[Nibile]

as some of you gentlemen may have read on my blog -and if you haven't stick to the program and read it-, i'm having skin problems in the gym. I can't tell on the rock, because i have climbed outdoor only once or twice in a month.
i'm climbing an average of four-five times in the gym each week, and now after just a few problems or excercises my tips begin to be red, hot, and to release some water. when on a problem, after a few moves i already have no chalk at all, i grease off from slopers, and again my tips appear red and are very hot.
so, could it be a reaction to plastic and alot of chalk? would it be a good solution to use hydrating hands cream? i'm tempted to apply some drying cream for climbing, but i don't think it would be a good idea, es. in the long term.
thanks.

[account_inactive]

[Nibile]

really?
won't it be worse in the long term?

[account_inactive]

As long as you don't develop splits it's amazing for adding skin.  I have terrible wet skin so this stuff is a God send............though friends with already dry hands think it's a curse.

I always thought of your hands as kinda clammy Nibs 

[mian0503]

Hi Nibile!

Don't touch the antihydral if u have problems with the skin...it will get worse, believe me. I used to use antihydral for a while, but it made my bad skin worse...

My personal advice would be to try out different types of chalk. I've had problems with BD chalk. It made my hands sore and red..switched to other brands on the market..at the moment metolius.

It doesn't stick as good as BD i think, but i make my hands feel a lot better. Stop using liquid chalk if u do. I also use moisturizing cream immediately after climb.

Could the difference in chalk-"reactions" be caused by different drying agents??   

[dave]

personally i'd be extremely wary of using antihydral as anything but a last resort remedy for very bad skin where you still have to climb (font trips) etc. i know people say that it helps sweaty skin, but the primary function is to harden the tips, so if you don't realy need this then don't use it. climbing indoor won't wear away enough skin, so if you started to use it regularly you'd get a hard dessicated outer layer that would be prone to splitting and flappers.

you'd just be better off trying different chalk, liquid chalk, toughening your tips with regular sanding etc. There is also a product called anhydrol (not antihydral) which is used by people with chronic debilitating sweat problems. i've not used it but have heard that a small amount totally stops sweating for days - maybe this is the future? get it now before it starts being imported with a 350% markup.

[GCW]

Is this the same redness and moisture you get with thinned skin?  It sounds like it to me.
if so I'd be wary of using antihydral as a first line.

[nik at work]

It sounds to me like thin skin which isn't been given a chance to recover due your intense climbing schedule. Maybe take a day or two off to let you skin thicken then get back to the beastiness?
Avoid all moisturisers/antihydral etc IMHO.

[Nibile]

yes, it's definitely something along with very very thin skin. the other night i got a mini hole in the tip just from sliding off from a sloper.
i have to say that i had a few bags of bd chalk, yesterday i used again the metolius one and the session went better.
probably i also have to take longer rests between attempts on problems.
thanks for now, will report later after tonight session, as the "few days off" option is definitely not going to be!!!

[Nibile]

I always thought of your hands as kinda clammy Nibs 

that's just after i put brillantina on my hair and moustache!!!
 

[Richie Crouch]

I recall something about weeing on your hands to be an old wives tale kind of cure, although I haven't yet felt the need to test it 

[GCW]

Yeah, that's similar to using Surgical Spirit to harden skin.
I probably would avoid these ideas, Nibs

[account_inactive]

I wasn't recomending putting Antihydral on fucked skin, more of a case of putting it on normal skin to prevent fucked skin.

I've stopped using chalk with drying agents as I've started to put cracks in my skin.  Something I never used to get before antihydral.  I think it must have altered the skin permanently.  This is a good thing as I can now climb multiple days on grit like never before.  The only problem is the deep splits, but I think a change of chalk will do the trick

[account_inactive]

Just checked out that Anhydrol and it contains Aluminium chloride..........Alzheimer's anyone?

[dave]

personally i find having tough hard skin utterly crap for grit. theres nothing like warming up and then catching a rogue crystal badly and slashing your tip open on the first problem of the day, i had countless days climbing ruined because of this.

I also stopped using metolius superchalk for this very reason - by far the single best thing i ever did to help my skin.

[cowboyhat]

I think superchalk has got worse, (or better), anyway I've never had skin problems but it dries my hands too much causing cracking.

[cowboyhat]

Which is useless fact and not advice.

Climbing a similar amount to you Nibs indoors / outdoors as I'm often stuck in London, I had similar problems develop and ironically I think they were caused by over chalking in the first place, with superchalk.

Training you often chalk up far too much, between a deadhang or a campus set, or trying one move or less. Cut down on the amount you chalk and let your fingers will stop trying over compensate, plus they'll wear better.

Chalking less worked for me anyway.

[Jim]

Its a good point about superchalk being too good and probably overchalking, I chalk up when I'm spotting ffs.
The problem with other brands of chalk is that they are shit, you don't get anywhere near the friction you do off superchalk.
I love the stuff

[webbo]

i get this as well.i think its due to not be able to cool down.i find that if you get hot outside there is usually a breeze which will cool your hands down.indoors due to lack of breeze its hard to cool them even if its not hot at the wall.
i'm reliable in formed that one mr weford dangles his hands out of the window when at the works. 

[Nibile]

yes, i think this also.
the other day i went early in the afternoon, with alot less people in the gym, and i had a session with long rests because there was no hurry, and noticed the difference.
i also think that i won't be using chalk when systemboarding maybe, just for climbing.
anyway it seems that from january we will have to rely just on liquid chalk due to some strange law from the health office.

[SA Chris]

anyway it seems that from january we will have to rely just on liquid chalk due to some strange law from the health office.

Why? Sounds odd.

I love that superchalk shizz, and have started getting into the habit of carrying less chalk in my wall chalkbag (just a sprinkle in the bottom).

[Nibile]

i think it's to avoid breathing chalk.
bear in mind many top italian gyms (and for sure the one i train at) are shit compared to uk ones: no fans, no air conditioning, and obviously no extractors...
but for 45 euros a month you can't ask not to breathe chalk or to pull on clean holds...