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I try a viral mask-wearing hack for people who wear glasses. Here's why I won't recommend it

I try a viral mask-wearing hack for people who wear glasses. Here's why I won't recommend it
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Trini Ng

The internet has been a great source of ideas on how to modify masks – be it to fit your face better or to make adjustments so that it's not too big for your kids.

There are even tips on how to prevent glasses from fogging up when using a mask.

This time, we came across a Facebook video with a solution for bespectacled people on how to keep their ears from being sore when wearing a mask.

But does it really work? We tested the method to see if the hack is all that it's made out to be.

Here's what you'll need:

  • Two buttons
  • Two small elastic rubber bands
  • A toothpick (optional)
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Trini Ng

Steps:

1. Pinch the rubber band and pass it through the buttonhole. (I had difficulty pushing the rubber band through the hole so I used a toothpick to make it easier)

via GIPHY

2. Pass the rubber band through the buttonhole next to the first one so that you end up with two loops.

via GIPHY

3. Repeat steps one and two for the other button.

4. Slide the rubber band onto each 'arm' of the glasses. 

via GIPHY

5. Pull the end of the rubber band to adjust the tightness on the glasses. You can use a toothpick to help if needed.

via GIPHY

6. Put your glasses on and hook the mask straps onto the buttons.

via GIPHY

Does it work?

While this method is easy to do and we can foresee our ears not hurting from the mask straps, we're not too sure about the feasibility.

By hooking the straps onto the buttons attached to our glasses, we realised that the mask would not be as tight as when compared to hooking it onto our ears.

The mask is loose at the bottom if you hook the straps onto the buttons.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Trini Ng

But that doesn't make the method a failure though – here are some suggestions we tried to make it tighter and fit better on your face.

1. Tie a knot on the mask straps

PHOTO: AsiaOne/Trini Ng

You can tie a knot beforehand on the straps to shorten the loops before hooking it onto the buttons.

It still didn't work so well for me, and you might need a little trial and error on where to tie the knot, as your glasses might shift forward depending on the knot position.

2. Loop the mask straps twice around the button

PHOTO: AsiaOne/Trini Ng

This method worked slightly better than the first one for me, as it gives you more control and flexibility on how tight you want your mask to be.

You can also loop the straps as many times as you need to adjust the fit. However, we found this method to still leave the mask slightly gaping at the sides, which is not ideal.

Would we recommend this method?

As a bespectacled person with long hair, I would probably give this hack a pass.

The main reason being, it's hard to hook the mask straps onto the button attached to your glasses while trying to keep small hair strands at the side of your face from getting in the way. This method may work better for people with shorter hair, though.

But for me, even tying a high ponytail and pinning up the loose strands of hair did not help much, it only made it more troublesome. Not to mention I find it doesn't quite create as tight of a seal as if you were to loop it around your ears. And gaps will basically render the mask ineffective.  

Check out this video below on the proper way to wear a mask:

The results may differ among those who've tried it so the best way is to test it out yourself. Tried this hack? Let us know if it works for you!

trining@asiaone.com

For more original AsiaOne articles, visit here.

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