Issues with acne around mouth?
Hello David,
I'm working through the free trial that came with my Hohner set and really enjoying it so far, will definitely continue when it runs out. However, I've noticed with longer practice sessions, sometimes the following day I develop pimples around my lips/mouth and even my nose depending on my harmonica hold. Is this the kind of thing that just goes away as my technique improves or are there specific tips to prevent this? I've tried disinfecting my harp regularly but just wondering what other advice you have.
Thanks!
Noah
Thanks for the quick reply! I definitely need to continue working on using a lighter touch, perhaps that's why. I might start off relaxed but find myself tensing over time, especially with harder passages. I'm a guitarist and vocalist first, so working through these tendencies is not new to me, hopefully that solves the issue!
My pleasure. Fantastic... it sounds like you have a good handle on the idea. Report back.
noah_t
Likely David’s assessment is correct, but if you continue to have the problem or it turns into a rash, you may be having an allergic reaction to the metal in your harmonica. This happened to me and after a year I had a red rash around my mouth and no outer layer of skin left on my hands. I purchased painted covers from bluemoonharmonicas.com, and this greatly helped. I also wear gloves if I think I will be playing longer than a short practice session.
If your guitar has metal strings and your fingers are in good shape, then likely you don’t have a metal allergy. In my research to figure out what was wrong it was a guitarist who was suffering from the same problem that clued me in on the cause of my problem.
Good luck.
Brian in Tennessee
Hello Noah.
I'm glad that you're enjoying your studies on the site.
I have not heard of this before, but my hunch is that you might be pressing the harmonica too hard to your lips/face/nose.
Do you feel like you're using a light touch on the face of the harmonica with your lips (and tongue)?