Wow! Never thought this thread would go so far...
All comments and suggestions (except shaving) are warmly accepted with my thanks! I have concluded a couple things that I believe will help me with concerns over my 'stache'. Mine is quite 'wiry' and grows close to my nostrals. I've taken to tweezing as opposed to shaving a line under my nose. Gradually mind you, not all at once but there is now a nice smooth area of skin to help with the seal, and it doesnt grow back.
Second is my mask. I'm trying some different masks and noticing a better fit with some over the one I had been diving with. A new mask is in my near future...
My main thought was of mask sqeeze. I have yet to go deeper than 25' but noticed even there I cannot maintain positive pressure without it seeping out through my stache. Is mask squeeze at deeper depths an issue due to this factor?
Shaving is out of the question as someone elluded to my need to disguise a rather homely face. I did shave it some years ago and a co-worker advised me to "do yourself a favor and grow it back"!! I took his advice, obviously...
We are doing some advanced diving this weekend and I'll see how things go. I'm going to borrow another mask from the shop to try. Mine has a clear skirt and I'm wanting one in black. It's a macho thing...
Dave