Here’s a convincing CPAP compliance incentive for those patients who simply refuse to use their devices regularly: Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are perceived to appear more alert, more youthful, and more attractive after adherent use of CPAP, according to a new study released in The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

Twenty-two raters assessed pre- and post-CPAP treatment 3-D facial images, paired side-by-side in random order. Objective changes in facial surface volume and color were identified. Post-treatment decreases in redness may inform subjective impressions of improved alertness, say authors Ronald D. Chervin, MD, MS, FAASM; Deborah L. Ruzicka, RN, PhD; Arshia Vahabzadeh, BS, CFPH; Margaret C. Burns; Joseph W. Burns, PhD; Steven R. Buchman, MD.