[ducko]

Good day chaps.

 Im probing for skin knowledge, i have pretty shit skin, my fingertips seem to split easier than most my mates and rip off in chunkys on certain holds, i'm trying a problem at the mo that has small crimps (not sharp) on it and after not too many goes using some of these small holds im left with a split tip and tears in my eyes where as my friend who was with me seemed to have perfect skin still (we had roughly the same number of goes etc)

i know you can use antihydrol but i dont think its any good for when you're crimping?
does anyone have any advice on how to turn your finger tip skin into rhino's arse style hard stuff because splitting tips quickly really is no fun!

thanks.

[Dexter]

Do you let your skin heal back up fully after they split before trying more stuff? I am very guilty of splitting a finger, taping it for a week then getting pissed off and sacking off tape only to split it straight open again because it's not fully healed. The only solution there is to make sure you tape over the splits for longer than you think you need to allow it to fully heal up.

If that's not the case then hopefully someone else has a better idea than me

[dave]

if your skin is splitting a lot and ripping off chunks then it sound like it's more likely that it's too dry rather than too soft. I.e. using antihydral not to be recommended, you want to be sanding and using moisturiser.

[old cheese]

 I second the sanding and moisturising

[ducko]

after doing some reading online i thought that but even after days off i can see water droplets forming on my tips..
oive just currently done some sanding and going to moisturise now may as well do em all now i have a few days off

[Paul B]

What do you do for a living Ducko? I know others who wear gloves a lot (or who need to wash their hands a lot) for work seem to suffer.

If cracking is the issue I'd be very wary of AH. Basically, 'what Dave said'.

[ducko]

well its funny you say that my man, i have to wear gloves in work a fair bit, i had a feeling this might be a big issue though i do try dry my hands out after wearing them before climbing for at least a day.. i guess the damage is already done by that point?

[mrjonathanr]

I had a job where I had to wear several pairs of marigolds, taped on. On removal I could pour water out of them and my skin quickly developed serious cracks. My landlady advised Neutrogena. I carried on working 7 days a week and the cracks healed. Impressive stuff.

[Paul B]

well its funny you say that my man, i have to wear gloves in work a fair bit, i had a feeling this might be a big issue though i do try dry my hands out after wearing them before climbing for at least a day.. i guess the damage is already done by that point?

Sorry, I don't have a solution but I know other climbers with similar issues. Hopefully one or two lurk here and might be able to help.

[SA Chris]

well its funny you say that my man, i have to wear gloves in work a fair bit, i had a feeling this might be a big issue though i do try dry my hands out after wearing them before climbing for at least a day.. i guess the damage is already done by that point?

What type of gloves do you wear and why? Maybe get something thinner or more breathable so your hands aren't warm and damp all the time. Or rotate with a dry pair?

[ducko]

They're sealed because of the oil etc we come in contact with. I've not used them this week I've put barrier cream on and doing my best to avoid it, hopefully it'll seem a bit better after a week or two

[SA Chris]

Hmm, not ideal for cod skin.

I went from wearing gloves every day for 3 month and no climbing to Joshua Tree for a week. Was a bloodbath i tell thee.