity of chronic carbon dioxide exposure associated with face mask use, particularly in pregnant women, children and adolescents – A scoping review. Heliyon. 2023;9(4):e14117.
  2. Walach H, Traindl H, Prentice J, et al. Carbon dioxide rises beyond acceptable safety levels in children under nose and mouth covering: results of an experimental measurement study in healthy children. Environ Res. 2022;212(Pt D):113564.
  3. Al-Allaff RGM, Al-Taee SMY, Baker STD. Some immunological impacts of face mask usage during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pak J Biol Sci. 2021;24(9):920-7.
  4. Atangana E, Atangana A. Facemasks simple but powerful weapons to protect against COVID-19 spread: Can they have side effects? Results Phys. 2020;19:103425. Epub 2020 Sep 30.
  5. Akhondi H, Kaveh S, Kaufman K, et al. CO2 levels behind and in front of different protective mask types. HCA Healthc J Med. 2022;3(4):231-7.
  6. Sukul P, Bartels J, Fuchs P, et al. Effects of COVID-19 protective face masks and wearing durations on respiratory haemodynamic physiology and exhaled breath constituents. Eur Respir J. 2022;60(3):2200009.
  7. Fikenzer S, Uhe T, Lavall D, et al. Effects of surgical and FFP2/N95 face masks on cardiopulmonary exercise capacity. Clin Res Cardiol. 2020;109(12):1522-30.
  8. Acuti Martellucci C, Flacco ME, Martellucci M, et al. Inhaled CO2 concentration while wearing face masks: a pilot study using capnography. Environ Health Insights. 2022;16:11786302221123573.
  9. Gładyszewska-Fiedoruk K, Teleszewski TJ. Experimental studies of carbon dioxide concentration in the space under the face mask protecting against Covid-19 – pilot studies. J Environ Health Sci Eng. 2022;20(2):1111-19. eCollection 2022 Dec.
  10. Rhee MSM, Lindquist CD, Silvestrini MT, et al. Carbon dioxide increases with face masks but remains below short-term NIOSH limits. BMC Infect Dis. 2021;21(1):354.
  11. Kisielinski K, Giboni P, Prescher A, et al. Is a mask that covers the mouth and nose free from undesirable side effects in everyday use and free of potential hazards? Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(8):4344.
  12. Pleil JD, Ariel Geer Wallace M, Davis MD, et al. The physics of human breathing: flow, timing, volume, and pressure parameters for normal, on-demand, and ventilator respiration. J Breath Res. 2021;15(4):10.1088/1752-7163/ac2589.
  13. Fögen Z. The Foegen effect: a mechanism by which facemasks contribute to the COVID-19 case fatality rate. Medicine. 2022;101(7):e28924.
  14. Fisher EM, Noti JD, Lindsley WG, et al. Validation and application of models to predict facemask influenza contamination in healthcare settings. Risk Anal. 2014;34(8):1423-34.
  15. Chughtai AA, Stelzer-Braid S, Rawlinson W, et al. Contamination by respiratory viruses on outer surface of medical masks used by hospital healthcare workers. BMC Infect Dis. 2019;19(1):491.
  16. Polke M, Seiler F, Lepper PM, et al. Hypoxia and the hypoxia-regulated transcription factor HIF-1α suppress the host defence of airway epithelial cells. Innate Immun. 2017;23(4):373-80. Epub 2017 Mar 8.
  17. Casalino-Matsuda SM, Chen F, Gonzalez-Gonzalez FJ, et al. Hypercapnia suppresses macrophage antiviral activity and increases mortality of influenza A infection via Akt1. J Immunol. 2020;205(2):489-501. Epub 2020 Jun 15.
  18. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [Internet]. Carbon dioxide. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0103.html. Accessed 2024 Jul 29.
  19. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Internet]. Carbon Dioxide: Health Hazard Information Sheet. Available from: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/employees/fsis-safety. Accessed 2024 Jul 16.
  20. Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Internet]. Carbon dioxide. Available from: https://www.osha.gov/chemicaldata/183. Accessed 2024 Jul 29.
  21. Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Internet]. Respiratory Protection Standard. 29 C.F.R. Sect. 1910.134. Available from: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.134. Accessed 2024 Jul 29.
  22. Myers A. COVID-19 Prompts Stanford Engineers to Rethink the Humble Face Mask. Stanford Report. April 14, 2020. Available from: https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2020/04/stanford-researchers-reengineer-covid-19-face-masks. Accessed 2024 Jul 14.
  23. Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Internet]. Standard Interpretations. 29 C.F.R. Sect. 1910.134. Available from: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2008-05-01#:~:text=Increased%20breathing%20rates%2C%20accelerated%20heartbeat,such%20as%20climbing%20a%20ladder. Accessed 2024 Aug 9.

The solution

The M21® two-chambered design supports our natural breathing process by allowing wearers to breathe oxygen (O2) in through the nose and carbon dioxide (CO2) out from the mouth.

Breathing properly, especially while wearing a face mask (“masking”), is beneficial for the following reasons:

Filtration

As we breathe in through our nose, tiny hairs that line our nostrils filter out debris and clear mucus from the airways to defend our lungs against infections and injuries.1-3

Healthy Levels of O2 & CO2

Breathing properly helps maintain the correct balance of O2 and CO2 in our body, which is important for maintaining our overall health and well-being as well as for preventing toxic effects.2,5,6

Temperature Control

Another benefit of breathing in through the nose is to warm and moisten the air we breathe to “air condition” our airways and lungs and prevent them from drying out.3,4

proper release of CO2

Breathing out from the mouth (or exhaling) is the most efficient way to release CO2, which is a waste product that can be harmful to our body in excess amounts.2,6

Learn More About the Solution
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Supporting Scientific References
  1. Chilvers MA, Rutman A, O’Callaghan C. Functional analysis of cilia and ciliated epithelial ultrastructure in healthy children and young adults. Thorax. 2003;58(4):333-8.
  2. Atangana E, Atangana A. Facemasks simple but powerful weapons to protect against COVID-19 spread: Can they have side effects? Results Phys. 2020;19:103425. Epub 2020 Sep 30.
  3. Wolf M, Naftali S, Schroter RC, et al. Air-conditioning characteristics of the human nose. J Laryngol Otol. 2004;118(2):87-92.
  4. Keck T, Leiacker R, Heinrich A, et al. Humidity and temperature profile in the nasal cavity. Rhinology. 2000;38(4):167-71.
  5. Al-Allaff RGM, Al-Taee SMY, Baker STD. Some immunological impacts of face mask usage during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pak J Biol Sci. 2021;24(9):920-7.
  6. Pleil JD, Ariel Geer Wallace M, Davis MD, et al. The physics of human breathing: flow, timing, volume, and pressure parameters for normal, on-demand, and ventilator respiration. J Breath Res. 2021;15(4):10.1088/1752-7163/ac2589.
  7. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Internet]. Carbon Dioxide: Health Hazard Information Sheet. Available from: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/employees/fsis-safety. Accessed 2024 Jul 16.
  8. Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Internet]. Carbon dioxide. Available from: https://www.osha.gov/chemicaldata/183. Accessed 2024 Jul 29.
  9. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [Internet]. Carbon dioxide. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0103.html. Accessed 2024 Jul 29.
  10. Walach H, Traindl H, Prentice J, et al. Carbon dioxide rises beyond acceptable safety levels in children under nose and mouth covering: results of an experimental measurement study in healthy children. Environ Res. 2022;212(Pt D):113564.
  11. Gładyszewska-Fiedoruk K, Teleszewski TJ. Experimental studies of carbon dioxide concentration in the space under the face mask protecting against Covid-19 – pilot studies. J Environ Health Sci Eng. 2022;20(2):1111-19. eCollection 2022 Dec.
  12. Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Internet]. Respiratory Protection Standard. 29 C.F.R. Sect. 1910.134. Available from: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.134. Accessed 2024 Jul 29.

US-BASED PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)
MANUFACTURING COMPANY

Whether you wear a face mask for protection against diseases, dangerous pesticides, harmful pollutants, or foreign particles, you’re one step closer to living a life where you Breathe Better!

Our American-made M21 products include the M21® Mask and the M21+® Mask Insert. The M21® Mask is an alternative to the traditional N95 face mask, whereas the M21+® Mask Insert is to be used with one of the traditional face masks.

Select the most appropriate type of M21+® Mask Insert based on the traditional face mask that you and/or your family typically wear. Specifically, the M21+® Slide-On can be used with any type of traditional face mask. The M21+® Clip-On, on the other hand, is intended to be used with a traditional N95 or surgical mask.

m21 mask sketch 1

M21®
Mask

$20.00
Per 5-pack

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M21+®
clip-on

$15.00
Per Insert

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M21+®
slide-on

$15.00
Per Insert

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M21+®
2-Pack

$35.00
Per Pack

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M21+®
Family Pack

$50.00
Per Pack

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See How Easy M21+®Mask Inserts are to use!

M21+® Clip-On
M21+® Slide-On