Help...I am allergic to my Musical Instrument

 Creating music is a satisfying way to bring beauty into our lives.  Some of us enjoy play musical instruments as a hobby, while others earn a living this way.

Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent ― Victor Hugo 

What happens if you are allergic to 

your career or your hobby?

  Whether you are a weekend musician or a professional, there is a risk that you develop Contact Dermatitis by the musical instrument. (Read about Contact Dermatitis HERE)

Contact Dermatitis can be caused by cosmetics, metals, & jewelry.  Musical instruments present another source of irritation, since some of the components of instruments have metals that come in contact with the skin.

Although musical instruments are classified as Brass, Woodwinds, Percussion, and so on, most of them contain nickel on some areas.  And when there is ongoing skin contact with nickel, there is a greater risk for dermatitis to occur. 
 

A LIST OF POTENTIAL HAZARDS

IN VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS:

Brass instruments (flute, trombone, trumpet, tuba)

• Metals found in the instruments, such as nickel, cobalt, palladium, silver and gold, can cause contact dermatitis.
• Lip swelling can result from the pressure of forcing air through instrument mouthpieces.
• Infections of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and non-MRSA) and herpes simplex virus can spread through the sharing of mouthpieces.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) and Hepatitis A, B and C also can be spread if instruments are not cleaned properly.

Woodwind instruments (bassoon, clarinet, oboe, saxophone)

• A variety of specific allergens are responsible for irritant contact dermatitis in these musicians.
  • Cane reeds
  • Chromium
  • Cobalt
  • Exotic woods
  • Nickel

• Lip swelling, infections and the spread of viruses (as described above) also can occur from playing these instruments.

String instruments (cellos, violas, violins)

• The composition of these instruments and products used with these instruments may contain allergens that can cause contact dermatitis in musicians.
  

  • Chromium
  • Exotic woods
  • Nickel
  • Paraphenylenediamine (staining agent for woods)
  • Propolis (bee glue), a component of Italian varnishes used in all Stradivarius violins
  • Rosin

                   Musicians At Risk For Common Skin Condition

I strongly suspect that many brass players actually may have borderline metal contact allergies but they just attribute the symptoms of feeling stiff or rubbery or general loss of control on just being “a bad day.” There are bad days to be sure, but the point to make very clearly to readers is that not every bad day is the result of overplaying or a bad warm-up or whatever. It really could be a metal sensitivity kicking in.

         
           John Ericson    Horn Matters

I have nickel allergy,  how do I

 avoid dermatitis from my musical instrument?

• Limit exposure to nickel, ask prior to purchasing if the instrument contains nickel, nickel plate, or copper/nickel alloy in the areas that will be in prolonged contact with the skin. If unsure, question sales personnel or manufacturers.  You may be allowed test items with Nickel Alert prior to purchase.
• The parts of musical instruments with which you have ongoing direct contact should be tested for nickel content. Wash mouthpieces after testing.
• Nickel Alert is safe to use as directed on any metal item.
• Consider testing: Keys, mouthpieces, guitar and cello strings, and tuners.

Perspiration from heat and humidity aid the transfer of nickel salts—the true culprit of nickel allergy—and increases the symptoms of the allergy.

                   http://athenaallergy.com/pages/nickel-allergy-and-musical-instruments

 So HOW Can I Keep Playing My Horn IF I Am Allergic To It?

 1. Make a change-if the musical instrument causes irritation due to friction or pressure, change the area of contact. For instance, wear protective gloves to reduce irritation to the fingers.

2. Find a replacement-if the musical instrument causes Contact Dermatitis, substitute that component.  Mouthpieces and guitar strings are available in different compositions that avoid nickel.






 Resources for Nickel-Free Mouthpiece Alternatives 

• 

   

  Giddings and Webster Mouthpieces
  

  
  

  Producing a complete line of mouthpieces for

  
  

  Trumpet, Cornet, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, and Tuba

  Manufactured from the finest materials, making mouthpieces of the highest quality.

  Using surgical grade stainless steel and  titanium for our instrument mouthpieces.

  Played in professional orchestras, concert bands, marching bands, community bands, brass bands,

  jazz band, drum corps international, colleges, and highs schools.

  From amateur to avid pro Giddings and Webster has your mouthpiece needs covered.

Kelly Mouthpieces offers mouthpieces that are Stainless Steel, Silver Plated, and Plastic

 

 

  

 

 

It is important to reduce/eliminate further exposure to Nickel, once the skin shows irritation or Contact Dermatitis.  Further exposure will cause more frequent  and more severe allergic response.

 

 

 

Have you experienced an allergic response to a musical instrument?  Do you have other resources to recommend? I would love to hear from you.

 

 

 

The Basics: Preventing Flare-Ups of Nickel Allergies

Ways to Prevent Nickel Allergy Flare-Ups 

 Oh, those awful times when a nasty nickel allergy has a flare-up! The welts, teary eyes, the rash, and the itching is nasty! So what are the best ways to prevent these flare-ups?

Basically it comes down to this basic tip...AVOID EXPOSURE TO NICKEL.
Ugh! It's that simple. But simple is not easy to do!

What if I have a mild nickel allergy? 

Then you should avoid prolonged exposure to items containing nickel. And the biggest culprit for you is jewelry. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets are the items that often contain nickel and are worn for prolonged periods of time on bare skin.

What if I have a severe nickel allergy? 

The best way to avoid a nickel allergy flare up is to avoid ALL contact with nickel. Now we're talkin' food, cigarettes, cell phones, jewelry, water, vitamin supplements, zippers, keys, cosmetics, hair color, kitchen utensils, and more.

It becomes quite a task to avoid exposure when the nickel allergy is this severe. You will probably have real exposure everyday. So the mindset is to avoid any exposure that you are aware of and try to "deal with" the rest of the exposure.

Home test kits like Athena Nickel Solution are the best way to test and identify items that have nickel. Then avoidance to exposure becomes a reasonable task.


<<<<<<click here for the product info

 

 

 

4 Tips For Preventing Nickel Allergy Flare-Ups

 

>>Wear Nickel-Free/Hypoallergic Jewelry

The best bet for nickel-free jewelry will be made from the following metals:

• nickel-free stainless steel
• surgical-grade stainless steel
• titanium
• 18-karat yellow gold
• nickel-free 14-karat yellow gold
• sterling silver
• copper
• platinum
• nobium
• Argentium sterling silver 

Please check this in-depth posting about Metals Info from Naturally Nickel Free.

 Dump all the jewelry that contains nickel. Don't forget to check the backings on your post earrings.

 

 

Very soon I'll write a blog post about places to find earrings. My favorite site is Naturally Nickel Free   This shop is also on Facebook.  Donna Jo is the artisan/owner at Naturally Nickel Free. She has beautiful necklaces, earrings, and made-to-order jewelry. 

 

>>Choose A Piercing Studio Carefully

Each state varies in regulations regarding tattoo and body piercing. Make sure to check out the regulations for your state or local health department to find out what rules apply to your area and be certain to choose a reputable studio with licensed piercers.
  
Mayo Clinic recommends taking a visit to a studio before getting a piercing to make sure that the piercer: 

• Provides a clean, tidy, professional environment
• Uses sterile, nickel-free or surgical-grade stainless steel needles in sealed packages
• Sells only hypoallergenic jewelry and can provide documentation of metal content
• Doesn't use a piercing gun, which may not be sterile or nickel-free and may cause other complications, such as a bacterial infection

 

>>Use Other Materials As A Substitute

You can find safer substitutes that do not contain nickel:

• watchbands made from plastic, cloth, or leather
• zippers and clothing fasteners made from plastic or coated materials
• plastic or titanium eyeglass frames
• wooden or plastic bracelets and kitchen tools

 

>>Make Protective Shield

Let's face it....even with all these steps, we're going to have daily exposure to items containing nickel. Work place items like door knobs, keys, and home items like kitchen pans will be unavoidable.

If you MUST handle nickel exposure, you can create a protective shield between you and the nickel.  Consider wearing gloves to shield your hands to help. You can cover buttons, snaps, zippers with clear nail polish or Athena Nickel Solution (see the photo above).  Tool handles can be covered with duct tape. 

Read the Mayo Clinic article on Nickel Allergies here.

An important point is to recognize that once you develop a nickel allergy—which can occur at any age—it’s typically a lifelong condition. And prolonged exposure risks more severe allergic reactions. So limiting exposure will help prevent more severe allergies and reactions in the future.

Looking back on my lifetime of habits and all the nickel exposure I endured, I have regrets. I knew that cheap earrings caused mild flare ups. But add to that 20+ years of hair dyes and cosmetics, and that was all it took for my nickel allergy to become severe. I wish I'd known where this was going, and maybe I would have done things differently.  (sigh!)

I would love to know your experiences with nickel allergies and how you prevent flare-ups. Feel free to comment below or contact me.