Help! My harmonicas are killing me… Seriously.
30 years ago, I was convinced I was allergic to being married. My wife insisted I was allergic to the wedding ring. I stopped wearing my ring so long ago that I forgot about the problem.
In February of this year I got my first harmonica. By April my hands where starting to break out in a rash which lead to the skin dying. After many months of trying different creams from anti-fungal to cortisone and countless hand lotions. Nothing was working and the problem was spreading to my wrists. Then I remembered my wedding ring story. For the last 3 weeks I’ve been wearing nitrile gloves while playing the harmonica and my hands are already showing hug signs of improvement. Because Covid-19 I’m not going to chance going to the doctor to get tested, but I am convinced the stainless-steel covers are the problem.
I’m considering painting the covers to see if that will fix the problem, but for now I am just wearing gloves. I would appreciate knowing any other ideas on how to fix this problem. I assume none of the manufactures use an allergy free metal in their harmonica covers. I just completed my set of Hohner Crossovers, so replacing harmonicas is not my first choice which is why I’m going to try to paint the covers unless someone else has a better idea.
Thank you. Any ideas welcomed.
Brian in Tennessee
Blue Moon Harmonica makes custom covers ceramic coated and special printing process. Check out tier site
Blue Moon Harmonica.com
Can't find the link anymore. But from the people that are alergic they
1- powder coated the cover plates.
2- used plastic turbo harp cover plates.
3- painted with clear nail polish the covers.
4-custom covers coated if you want to buy them.
I also found that some people are allergic to the stainless steel cover but others are to the brass from the reed plates.
Better you get tested to make sure what it is. Might not be the harp at all since you don't have problems with the lips.
Number 2 in the list.
plastic turbo harps cover plates looks like this
number 5- silver plated the cover plates.
6- if the issue is the steel from the cover plates try some of the above. If its the brass since you said you play with crossovers and your hands touch the reed plate brass, than use seydel harmonicas with steel reed plates.
That's all I could find.
Thanks Eric for your suggestions. While I haven't noticed any problems with my lips my skin arround by mouth sometimes itches after playing and has developed some redness, but so far clears up on its own. Only my hands have been a continous problem for over 6 months now. Today my hands are looking much much better and the only thing I've changed is wearing golves while playing.
I've looked at the Turbo harp covers and I'm not a fan of them.
Thanks Sanshinboi, I've been to Blue Moon and completely missed their custom covers they offer. I may order a set from them and see if that works. If I paint my own covers I'm thinking about using paint called Cerakote, thiner and more durable than poweder coat, but comes with a step price tag.
Thanks guys.
Brian
I did not see any cover at Blue Moon that would fit the Crossover. I sent them an email to see if they have some that would work. I will post back if they do. If I can get covers that are already painted that would be the quickest way to fix/test this problem.
Thanks guys.
Some folks are also allergic to nickel, which hohner formerly used to plate covers. Probably not on the Crossover, though, unless some of the covers were stamped from old sheet stock.
Rather than guess and try different soltions, why not get tested?
Blue Moon does offer coated covers. While they don't list Crossover covers, this is custom work and he could do coating work on those. If not, Marine Band covers are the same covers, without the bolt holes drilled in the tabs.
Thanks Winslow. I just ordered some covers from Blue Moon. Tom at Blue Moon was very helpful and offered to drill the holes in the covers to fit my Crossover. I'm hoping this will solve the problem.
At some point I will get tested, but unfortunately there is no cure for a metal allergy, so testing will only confirm. Its much cheaper for me to order the covers and see if that will fix the problem than to pay for an allergy test. Also with Covid-19 I see no need in increasing my risk by going to a doctors office.
Thank you,
Brian in Tennessee
I'm glad Tom could help - he's really great that way.
I received my painted cover from Blue Moon Harmonicas today. After giving the harmonica a thorough cleaning, I installed the painted covers. After a couple of hours of practicing my hands and face are free from the itching that I used to get after playing. I’m almost certain this is going to fix my problem.
I can’t say enough good things about my experience with Blue Moon Harmonicas.
Brian
Let's hope for the best. Keep harping man :)
@EricMinar
Seydel uses stainless steel *reeds* but not reedplates. Those are made from an alloy known variously as Nickel Silver and German Silver, a copper alloy with nickel and often zinc.
For more on this:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_silver
@Expert W.Yerxa
That was a nice reading actually. But..
-Nickel Silver also used on flutes, clarinets, saxophone, trumpet etc.
-produces a bright and powerful sound quality
-it have 20% nickel in it and if allergic cause a weeping rash.
So far so good if we are not alergic but then I also saw this under toxicity:
-prolonged contact of copper alloys (60% in nickel silver) with acid food or beverages can leach out the copper and cause toxicity (cirrhosis).
My point is if we look deep enought at everything we would do nothing with our lifes because nowadays everything is toxic. And better play those with a mouth clean :)
Hi what do you cover your lips with for now? Not trying to be funny or anything but if you are alergic you should also have problems with the lips? Maybe the problem comes from something else. I'm not a doctor, just sharing the way I would look at the problem if it was me.
I did saw something a while ago about people changing the cover plates or doing something to them because of alergie issue. I'll try to find it and post a link here if I do. Good luck man