With the most recent variant, agencies and the media are urging Americans to “wear the most protective mask you can that fits well and that you will wear consistently.”
Keeping this in mind, how effective are surgical masks and are antibacterial masks a suitable alternative?
What Have We Learned?
- Created for single-use only
- Can only be used 24-48 hours/ 4-5 uses, then need to be disposed
- Wearability is very short term
- Can trap contaminants because of barrier system – sneezing, breathing, moisture, microdroplets, use and exposure to bacteria/germs/virus can infiltrate mask and compromise viability
- Cannot be washed or sanitized
- Need to keep in paper or plastic bag to avoid contamination
- NOT highly breathable
- Fit: One-size fits all, not adjustable and become loose with wear
- Many masks are NOT designed for kids
The Good News for TRU47 Masks:
- 99% Ionically Plated Silver will de-activate germs and live viruses on contact, and inhibit the growth and spread
- Ionic Silver has antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiviral effect on mask
- Sanitized Silver protects the mask from contamination (self-sanitizing, self-disinfecting, self-protecting)
- TRU47 masks are re-usable and washable (good for the environment)
- TRU47 masks are highly breathable while remaining efficacious
- TRU47 masks provide long-term wearability
- TRU47 masks have adjustable nose guards and straps for a snug fit with repeated and long-term wear
- TRU47 has many styles for adults, children and toddlers
History and Science Behind the Antibacterial Benefits of Silver
Masks made of silver, not like the kind they used in the armor of old, but TRU47 antibacterial masks are 99.9% effective in inhibiting the growth and spread of germs, bacteria and viruses.
Our 99% Ionically Plated Silver fabrics have been scientifically proven to help prevent disease-causing pathogens from making themselves at home in your body.
The history of silver as the world’s first antimicrobial dates back millennia when Hippocrates, the father of medicine, discovered how silver healed wounds and controlled disease. Around 400 B.C. he listed as a singular treatment for ulcers “the flowers of silver alone, in the finest powder.”
The earliest therapeutic use of silver was recorded in 1500 BC in the Han dynasty in China. Silver nitrate is described as a medicine in the Pharmacopoeia published in Rome in 69 BC, probably to prevent and treat wound infections.
After the realization that microbes cause infections t in the 1800s, the medical use of silver as an antimicrobial agent was confirmed. It has been used in the treatment of burn injuries for over 200 years.
In addition, silver nitrate was used for eye infections. In the 1970s, it was also one of the three antibiotics chosen in the USA. Hospitals still use wound coverings threaded with silver to prevent infections, and surgical instruments are made of silver because bacteria can’t live on surfaces made of silver. Taking a cue from the days of old when silver coins were placed in barrels and urns to preserve liquids, today water purifying plants continue to use silver to keep our drinking water clean.
There is research behind the sanitizing, power of silver but we know you may be curious about its effectiveness over time, given the “one-time mask use” making headlines in the news today.
The Effectiveness of Silver Antibacterial Face Masks
Silver keeps working no matter how often you put it to the test, which means it does not trap contaminants on the surface. Silver actually suffocates infectious microbes on a cellular level, and dispatches them once and for all, which is why it is self-sanitizing and self-disinfecting. Silver masks like ours work over the long haul, no matter how often you wear them, and without having to wash them. Ever.
Not only are they NOT single use, but all silver face masks are available in multiple layers cited as a concern by health officials who find that single layer masks are ineffective in the fight against COVID. Our Silver Mesh masks have 2-4 layers most using 99% pure ionically plated silver mesh material. Some of our masks have copper on the outer layer with two layers of pure silver mesh on the inside. Copper is known to be a proven antiviral and offers an extra layer of protection.
All TRU47 antibacterial face masks can be worn indoors and outdoors, but our Silver Mesh Pleated and Cup masks are the most highly breathable, and are best for recreation and exercise, inside or out.
Our Trifecta Pure Silver and Copper and Silver masks may be preferred for more populated public places, like stores, the gym, a hospital or doctor's office, when using public transportation, and while traveling by bus, train or airlines.
Custom made to fit snugly on kids and adults, our masks cannot slip off easily like many masks have a tendency to do. Fit is crucial according to the CDC and we’ve got that covered too.
Equally important is the breathability factor. If you can’t breathe while you’re wearing a mask, chances are you won’t wear one for very long.
Our masks are made to help you breathe easier, so you and the kids will be able to keep them on without even thinking about them. Not to mention, you are not breathing in trapped contaminants while wearing TRU47 masks.
Not only are they effective in helping you stay safe no matter how many times or how long you wear them, they help the environment too by reducing waste, which is not the case with disposable, throw-away masks.
At TRU47 we’re all about helping you breathe easier and stay protected by putting the power of silver to work for you and your health all day, every day.