Pain plasters + Muscle creams
CHF49.90 CHF47.39/1l
Quick Aid Headache and migraine cap (self-cooling) with 360-degree cooling and heating function
1 x, 1053 ml, 592 g
Healing your headache: how this migraine mask performed
19.6.2024
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Pictures: Darina Schweizer
It looks like a pair of wobbly VR glasses. Really, it’s designed to relieve migraines and headaches – the Quick Aid face mask. Really cool or useless tool, then? I’ll definitely know after putting it through its paces.
Migraine, where are you? For weeks, I’ve been eagerly waiting for half my field of vision to drop out, for auras to flash before my eyes and for the screw clamp to close around my skull. I’ve tried everything: eating dark chocolate, not sleeping enough, squinting at bright light… what normally triggers a splitting headache just won’t work this time.
If you’re shaking your head at this point, there’s a reason why I’m behaving this stupidly. I’m supposed to be testing a migraine mask. And that requires, well… a migraine. But just when you need one, it hides away.
Cool, cold or icy
Finally! After a few weeks, I’m rewarded for my efforts with a premium light show in front of my eyes – a migraine with auras. And this time, as a special reward, there’s even tingly fingers. Headache incoming! I’ve got about 30 to 60 minutes. Now, I’ve got three options:
- Put the mask on immediately. According to the description, the cooling gel inside is supposed to provide pleasant freshness, even without a cooling source.
- Put the mask in the fridge for a little extra cold.
- Put the mask in the freezer for maximum refreshment. It can remain there for a maximum of two hours.
All or nothing, I think to myself. Together with the freezer bag provided, my mask is off to the realm of frozen peas.
Source: Darina Schweizer
From chill …
After just over an hour, the time has come. As I unzip the freezer bag and pick up the mask, I first check the cover for ice crystals and cracks. If the gel pad inside was damaged, I can’t use it. Looks good, though. Now, the moment of truth: I put on the mask. To do this, I pull the elastic fabric apart slightly and place it over my head. It fits, even around my massive 59-centimetre skull. And thanks to the nose cut-out, I know exactly how far I need to pull it down.
I’m floored! It immediately works. Eyes, temples, forehead – everything that stings, pulsates and throbs during a migraine cools down. The soft lining and complete darkening is very pleasant too. I lie down and relax. I even manage to smile just thinking about how I must look with my fat censor bar.
Source: Darina Schweizer
... to brain freeze
After a few minutes, however, my smile fades. I suddenly flash back to primary school: outside, at the pool, downing Solero shots. If you’re not a child of the Swiss nineties, these were tiny balls of water ice. They’d give us the most stinging brain freezes of our lives. Maybe you still remember this commercial:
Before my brain freezes again, I take off the mask. I’m guessing the stay in the freezer was a bit too long after all. The fridge would’ve done the trick. I let the mask warm up at room temperature for a few minutes. My second attempt is successful: the mask is the perfect kind of cool.
The pain subsides
And what happened to the migraine? When I remove the mask after about 30 minutes, it’s noticeably weaker. I only feel it in a slightly muted way, similar to when medication starts to take effect. And I didn’t even have to take anything. I’m blown away!
Only slight after-effects are still noticeable the next day. Out of interest, I read the instructions again and discover that the mask isn’t only supposed to help against migraines, but numerous other complaints:
- sunburn
- allergies
- swelling
- dark circles under the eyes
- dry eyes
- tension headaches
The last two make me prick up my ears. As a lifelong office worker, I regularly suffer from dry eyes and tension headaches after hours of screen time. I really have to try this out!
A treat in warm weather too
One week has passed. My eyeballs feel as if they want to jump out of their sockets. Time to use the mask a second time. This time we’re not going into the realm of frozen peas, but of baked rolls. The heat of a microwave – or in my case an oven – supposedly helps with tension headaches.
Source: Darina Schweizer
I start, as the instructions say, with a very gentle, gradual warming. First, 20 seconds at 30 degrees. A bit more. 30 seconds at 40 degrees. Almost there. 40 seconds at 50 degrees. There we go, optimum temperature. I put on the mask and lie down for a few minutes. Another scene from the outdoor pool appears before my eyes, this time from my late youth. Some Cro song is booming out of a corner. I wonder what he’d say about my mask? For context, Cro is a German rapper who always wears a Panda face mask.
Suddenly, an old man with an XXL panda swimming ring glides past me, and my smartphone alarm snaps me out of my confused dream. I take the mask off again and have to admit: warmth is very relaxing too. I don’t know whether my eyes moistened thanks to the mask or because my eyelids were closed. But I feel good. I’m ready for the next headache! But not too soon, please.
What helps you with migraines and headaches? Let me know in the comments!
In a nutshell
Simple mask, definitely helps
The Quick Aid face mask is a real game changer for migraines and tension headaches. The cooling or warming gel provides rapid and significant pain relief around the head, same with blocking out light.
Thanks to the high-quality of the mask cover, it fits comfortably, even on different head sizes. Choosing the right cold or heat takes some practice. Nevertheless, the individual adjustment feature is a plus, as not everyone will prefer the same temperature.
Only one downside: the mask can only be wiped with a damp cloth. It’d be particularly handy if the gel cushion could be removed and the cover washed, especially in summer.
Pro
- easy to use
- high-quality
- comfortable fabric
- pleasant darkening
- good head fit
- noticeable pain relief
- reasonable price
Contra
- temperature adjustment somewhat difficult at first
- can’t be fully washed
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI like anything that has four legs or roots. The books I enjoy let me peer into the abyss of the human psyche. Unlike those wretched mountains that are forever blocking the view – especially of the sea. Lighthouses are a great place for getting some fresh air too, you know?
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