My daughter’s violin hickey has suddenly worsened today. She’s 18, in her 2nd semester at conservatory, been playing since she was 4, seriously since 10 so we’re familiar with the struggle. Nothing’s changed in terms of her playing routine. Today it was very angry red with several red bumps. This has happened once before when she was young and the dr prescribed an ointment and rest (which didn’t happen). I’ve advised her to see the health center at her conservatory in case it’s somehow infected but I was wondering if you all might have some home remedies you’ve found that worked?
Thanks in advance! We always say - Violin is like a sport, only harder!
I am very sorry to hear about your D’s hickey. She may have an allergic reaction due to physical condition(cold, flu, stress or fatigue). I would ask her to take Benadryl first. Have your D ever tried an allergy test before? I’ve heard that some people have an allergic reaction using a rosewood chin rest. Your D should to try a boxwood chin rest. Hope she feels better soon!
We’ve tried all sorts of topical treatments (steroids, antibiotics, vitamins, coconut oil, etc) and the only thing that cooled off my child’s angry/bumpy violin hickey was using a strad pad.
Agree, but would suggest a couple of other possible causes and alternatives.
The metal plating on the chinrest hardware could be an issue, particularly if nickel or chrome plated. Even gold plated hardware can cause an issue if the plating is worn or flaking.
A chinrest that wasn’t causing problems can suddenly become a problem due to slight changes in angle, pressure, etc., as the child grows and matures, also sweat acidity due to changes in diet, etc.
When my son was younger we addressed the issue by going to a Strad Pad covered by a 100% cotton handkerchief. The pad spreads the pressure over a wider area, and the cotton is hypoallergenic and absorbs sweat well. He still uses that setup today.
@Violinmomaz : Sorry to hear about your D’s troubles. Redness etc, is commonly attributed to an allergic reaction to the chin rest. It could also be caused because of low humidity maybe, if she’s in a very dry climate ? Maybe she could tape soft gauze with a dab of moisturizer under her chin during practice ?
My sons teacher uses a soft absorbent cloth over her chin rest to help. My S never got used to a cloth and has a massive callus under his jaw now. Now that he’s older, he has a beard that seems to help !
The Wittner hypoallergenic composite chin rest helped my D, who had sensitive skin. It’s not a beautiful as wood, but there’s also no metal touching the skin.
I’d check which bit exactly is touching her skin when she’s playing, and try out covering it with a soft cotton cloth (something that has been washed forever). If that helps, you know which bit to cover/replace permanently. Really like the beard option, but maybe not a useful suggestion for your D…
One of my daughter’s teachers told her that cleaning the chinrest periodically, with alcohol swabs, helps. My daughter has a rosewood chinrest, and the teacher didn’t think it would damage the wood. I don’t think my daughter actually does this anymore, though, and although she has had flareups, right now things seem ok.