DENVER (KDVR) — Masks being worn in public have been creating an invisible barrier for the hard of hearing and deaf community, which relies heavily on lip reading.

A communication mask, or visual mask, allows for lips to be visible and readable.

Boulder hair stylist Sara Des Georges relies on lip reading 90 percent of the time.

“I’m excited to see my clients. I’m excited to get my hands back into hair,” said Des Georges.

While the stylist is ready to get back to work, she has some reservations about how she will understand her clients requests.

“I recently did a test: if someone is 6 feet away from me and has their mask on, their mouth covered, my understanding of what they are saying to me plummets to about 20 percent,” said Des Georges.

That may lead to a communication breakdown since wearing a mask is required in many Colorado communities.

Sara Kennedy, with nonprofit Hands and Voices, is working with a local company and sewing groups to get communication masks to interpreters and the hard of hearing community.

Kennedy said, “This is such an unprecedented event. No one expected we would try to communicate through masks on a daily basis.”

The masks, which require a see through material, are more time consuming to make. Additionally, materials are in short supply.

Kennedy hopes to have masks to distribute across Colorado within a couple of weeks.

“There will be requirements to wear masks and gloves and all of that. My biggest concern is me being able to communicate with my clients about what they want to do with their hair,” said Des Georges.