People who play instruments are at an increased risk of developing a variety of skin conditions such as allergic reactions and eczema. The good news is many of these problems can be averted by correcting your technique or by making slight alterations to the instrument.
Researchers found the most common skin disorders reported by musicians are allergic reactions to specific components of an instrument and irritations caused by prolonged, intense contact with instruments.Some common allergic reactions include allergies to rosin -- which is used to wax the bows of stringed instruments -- and to the cane reeds used in clarinets and saxophones. The researchers also found that flautists, and brass and string players with an allergy to nickel suffer from dermatitis of the lips, chin or hands. Sometimes this can lead to chronic eczema.Simple solutions, like changing the brand of rosin or changing to plastic or gold mouthpieces, plastic polystyrene reeds, or bronze strings may help prevent these conditions.
Thus researchers conclude saying, far most epidemiological studies have focused on the skin problems of orchestral musicians, including jazz, rock and pop musicians.
