Particulate disposable masks

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The particulate mask called too N95 (or N99-N100), HEPA mask, in North American areas is THE mask which is able to protect from strains as SARS, flu, or tuberculosis. They should be prefered to surgical masks for daily gear or health care use if a pandemic occurs. Stewardesses, nurses, common people often wore them during SARS times, despite of how uncomfy or bulky they feeled.
They can be found at all providers for industrial needs, or even homecraft shops. The price is far higher than surgical masks.
The design of these masks prevents leakage by offering a tight face seal, and the thick filtering cup holds most of the tiny particulates. They can have an expiration valve, which helps to reduce the breathing resistance and the heat inside the mask. But a valved mask should never be used by a sick patient, and the valve in some models is not 100% safe ...

A lighter design, yet N95 norm, is the Pleats model, which can be worn folded or unfolded for a lower breathing resistance. It exists in size small (for teens and women), but the coating is less efficient than the best new particulate masks.

Traditional cup design has been improved since last ten years. Moldex as instance :

Other brands develop folding models, the expiration valve when present can be on the top face, or on a side face of the mask.

Brands as Dräger or MSA sell now those kinds of models against Avian Flu hazard.

3M offers a wide range of traditional cup masks, up to the high filtration bulky models. 8170 and 8210 models were a best used model during SARS and were been widely used against Tuberculosis.

3M has designed too a new serie of masks, folded and seealed in indivual package for more convenience. They are more comfortable than the traditional cup series.

Asian industry provides masks designed for the flat face profile.