[cjsheps]

Hi all,

Over the years, I've always had bad skin and been prone to splitting my fingers between the first and second joints. They tend to be deep splits and hang around for ages, and I have the beginnings of them a lot of the time while I'm training hard, especially when doing aerocap.

It's pretty inhibiting when trying to do a campus session or similar. Does anyone have any suggestions for stopping the splits?

Pic for reference:



Thanks in advance! (Hope I used the image embedding right)

Edit: Nope. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9E9QR3DlTFIZmRrYmNTOFhtaWM&authuser=0

[abarro81]

Usually happens to me when those joints are too dry

[bendavison]

Hey Chris, I get a similar problem, though they don't normally go through quite as badly as yours sound (the link still didn't work - it said I need permission from you to access it!). I find sanding them thoroughly works, but leaves the skin thin for a while. Pre-emptive taping works too. What chalk do you use? Very dry skin seems to make it worse - so maybe avoid superchalk and moisturise loads (Monkey Fist works great )

[SA Chris]

(Monkey Fist works great )

Sexual activities aside, what chalk do you use?

(too easy)

[cjsheps]

Not super chalk! I'm using the metolius blocks without the drying agent atm. Cheers for the advice Ben and Alex - I hadn't really considered my skin as very dry but I'll give moisturising a go. Sandpaper doesn't seem to get anywhere with the splits (using grade ~100).

[dave]

Sand the dry splits, sand to stop any thick build-up occuring. Use mousturiser.

[tommytwotone]

100% don't use Superchalk - absolutely guaranteed to give me splits.


Also, and I only found this now we've changed to Fairy Platinum, but if you wash up at home make sure you wear rubber gloves. My skin's been terrible since we changed to the more aggressive / better cleaning stuff and now use Marigolds all the time.

[Moo]

Marigolds are a must. I also find if this happens to me the only way to stop it from happening again is to sand it out until it becomes a massive hole rather than letting it try to heal back together.

[petejh]

Suffering similar but cutting just above first joint crease.

Sanding - rough '80' and fine '180', followed by moisturising. I've been using climbskin a few times per day and it seems v.good.

Another +1 for marigolds (and a dishwasher). One downside of eating real food instead of pre-made food is the prep involving washing food and utensils. Done every meal I guess it soon adds up and softens the skin.. at least my skin was way soft when I started projecting recently. Started using marigolds just in the last few weeks and the skin is tougher, but concurrent with climbing more as well.

I tried antihydral in an attempt to toughen the skin, but it's of no use once you have a cut (kills the cells?). It did toughen the tips but then made them peel a week after applying.
Just got some tincture of benzoine compound to give that a try (difficult to find, had to order from the states?). I put it on some minor abrasions today to see how it goes. I think it'll be of most use applied under finger tape to secure the tape in place without resorting to glue.

[Reprobate_Rob]

I get these from time to time. I've found that using a ped-egg or similar curved file for taking dead skin off works well, as the curve allows you to really get into the joint without filing the entire area down. Best done after a shower while the skin is soft, then moisturise lots and repeat the sanding/shaving every few days.
Also seems to be crimping down hard that causes it (along with dry skin), so crimp less, moisturise more

[petejh]

Here's a good tip courtesy of Nike Air too - roll sandpaper tightly around a pen/pencil and tape in place. Good way to get into the crease/joint.

[webbo]

Tincture of benzoine is Friars Balsam in the Uk. Apparently they sell it in Sainsburys, they used to sell it in Boots.
It's used as a decongestant I.e. a couple of drops in hot water in a bowl and stick your head in the steam, so if it does fuck all for skin you can use it for your cold.

[andyd]

Glue it back together. Super glue is your friend. Locktite or whatever it's called(little bottle from the supermarket ).
Super glue was invented for skin wasn't it? I'm amazed that so few people use it.

[tomtom]

Glue it back together. Super glue is your friend. Locktite or whatever it's called(little bottle from the supermarket ).
Super glue was invented for skin wasn't it? I'm amazed that so few people use it.

It's the carcinogenic solvents that tend to put people off... There are however 'medical' forms of superglue that are safe(r).

[andyd]

Really?

[andyd]

I'll answer that for you TT. No. Thanks Google

[richieb]

I get these as well, usually either just above or just below the first joint crease. This is going to turn into a proper moan, apologies for that. The people I climb with are well used to it unfortunately.
I'm constantly managing one or more of these during the bouldering season. I call them tension splits. They often appear with no warning when skin appears to be in good condition generally, no sharp or particularly small or harsh holds involved.
I can be having a steady board session and suddenly one will appear out of the blue and I know I've got weeks ahead of resting, sanding, moisturising, superglue, tape etc.
Just as I am getting one sorted I often get another one on a different finger. I doubt I had a single session outdoors last winter without having at least one of these splits glued and taped up. My actual tips tend to be fine, I can't climb for long enough to get any issues there due to the blood pouring out of one of these splits.

I'm pretty fastidious about sanding, avoid super chalk and have tried a huge variety of moisturisers - climb on, dream cream, cocoa butter, sudocrem, badger balm, burt's bees and the rest. I wear marigolds for washing up. A mate suggested I should also wear them in the shower, or just not bother with the shower. In fact never get your hands wet. 
I tried surgical spirit last year after a tip off from my step dad who is a banjo player. Didn't notice any improvement but maybe I didn't use it for long enough.
I do own some antihydral but always worked on the basis that it is more use for thin skin/ thin tips (with caution) and going anywhere near the joints/creases with it is asking for trouble. 

The upshot is, it is incredibly frustrating and I haven't found an answer yet. I tend to just put it down to bad luck genetically and working at a PC all day.
One thing I could do better with is training the good fingers whilst the bad ones are recovering, two finger hangs, mono's etc
I usually just get pissed off and pack it in.

[webbo]

I get this on my left hand forefinger. However I think I cut this many years ago and I wonder whether it's scar tissue that keeps splitting.
I tape and glue it but I did hear that super glue can actually cause splits due to it drying out the skin.

[tomtom]

I'll answer that for you TT. No. Thanks Google

Or yes (toxic not carcinogenic..)

The United States National Toxicology Program and the United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive have concluded that the use of ethyl cyanoacrylate is safe and that additional study is unnecessary.[19] 2-octyl cyanoacrylate degrades much more slowly due to its longer organic backbone that slows the degradation of the adhesive enough to remain below the threshold of tissue toxicity. Due to the toxicity issues of ethyl cyanoacrylate, the use of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate for sutures is preferred.

[tomtom]

Sorry Andy i seemed to have entered internet pedant mode then..

[chris j]

I get this on my left hand forefinger. However I think I cut this many years ago and I wonder whether it's scar tissue that keeps splitting.

I get this, the same two joints repeatedly split. Even after a month or 6 weeks of healing and no climbing while I'm offshore, do a few hard board sessions or get back on Avenged and I am pretty much guaranteed they'll open up in short order.

[TobyD]

I get this, the same two joints repeatedly split. Even after a month or 6 weeks of healing and no climbing while I'm offshore, do a few hard board sessions or get back on Avenged and I am pretty much guaranteed they'll open up in short order.

Pretty much every hold on the crux of avenged is awful on your skin (well, they are on mine). I've found that too many goes on a route can lead to developing nasty weak spots of skin, probably a sort of scarification, and re-opening becomes progressively more likely. 

[SA Chris]

I've got a skin annoyance at the moment and not sure what is best to do with it. Lost some skin on my pointer finger a few weeks back.  Fortunately it grew back pretty quickly, but after the last session it looks like the new skin isn't bonded to the next layer and is going to go as well. What's best? Just let it go and sand, tape it and hope it stays?

Thanks

[bendavison]

I'd get rid of it. Use nail clippers or a razor to cut it cleanly. Sand the edges down. Maybe tape for a bit if it's still peeling - try using a really thin (~3mm) strip, starting from just above the knackered area and working down with 1-2mm overlap. It's pretty bomber even without glue. Careful not to make it too tight!

[SA Chris]

It's peeling top and bottom. Might try thin bit of tape

[Omar15]

Hey CJ,

I used to get these cripplingly badly (most sessions)  and now I do the below it's almost rare.

1. Drink loads of water before and during climbing - a bit more than you think you need to. I'm certain I would get them when I was dehydrated.

2. Get a rough foot file and sand over the split with this. I found this really helps to break the cycle of heal/re-split/heal/re-split. Then neaten up with sandpaper or similar. Do this pre-emptively also on bits of skin which look to be getting thick and ripe for splitting.

Omar

[WillRobertson]

For a while now I've had issues with the inside of the end joint on both my middle fingers. The skin just keeps splitting right in the fold. I'm quite meticulous with sanding it down whenever there's any ridges or build up of dry/flakey skin and moisturise reasonably frequently the rest of the time, but nothing seems to help.

It can get quite painful at times and is prone to splitting causing me to leave DNA traces in blood form, which gets tiresome.

Anyone experienced anything similar/got any tips?


*Apologies for dragging up an old thread, but it seemed pointless starting a new one that would be so similar!

[lagerstarfish]

worth giving heel balm a go - it's amazing for stopping cracks in thick, dry heel skin

[dave]

I get this from time to time - things that help:
-decent moisturiser used daily.
-don't any kind of thick/dry skin to build up on the crease, i.e. be fastidious about sanding, even before it looks like you've got a problem.
-avoid hard tight crimping on nasty edges, as this puts the most mechanical force across that bit of skin.
-if you've got a split or partial split let it heal up properly, i.e. longer than you think, cos even when healed up it'll be weaker for ages.
-You can protect them by putting a blob of superglue one side of the crease, another one the other side of the crease, then taping over the whole thing with say a single width of tape. This then takes the strain off the skin under the tape, stops any mechanical aggravation of the area too. If done right it should stay on for most of a session and won't cover much if any of the pad, so doesn't really impact on climbing.

[WillRobertson]

Thanks both, will give some of these a go 

[shurt]

You can get superglue that is flexible (someone had it at the crag the other day)  this looked a far better option than normal stuff. Had blood blister on a tip and thought I wouldn't climb again that day. A mate got out a pin and the glue and after draining it and gluing up the hole I was back in the game! Brilliant.

[tim palmer]

Suffered really badly with splits in the finger joints, don't get them anymore because of three things:
1. Palmers cocoa butter moisturiser, seems to work better than other alternatives of a similar price
2.  Trim rough skin with a razor blade
3. Carmex medicated lip balm in splits, it is amazing stuff

I found super glue made things way worse as it makes the skin around the split less supple

[thekettle]

An interesting tip for this that I heard on a Trainingbeta podcast recently, not needed to try it yet:
Splint the split fingers straight (or even slightly hyperextended at the split joint) each night and it prevents the skin from regrowing 'short' then re-splitting when stretched.

Anyone other that Jonathon Seigrist actually tried this?

[WillRobertson]

An interesting tip for this that I heard on a Trainingbeta podcast recently, not needed to try it yet:
Splint the split fingers straight (or even slightly hyperextended at the split joint) each night and it prevents the skin from regrowing 'short' then re-splitting when stretched.

Anyone other that Jonathon Seigrist actually tried this?

Interesting idea, sounds logical. Not sure I'm suffering enough to try it yet though!

[standard]

An interesting tip for this that I heard on a Trainingbeta podcast recently, not needed to try it yet:
Splint the split fingers straight (or even slightly hyperextended at the split joint) each night and it prevents the skin from regrowing 'short' then re-splitting when stretched.

Anyone other that Jonathon Seigrist actually tried this?

Just hijacking the thread to congratulate (commiserate) you on spending over an hour listening to Neely and "J-Star". You utter masochist.

[SA Chris]

An interesting tip for this that I heard on a Trainingbeta podcast recently, not needed to try it yet:
Splint the split fingers straight (or even slightly hyperextended at the split joint) each night and it prevents the skin from regrowing 'short' then re-splitting when stretched.

Anyone other that Jonathon Seigrist actually tried this?

I'd rather get a good night sleep thanks. Plus how do you splint both hands, like trying to nail yourself to a cross.

[andy_e]

Happened upon this thread whilst looking for tips and solutions to the joint split I'm currently sporting, first proper deep one in 16 years! Some decent advice on here to try out, thanks.

1. Palmers cocoa butter moisturiser, seems to work better than other alternatives of a similar price

Hmmm, is this an impartial recommendation or is there a familial link?

[tomtom]

Lagers tip has worked super well for me.

Heel balm. Any brand (they do some in LidlAldi) but make sure it has Urea in it - thats the magic ingredient. I've dabbed a bit on the split and covered with a plaster overnight - and over a couple of days it seems to help it heal really fast.