[bearontherun]

Hey everyone,
I don't think this has been answered before on the forums but I could be wrong.

My fingernails keep pulling away from the skin through the impact when I make slappy moves or double campus. I use chalk without drying agent, wash and moisturise quickly (with hoofenmaker/climb on) after finishing climbing and keep the tops of my fingers sanded down and nails short. It keeps happening and the nerve pain keeps me from hard pulling until it's healed.

I've been recommended growing out my nails or some kind of supplement/nail hardener.

Is there any knowledge or experience out there which can fix this in a more preventative manner, so I can get back to cranking?

Very grateful!

[slackline]

No experience, but it might help if you clarified (perhaps with a picture/photograph) of where the nail detachment is occurring for you.

[lagerstarfish]

please let this be a post from The Bear and that he has been on the run since getting busted for possetion in the early 90s

[tim palmer]

This happens to me alot, the only thing i have found helpful is washing hands straight after climbing and ifI do split under my finger nail use carmex which is lip balm with a bit of anti-inflammatory in it, great for splits under the finger nails

[Richie Crouch]

I regularly get split nail beds and find it is vital to keep on top of cleaning them of anything under the nail (chalk, gunk..etc) and pack in some moisturiser overnight too. You can usually climb through it but the first few crimps hurt like hell. I think it mostly occurs when:

1) I stab into pockets/cracks outside and get crystals stabbing into the skin underneath the nail.
2) when thoroughly crushing hands into the chalk bucket and getting extra chalk pressed up under the nails, which seems to dry it it fast and encourage splitting on impacts (hands slapping).

[bearontherun]

I'll get a photo up when I can.

That's interesting Richie. I think I do point 2 quite a lot as I always crush the chalk in the bag and then use too much. Maybe a switch to a loose chalk without drying agent would stop it building up underneath

[GazM]

Resurrecting an old thread: anyone got any new experience on this or is Tim and Richie's knowledge still the best?

I tried a problem last Saturday and started bleeding from under the nail on my LH index finger, which has never happened before and feels pretty sensitive. After inspection I've opened a tiny cut right under the nail.  After giving it a few days to heal I had no issues training on my board or fingerboard, and even on rock this Saturday.  Then on Sunday I went back to the same problem that caused it and after only a couple of goes I'm pissing blood again. 

[SA Chris]

Sounds bit like the guy who goes to the doctor and says "Doctor, every time I poke my knee it hurts. Every time I poke my thigh it hurts, every time I poke my foot it hurts"

Doctor says "you've got a broken finger"

You don't think one of the holds on the problem might catch the skin?

[GazM]

Probably,  but I want it to heal so I can go back and finish the problem!

[SA Chris]

Options;

a) Comfortisation of hold
b) tape up
c) superglue
d) man up.

[benno]

Chalk under the nails is the killer for me. I'd definitely second the idea of being a bit more thoughtful diving into your chalk bag.

Stick a nail brush in your climbing bag and make sure you get all the chalk out after each session. Pack some Vaseline or similar under the nail before you go to bed.

[GazM]

Cheers folks.  Chris, emergency tape and glue were deployed while out on Sunday but I still had to call off the session early. There's not really anything specific about the holds (e.g. crystal) that I think caused the tear, I think it's more pressure from slapping and squeezing like f**k that's pulling the skin away from the nail. I think I could do with growing my nail out a wee bit.  Anyway, keeping it clean seems to be the consensus for the future.

Ironically, there's a minging crozzly crimpy nubbin that I have to bone like a bastard with the other hand and that's not really caused any issues. 

[cheque]

Chalk under the nails is the killer for me.

I use a chalkball 'cos I hate the feeling of having too much chalk on my hands, particularly under my nails.

[tomtom]

moisturise..

[SimonB]

I used to have the exact same problem and narrowed it down to Moon chalk, as soon as I swapped to another type all splitting disappeared. Im assuming it may be down to a different drying agent or chemical in the chalk?

have you tried using other types of chalk?

[slackline]

I used to have the exact same problem and narrowed it down to Moon chalk, as soon as I swapped to another type all splitting disappeared. Im assuming it may be down to a different drying agent or chemical in the chalk?

Unlikely...

NO ADDITIVES NO DRYING AGENTS

[lagerstarfish]

must be about time someone started adding urea to climbing chalk to help skin recovery

[tomtom]

From multiple posts on this forum - I am not alone in finding the cheapy simond chalk from Decathlon as being the most skin friendly I've used...