 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: yomarqwyn
Date: 2004-11-01 14:59
I was wondering if anyone has had problems with skin irritation around the mouth when playing the clarinet. My son is 11 and is a beginner. He gets like a irritation like rash around his mouth it seems like after playing. It looks like eczema which he had when he was younger, not in this area, but he has not had a break out in some time. I heard that eczema in this area is usually caused by licking the lips alot. So im thinking thats whats causing it. But then Im wondering if he is having a sensitivity to the reed. It's hard to say. I don't want him to have to stop playing but I hate for this to happen every time he plays. Since eczema is caused by dry skin I suggested this morning he try chapstick around his mouth to prevent it from drying out but he was concerned it might effect his playing. Anyone out there having any input?
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2004-11-01 15:08
Contact dermatitis from reeds is not unkown by any means ... try changing to a different brand.
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Author: yomarqwyn
Date: 2004-11-01 15:11
I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this..I already know what a doc will do ..prescribe ointment ..which is not great to use all the time...but thanks for the reply ...if it was meant to help?
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Author: pewd
Date: 2004-11-01 15:29
any mold or mildew on the reed? is it clean, or streaked with black?
clean the reedguard in a mild clorox solution , put all new new reeds in the reedguard. throw the old ones out.
try what mark said.
beginners tend to play on reeds forever - whens the last time he tried a new one? or is he playing on the same reed he's had for the last 6weeks?
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-11-01 18:48
The other thing is to make sure that he isn't playing the reed on his chin instead of his lower lip.
Does he get the irritation only under his lower lip?
Also the age of the reed being used like was mentioned matters too. Have him rinse off the reed after playing with luke warm water to get any dead lip skin off of it.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-11-01 20:40
I guess some reed growers would be using sprays on their reed plantation, and different plantations will have different natural/introduced toxins in the water &/or air.
Quite apart form which, different VARIETIES of cane will have have slightly different chemistry. Most plants contain natural toxins.
And some people may be far more sensitive to these than others.
So Mark's advice sounds very good.
Post Edited (2004-11-01 20:42)
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-11-01 21:47
It's not the reed brand, it's the way the kid is playing or that his lips are very dry anyway.
Strong hunch on that one - we shall see.
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Author: Meri
Date: 2004-11-01 23:09
I agree with the advice on trying a different brand of reeds. For me, Vandoren Traditionals seem to cause problems with canker sores, while I never had those problems with Olivieri, Grand Concert Traditionals, or Legeres.
Meri
"There is a difference between being flat and sounding in tune, and being in tune but sounding flat. The first I can live with; the second I cannot."
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-11-02 03:34
The problem may very well be the rough texture of the reed itself.
Some reeds (ex: Rico) are VERY rough, after being machined, almost to the point of possibly causing a splinter in your lip.
Try another brand of reed which feels smoother to the touch (and your lip) ...GBK
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Author: Vrat
Date: 2004-11-02 13:59
I used to have an irritation on my upper lip. I am rinsing/washing my mouthpiece after each playing since that, and the irritation went away.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-11-02 14:29
Well, I guess the first thing I'd do is rinse my mouth out with a salt water solution. I'm not a doctor but I'd approach it like a case of chapped lips. It's probably due to the irritation of the playing process. But....professional medical advice is certainly a good idea.
Bob Draznik
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Author: GEM
Date: 2004-11-02 17:05
Take your child to a dermatologist, but don't stick with the doctor if you don't get results. When I was in high school, I had a similar problem. I went to a dermatologist who thought it might be an allergic reation to the clarinet reed. He took a reed that I had played, and after making a slight scratch in my skin, taped the reed in place over the scratch - it was on the underside of my upper arm. I had to wear it for two weeks. Nothing happened. I went to another dermatologist who correctly diagnosed the trouble by taking a culture from the rash; and by a combination of oral and topical treatments, along with a few ultraviolet treatments, the problem went away and hasn't returned in almost thirty years.
GEM
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Author: yomarqwyn
Date: 2004-11-02 17:35
Thanks to those of you for replying. Actually..the irritation clears up within a day or two naturally, but I truly think it is caused by him licking his lips so much.. before/during/after..playing. Yesterday before he played I had him apply lip ointment around his lip area and a little on his lips. After playing he did not break out again. So maybe it was just the fact that he licked his lips so much causing it to dry out more.. causing the irritation. Hopefully this is the solution unless it pops up again. I am going to try a different reed brand also..just in case.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2004-11-02 17:59
I'm probably allergic to regular rico reeds
as
they make my ears itch hearing them played 
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Author: VermontJM
Date: 2004-11-03 12:14
I have noticed that I am HIGHLY sensitive to the roughness of the reeds. I buff them on a plain piece of paper on both sides before playing and this helps. I am also a big fan of Blistex (the one in the blue container) lip balm- I always get "reed rash" during music fests where we are playing 10-12 hours a day. Blistex clears it up overnight, for me... so does Bag Balm (works for humans, but made for cows!) (amazing the things you learn growing up in rural Vermont.)
Good Luck!
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-11-03 13:22
Hmmm....never thought to use bag balm on my lips. So...what do you do to remove the Blistex from the reed?
Bob Draznik
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Author: CJB
Date: 2004-11-03 16:09
GBK
It was getting a splinter in my lip from a Rico reed that persuaded me to switch to a better brand. Only problem was that I could cover the cost of a Rico on 1 weeks pocket/chore money, a Vandoren needed 2 weeks saving. Amazing how I can still remember the relative prices (45p and 75p per reed) despite it being 20 years ago.
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Author: VermontJM
Date: 2004-11-04 03:18
I never had an issue with Blistex on the the reed. At least not that I noticed.
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