Lips getting dry

As I’ve been working my way through the Beginner to Boss course (just started Module 3: Single Notes) I’ve started to notice for a while now that my lips have been getting quite dry as I play. This makes it more difficult to move the harmonica without it sticking to and dragging on my lips.

Is this normal? Do I need to relax my lips more? Get better over time?

Any tips would be quite helpful!

I do have a glass of water handy which is helpful. I’m also maintaining the Deep Relaxed Mouth Position to make sure the harmonica is touching the wetter inner parts of my lips.

Thank you!

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I actually use something called DERMEZE TREATMENT OINTMENT. Its very slippery and perfect as long as you dont put on too much. Helps the harp slip around and stops the dry lips.

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@burpsan, I had the same problem for the first few months. Some Vaseline or milking fat helped me temporarily.

The glass of water is also available today. Otherwise, the flow of saliva has normalized. No more too much or too little.

Only in summer when the outside temperatures are very high does the mouth dry up quickly and often anyway. If I then occasionally play outside, the harp sticks after a short time. This seems to be normal, since drinking, moisturizing or creaming hardly helps.

Greetings from Astrid :woman_in_lotus_position:

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Thanks @toogdog !

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Thanks @AstridHandbikebee63 !

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What ever goes on your lips or in your mouth ends up in your harps. If your lips dry out lick them and occasionally lick your harp. That’s enough. I’ve been playing for over 40 years, mostly bar bands. A lot of the guys get upset with me because I won’t drink with them during gigs. Beer, wine and mixed drinks will fill your harps with goo that you will regret. I also never eat right before or during a gig. Any foreign matter that contacts your reeds can stop them or have a chemical reaction to the metal.
My 2 cents.

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Thanks @explorermatt !

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Thankyou.

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Being in Hawaii where the air is something like soup, I don’t have to worry about this too much, lol.

But people in dry climates often need to put on a little bit of lip balm. It shouldn’t actually get into the harp because your lips should be well on top of the bottom and top of it. Just give her a wipe down when you’re done. :+1:t3:

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I’m ‘down under’ in quite a hot dry part of the country, so yeah, I’m getting the dry lips thing happening :frowning:
As I tend to suffer with this at the best of non-harmonica-playing times, I usually have some vaseline on hand. I’m going to try applying a very thin smear to my lips tonight to see how that goes.

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I was going to say that. Just lick the cover plates.

Hey @elemental_denizen so glad to see you’ve decided to join the forum! Yeah, I wouldn’t hesitate. Just give her a wipe with a cloth when you’re done playing, and you should be all good to go. :call_me_hand:t3:

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Very happy to report that this helped me immensely! :smile:

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