<p>(This is a non-college related question.) My D has very sensitive skin - can't wear earrings with nickel in them, for example. She has developed a sore on her neck that looks like eczema, that is apparently being caused by her shoulder rest. She is coping with it by putting a piece of flannel (her polishing cloth) between the rest and her neck during private practice and orchestra class. She doesn't use it for performances or lessons, though!</p>
<p>I was wondering if anybody has any ideas of something we could coat the edge of the rest with? Clear nail polish, for example? Or if anybody has ever even heard of this? Or any other suggestions. Thanks!</p>
<p>I would not use the polishing cloth, use a 100% cotton/flannel swatch with nothing on it, the polishing cloth will pick up the same type of irritants that the violin or the shoulder rest have on them. The cloth should not be kept in the case, either.</p>
<p>My oldest daughter developed eczema unrelated, until one day her fingers became involved and looked like she had put her finger tips into a fire. Sterod cream cleared it up rather quickly and she ultimately gave up the violin for the bassoon for other reasons. </p>
<p>I would suggest seeing a physician, as my license to practice does not cover internet advice, but in the meantime, have her pick up some OTC hydrocortisone cream 1 %, and apply to the area on her neck 2-3 times a day for 10-14 days. If it is responding, use it until its gone. If not, keep the appt and it will not be a problem as far as the physician is concerned that she tried the HC on her own.</p>
<p>(free medical advise, you get what you pay for--wink wink)</p>
<p>Nickel allergies are fairly common and a problem with for some flute players.</p>
<p>Is there nickle in the shoulder rest of a violin? I would guess you could get one made from a different material. During performances I see many violin players using some kind of cloth. If that solves it great. </p>
<p>I am not high on the steroid creams as solutions. They have their own problems like thinning of the skin. Maybe a short term use to make it go away but certainly not as a constant application for a re-occurring problem.</p>
<p>Have you seen the movie "Music from the Inside Out"? They talk to one of the violin players in the movie about her "neck mark" from playing the violin so much. I don't recall her saying that she had a solution for it, but at least your daughter could feel like she was in good company. </p>
<p>I agree about being careful about hydrocortisone cream long term use, esp. in an area with already thin skin like the neck. Could you try something like a little piece of quilted fabric or fleece to see if the extra padding would help?</p>
<p>Thanks, both. I hear you, sunnyflorida - about Internet practice (and remember reading elsewhere that you were a doc). I'm a recovered medical type myself (former nurse.) My middle child had quite a severe eczema problem, and uses hydrocortizone cream for his hands (a low percentage - I don't remember what. I think it's actually made for children.) when it flares up - usually winter. I agree that it's not something I would want to overuse, but I'm probably less afraid of medicines than I should be!</p>
<p>Given the amount of time she "polishes" her violin, the cloth is probably pretty clean! ;) But I was thinking of looking for a piece of black flannel, anyway, so that she could maybe use it in performances, too. Thanks for the idea of keeping it out of her case. Her case has a zippered music pocket, and I will have her keep it there. (She may already.)</p>
<p>I honestly haven't examined her shoulder rest to see what portion is causing the problem. She has a very long neck, and we are limited to a certain kind of shoulder rest that is higher than others. I know it has cloth, metal, and rubber parts - I suppose it could even be a latex allergy? Need to see what part is in contact with her skin. But since the flannel cloth is helping, I'm quite sure it's the rest that is the problem.</p>
<p>That's interesting about flute players and nickel - I had never thought of that, but since so many people have nickel allergies, it makes sense. I wonder if other instruments also have allergy problems.</p>
<p>cross posted with ASW - No I haven't seen the movie. Will look for it. Yes, we thought it was just a little red mark from playing, until we realized it wasn't going away even when she hadn't played for awhile. It's a coarse, grainy mark,with cracks - thickened. Obviously, I need a solution that won't cause the violin to slip, but she seems okay with the flannel.</p>
<p>Steroid creams for 10-14 days or even for 3-4 weeks will not thin the skin. Chronic daily use over months or years will, but no one recommends that any more. If this is a local sensitivity, the HC for 2-3 weeks will clear it, and if the sensitizing agent is no longer in direct contact with the skin, only intermittant use might ever be neded, if even that. If the condition is eczema, then after the initial treatment with a few weeks of steroid cream, her physician will be able to prescribe one of several nonsteroid based creams available. </p>
<p>The polishing cloth will pick up rosin, lacquer, other irritants from the violin, so even when the polishing cloth looks clean, it can contain irritants. And don't use the clear nail polish, it could make things worse. Cotton fleece would be good.</p>
<p>I wouldn't worry about using a cloth during performances. I know many violinists who do mainly to protect their very expensive instruments from skin oils and such. So if your daughter starts using a cloth everyone will think she has a very pricey instrument! It will add to her image! :)</p>
<p>Speaking of flutes, my wife does not have an allergy to metals but is annoyed by cocus wood, which is used in some flutes but more often in piccolos. I understand that allergies to this particular wood are not all that uncommon.</p>
<p>OOPS - just noticed that we are talking shoulder rests, not chinrests. (Didn't get much sleep last night.) Perhaps these will be of interest to others.</p>
<p>I seem to recall being told that you should not get cocus wood pic if you are allergic to poison ivy or poison sumac because it is in the same family. But I could be getting the woods mixed up. Cocus is used by a few makers as a subsitute for more difficult to find and expensive woods.</p>
<p>Many flute players get lip or chin irritations. Nickel is the most common reason and gold plating often solves it. Cheaper solutions are clear nail polish as was already discussed and even sticker cut out to shape that covers the contact area.</p>
<p>You also run into people with acidic skin that can literally eat away at plated metal keys.</p>
<p>All kinds of things you dont think of when you start on an instrument.</p>
<p>My bad - I just asked D (I don't play violin and get these things mixed up) - It IS the chin rest that is causing the problem, so your links, Bassdad, are very appropriate. I thought the shoulder rest was the culprit, because of where the spot is.</p>
<p>And it makes sense. She's played violin for 11 years, but only a year or so with this particular chin rest, so it's probably something specific to this one. Interestingly, her teacher suggested today the nail polish idea that Sunnyflorida warns against. </p>
<p>Bsnbilly, she has had a "hickey" for a long time - but this is more than a cosmetic problem.</p>
<p>binx, you mention that your D's only been playing with this chin rest for a year or so, is it possible the chin rest ITSELF is the problem? My daughter switched to a center chinrest, and all sorts of problems (skin irritation, posture) cleared up almost magically. just a thought....</p>
<p>Orchestramom - D has been through a number of chin rests. As I mentioned before, D has a very long neck, and it used to look like she had terrible posture when she played, simply because she had to bend her head so far down. Used to give her teachers fits. Her teacher in Germany brought her a bunch of chin rests to try, and this one worked best (along with the high shoulder rest she already had). It seems to be made out of the same stuff all of them are, but there must be something in contact with her skin that the others don't have. It is a center rest, rather than on one side, and the only center one she's ever used.</p>
<p>Today was All State auditions (district level) and her school teacher there also mentioned nail polish to her. Seems to be the thing people do. Her private teacher also mentioned that he knows someone who created a flap of cloth that stays on the chin rest, and I think I like that idea best. The cloth she's using really has helped. Now if I can find a way to permanently attach it in a way that doesn't interfere with the playing.</p>
<p>Since she's practicing at this moment, I went up and looked at how it fits against her. She actually has 3 marks. The high one is the usual "hickey" under her chin. Red, but normal looking skin. The middle one seems to be where the plastic button on the bottom of the violin (sorry, I'm sure it has a more technical name) hits her neck. There are metal bars from the chin rest on either side of the button that don't seem to be causing a problem. So if she were allergic to the metal, it seems she'd have these two stripes, too. But the scaliest part is where the metal bottom of the rest hits her shoulder blade. </p>
<p>Weenie had sent me a PM, wondering if it could be caused from sweat. That would make sense, since it itches. Or, it might just be dry and rough from constant pressure. The skin isn't broken, just alligatorish and itchy (I made up that word.) Either way, the cloth seems to be helping. The marks are there, but they don't itch so much.</p>
<p>My son plays viola and had some problems with setup as he, too, has a long neck. For awhile he was using a Strad Pad from Shar Music. It is a foam rubber type thing that velcros onto the chinrest and is flesh colored. He quit using it after he tried a different chinrest that he liked much better. But the Strad Pad might solve your daughter's problem as well.</p>
<p>Hi Binx,
Try moleskin...it's usually found in the foot section of a pharmacy...it is a very soft self-adhesive material that your daughter can cut out and apply to her chin rest (I've used it over the entire thing...it doesn't hurt the violin). It doesn't shift around and it puts a layer between her and the chin rest. Or, I would ditch the chin rest and try something else...
Also...I love the new Voce shoulder rest by Kun (my son uses it and he also has a very long neck). It's expensive, but the only one that worked well for him (of course).
Hope this helps!</p>
<p>She has a Kun shoulder rest, but I don't know anything more about it. I know we bought the highest one we could find at the time. We finally have pieces that are working (in terms of posture) so I'd like to continue this combination if possible.</p>