Face Masks Pose Serious Risks To The Healthy

Blaylock: Face Masks Pose Serious Risks To The Healthy

The author, Russell Blaylock, is a retired neurosurgeon, and has a few published books on medical topics. His medical/political views are not always conventional, and can be controversial. As this editorial is/will be. And will no doubt enrage the mask-shamers and mini-tyrants.

But there's no denying that we have been given too much bad information and advice, and Dr. Blaylock explains why that includes wearing a mask, both for the healthy and the sick.

With the advent of the so-called COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a number of medical practices that have little or no scientific support as regards reducing the spread of this infection. One of these measures is the wearing of facial masks, either a surgical-type mask, bandana or N95 respirator mask.

Dr. Blaylock notes that there is no clinical evidence that the masks will protect us from any virus, much less this virus.

As for the scientific support for the use of face mask, a recent careful examination of the literature, in which 17 of the best studies were analyzed, concluded that, “ None of the studies established a conclusive relationship between mask/respirator use and protection against influenza infection.”

The recommendations by the CDC and the WHO are not based on any studies of this virus and have never been used to contain any other virus pandemic or epidemic in history.

So okay, there's no proof that it works, but it can't hurt, right? WRONG.

Now that we have established that there is no scientific evidence necessitating the wearing of a face mask for prevention, are there dangers to wearing a face mask, especially for long periods? Several studies have indeed found significant problems with wearing such a mask. This can vary from headaches, to increased airway resistance, carbon dioxide accumulation, to hypoxia, all the way to serious life-threatening complications....While most agree that the N95 mask can cause significant hypoxia and hypercapnia, another study of surgical masks found significant reductions in blood oxygen as well....The importance of these findings is that a drop in oxygen levels (hypoxia) is associated with an impairment in immunity. Studies have shown that hypoxia can inhibit the type of main immune cells used to fight viral infections... This sets the stage for contracting any infection, including COVID-19 and making the consequences of that infection much graver. In essence, your mask may very well put you at an increased risk of infections and if so, having a much worse outcome.

Read that carefully. No known scientific evidence that face masks will prevent transmission... but there is scientific evidence that wearing masks can cause harm. The dangers of carbon dioxide poisoning was discussed in the Dr. Judy Mikovits thread (here). He also confirms what I have been told about someone who is sick will re-inhale their own expelled virus cells, constantly re-infecting themselves, which increases their viral load and increases the risk of serious complications.

There is another danger to wearing these masks on a daily basis, especially if worn for several hours. When a person is infected with a respiratory virus, they will expel some of the virus with each breath. If they are wearing a mask, especially an N95 mask or other tightly fitting mask, they will be constantly rebreathing the viruses, raising the concentration of the virus in the lungs and the nasal passages. We know that people who have the worst reactions to the coronavirus have the highest concentrations of the virus early on. And this leads to the deadly cytokine storm in a selected number.

It gets even more frightening. Newer evidence suggests that in some cases the virus can enter the brain. In most instances it enters the brain by way of the olfactory nerves (smell nerves), which connect directly with the area of the brain dealing with recent memory and memory consolidation. By wearing a mask, the exhaled viruses will not be able to escape and will concentrate in the nasal passages, enter the olfactory nerves and travel into the brain.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster and exactly the opposite of what we should be doing. And who will be hurt most again?

Unfortunately, no one is telling the frail elderly and those with lung diseases, such as COPD, emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis, of these dangers when wearing a facial mask of any kind—which can cause a severe worsening of lung function. This also includes lung cancer patients and people having had lung surgery, especially with partial resection or even the removal of a whole lung.

One could be forgiven for thinking this is a better plan for culling the herd than for herd immunity. Hmmmmm.....

Knowledge is power. Please think carefully about how and when to wear a mask, and especially for how long. Face masks pose risks for everyone wearing them -- the healthy and the sick -- and provide little if any protection for anyone.
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Note: The author does not link to his reference material, but does provide a bibliography with (easily searched) titles and authors. I have not done so. I have however already looked up enough studies on my own at PubMed to know this isn't new or surprising information.

My own source links:

Russell Blaylock
Dr. Anthony Fauci's ex-employee, was jailed, finally tells all
Coronavirus has turned ordinary Americans into snitches
Mask shaming: Is it part of the new normal?

a reply to: Boadicea

For what it's worth to anyone, I have no intention of wearing a mask, and expect I will have to go to some difficulty to avoid doing so...

But since I might find myself in a position where I must wear a mask for the greater good, I'm going to make some very thin masks with a light and loosely woven fabric, treated with the salt soak posted in this thread: Universal and reusable virus deactivation system for respiratory protection

My family has been wearing salt coated masks I made at home since the get-go and so far, so good. I used 1/4 cup of salt dissolved in 12 oz. of purified water and soaked batches of masks overnight, six at a time. Then I dried and effectively cured them in the warming drawer under my oven which took about 6 hours. They don't irritate our skin or have a funky smell.

It's not ideal, but will minimize risks and adverse effects.

I read that a mask can cause headache, and I wonder how susceptible I would be with migraine already. I don't wear masks unless I must now and they aren't mandated. The only place I must wear one is at PT and I am down to once a week there.

Still, I generally don't leave the house yet too.

a reply to: Boadicea

Well, you can't wear a mask and drink at a bar or eat food at a restaurant so it doesn't matter. If those things can't open back up then who cares what happens to the rest of it, honestly.

a reply to: 0zzymand0s



Be careful what you wish for. This is not a joke. This is an actual cafe in Germany and what they mandate their customers wear to enforce proper social distancing.

a reply to: Boadicea

I have two full on respirators, a powered ventilator, and access to a myriad of clothe or fiber composite masks.

The one I use most if just a fitted negative seal 3M respirator, the filters I use the most are P100 2097, rated for asbestos. If I am welding with heavy nickle wire I use my ventilator which forces air away from my face, and allows me to breath through a respirator which is ventilated through P100s on my back.

Now there's a catch, sure I am fully protected from air and anything coming into ME, but the way these masks work is I vent my breaths out through a flap, those around me if I am infected by anything can still get 'it', what ever 'it' may be, in this case COVID - 19.
Also, I wear these masks 7+ hours a day, and no, I am not struggling to breath or gasping for air. Maybe in the hot summer months when I am welding over a 1000 degree 4+inch thick column splice, but for the most part it's easy going. Can people develop complications? Yes, of course they can, and when you purchase these masks, filters, or what ever, it has the warnings they might cause some sort of sudden breathing problems or what ever.

At the end of the day, wearing masks isn't about protecting 100% of the time, it's to give a fail proof way of people who can't control their bodies for some reason to sneeze into their hand or sleeve. That's it. A sock tied to your face is better than nothing.

a reply to: ketsuko

That is beyond ridiculous and whoever came up with it should spend at least a week in stocks at town square.

Did yall know that in Japan they sell flavored masks ( the best flavor is grape.. just take my word for it. The strawberry smells like lube.. or maybe thats just me. ) .. and masks for sinus/allergy/dry throat that smell like Vicks?

a reply to: 0zzymand0s

It's German.

a reply to: ketsuko

Yar, that's why I figured they probably still had the stocks and the town square.

a reply to: ketsuko

The article noted that in one of the studies, some patients reported already having headaches, and that wearing the mask made the headache worse, often requiring pain relievers. I think it would be reasonable to assume that at least some of those existing headaches were migraines.

I'm glad you don't have to wear a mask often -- wish you didn't have to wear it at all!

a reply to: Boadicea

Given that they have a decent percentage of joint replacements in PT, I understand why they want everyone to wear masks, just in case. Plus, there is just no way they can ethically do what they do and maintain social distancing. There is a certain amount of hands-on, even as advanced in therapy as I am, they still do some hands-on stretching and work with me at times.

originally posted by: 0zzymand0s
a reply to: Boadicea

Well, you can't wear a mask and drink at a bar or eat food at a restaurant so it doesn't matter.

Excellent point -- and I'm ashamed to say I didn't think about that and I should have!

My son manages some restaurants, and they have never been required to wear masks, although they did have to limit service to curbside and delivery. They've actually done pretty well during the shutdown. They were allowed to re-open the dining room sometime this week, I believe at lower capacity but I'm not sure.

Our general stay-at-home order expires tonight -- yay!!!

a reply to: Advantage

Strawberry lube? Thanks for the re-trauma. Ugh.

a reply to: Boadicea

You going to get some tacos and Tequila? Because I would be there at midnight for the tacos and tequila.

a reply to: ketsuko

That's ridiculous.

And too much trouble. I'd rather stay home and treat myself!

a reply to: strongfp

I can see certain situations where the risk to others is greater than the risks to oneself, and if such a situation cannot be avoided altogether, then yes, a mask is the best option, but it should be a last resort.

And I should also note that anyone who is symptomatic, and especially if spewing anything, shouldn't be out and about anyway. But if absolutely necessary, then yes, a face covering is also necessary. Then get your arse home again!

a reply to: Boadicea

No known scientific evidence that face masks will prevent transmission...

I guess that is why doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals wear them. They are just ornaments.

LaVision imaging technique shows how masks restrict the spread of exhaled air. The point is for unknowingly infected people to not spread it which has been said repeatedly. It is not going to keep you from catching it from some infected person thats breathing on you.

I am going to go with common sense on the matter and not the guy you said is

His medical/political views are not always conventional, and can be controversial.

I don't believe a piece of cloth that simply restricts exhaled air is going to make me sick when gas masks and full MOP gear that I had to wear in the military and sometimes sleep in didn't make me sick.

I don't generally have breathing issues, even though I've had an inhaler in the past when I had PPH before my Apnea diagnosis and subsequent CPAP use. But the other day I was in Target, Staples and Meijer looking for a monitor and wore the cloth mask in each store. Since I wanted to get in and out of the store quickly, I wasn't walking real slow and by the time I left each store I found I felt a little short of breath. I will have to be careful with this, maybe the heart attack last summer affected more than we thought.

a reply to: Boadicea

Excellent info.

The CDC and WHO will ignore it of course.

So will all the scaredy cats.