[EmilyJoy]

I've been climbing since around the summer but pretty much all indoors, now I'm starting to venture out onto the grit but I'm having problems with my skin. Skin was so thin on every fingertip they were all bleeding after only a couple of problems. Was just wondering if anyone had any tips for helping toughen it up? Doing the obvious trying not to let my hands get soaked too often and avoiding creams etc, or will it just be an inevitable slog of initial pain, blood and finger tape until my hands embrace the grit?

[Moo]

Hi Emily, it sounds obvious but your best bet when you first start climbing outside is to avoid going through your skin like wild fire. It'll toughen up pretty quick if you do a little and often, moisturise and give it time to grow back properly between sessions.

[SA Chris]

There have been skin related threads on here before have a look. Some non obvious things might be getting used to using your feet better ,avoiding slappy problems, not, thrashing yourself on problems that are too hard for you and as moo says stopping before there's blood.

[Fiend]

Only climb grit when it's -10'c to 0'c to avoid slipping off problems due to poor sweaty conditions 

[mrjonathanr]

Use some balm but it'll take longer to get good skin if you trash it first. Sounds like you might want to have shorter sessions/avoid especially rough holds till you've built up better skin.

Any tears and edges of skin(once healed-not open cuts!) should be sandpapered (fine grain) smooth. It'll promote healing.

[shark]

Hi Emily and welcome to UKB

Three things I recommend and do:

1. Sandpaper your actual tips little and often (ideally daily). This might sound counterproductive but it encourages tough skin growth
2. Experiment with antihydral cream (available under the counter at the Works and sometimes on ebay) which thickens the skin and prevents sweating. Good article here. Use very sparingly and with caution as some (Dylan and Dobbin) have had bad experiences.
3. Moisturise as mentioned above. Lots of products work well but maybe try ClimbOn cream (better than the bar) to start with.   

[krymson]

So this advice is gonna sound odd but i swear it works

If your skin is shredded and dry and you dont have a climbing balm handy, try this:

-First, wash your hands so they're clean
-then rub your tips over the sides of your nose or forehead -- wherever you tend to have oily skin.

This excess oil is bad for your face but perfect for your hands. It moisturizes without softening your skin(yes some commercial moisturizers have skin softeners)

Disclaimer: works better if you have oily skin.

[mrjonathanr]

Also you can chop garlic and rub it over your skin.  It's loaded with vit E and will thicken the skin (it works).

You may want to wash your hands after 10 mins.

[lmarenzi]

Keeps vampires away too. Honest, I have never been attacked by one after cutting up garlic or even eating it.

Sample of one and all that.

[SA Chris]

me neither if that helps.