Blisters - leave 'em / pop 'em / superglue ?

stoo · #1 09-25-2007, 10:53 AM

After more or less abandoning my Les Paul and the rock/metal type stuff I used to listen to and play nearly 10 years ago, I've found that CD Players and turntables haven't really helped maintain the hard skin on my fingers. Recently picked up a OLP MM32 and an unhealthy obsession with slappin' and poppin, and am getting a bit frustrated with the blisters that keep forming.

I'm only messing around at home, not gigging or anything, so resting up for a while as they heal isn't a huge problem... but I'd like to try and develop the tougher skin as soon as possible, obviously.

The first one I instinctively chewed through (man that blister juice really doesn't taste good at all

) and it's healed up OK.

Then I got a matching pair on my 1st and 3rd fingers, and tried out a little experiment - popped and drained one, and left the other untouched.

The one that I left alone healed much faster than the one I popped. The other one's still not quite ready for playing on comfortably again, so I'm not sure how they'll compare in terms of resisting future blisters, but it made me wonder... on here so many people seem to recommend lancing and draining blisters, and/or filling or coating with superglue....

Is there any reason that this is so often recommended to be the best approach? Is it just that it's the quickest way to get your fingers back into an "OK to play" state for most folks, or does a popped blister definitely heal harder than a non-popped one.

Anyone else tried both ways to compare how they heal?

Traver · #2 09-25-2007, 01:08 PM

Well, I've personally found that "popping" (or biting them off) them sets you back quite a few steps, because it removes a layer of skin, and you get to the more tender skin underneath. Whereas whenever I left them alone, they quickly turned into hardened skin.

Phalex · #3 09-25-2007, 01:16 PM

Leave em.

If it's an E-mergency type situation, superglue may be the way to go, but they heal quicker if you just leave them alone.

elpelotero · #4 09-25-2007, 01:56 PM

pop 'em with a sterilized needle, but don't remove any skin. Just poke it a couple of times until the liquid comes out and then squeeze out any remaining liquid.

I did this a couple of days ago and I was playing the next night with no problem.

mothmonsterman · #5 09-25-2007, 01:58 PM

leave it alone your body with absorb the liquid and you will be left with a stronger callous capable snagging the tastiest meat products off the BBQ.

mdrummer5 · #6 09-26-2007, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elpelotero

pop 'em with a sterilized needle, but don't remove any skin. Just poke it a couple of times until the liquid comes out and then squeeze out any remaining liquid.

I did this a couple of days ago and I was playing the next night with no problem.

This is disgusting....but very true. I've not developed any blisters playing bass because I play almost every day now. But I go days sometimes without playing drums and will develope blisters usually on middle portion of my middle fingers and this is always the easiest solution. To add to that if you need an immediate fix you can cover it in superglue after the fact...again disgusting and probably not sanitary but it works.

Rick_no7 · #7 09-26-2007, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elpelotero

pop 'em with a sterilized needle, but don't remove any skin. Just poke it a couple of times until the liquid comes out and then squeeze out any remaining liquid.

I did this a couple of days ago and I was playing the next night with no problem.

I do this. The sterilized is the most important part of the advice though lol.

The other way, leaving them, just seems to prolong it for me. I eventually burst them on accident, or get impatient and pop it anyway. I'd rather get it out of the way and move on.

popinfresh · #8 09-26-2007, 05:19 AM

I also find superglue does nothing at all..

If they're there and painful, you'll feel it whether it's got some glue on top or not. Best thing when playing live is to get into the music and in the 'zone' cos you won't feel any pain then till you stop playing!

chicagodoubler · #9 09-29-2007, 04:32 PM

Pop it and drain as soon as it fills up with clear liquid. DO NOT remove the layer of skin unless it's flapping around. The secret is to pop close to your fingernail, so the whole you created doesn't snag on the string.

If you leave the liquid in there it's softening the underneath layer, and impeding your next callous. Simple anatomy.

After it's drained and cleaned, apply several layers of newskin. You'll be able to play the gig the same night, no problems.

22pauld22 · #10 09-30-2007, 05:10 AM

the old double bass dudes would rub metholated spirits on the tips of their fingers to keep them really dry and hard ..

its pretty hard core also but keeps the skin on the end of your fingers really dead .. I tried this for a while and my calouses actually got too hard and I coudln't feel what I needed too .. so don't over do it if you try it

chicagodoubler · #11 09-30-2007, 10:48 PM

If you just practice consistently, you won't get them anymore. But then where's the fun of spraying your drummer with the pus from your blister?

True story. Bassists 1, Drummers 0.

Rattman · #12 09-30-2007, 11:48 PM

I'd have to say.. stay away from slappin' and poppin'.. it really dosen't sound that good anyway. I've clearly found that really seasoned guys that have been playing for years and making money in live music, rarely resort to slappin'. (specifically: electric bass )

If you can very gently poke a tiny hole in one edge of the blister, drain it and cover with a bandaid, you will indeed get a new callus started there.. definitely don't remove the skin... just cover it well.

GreyBeard · #13 09-30-2007, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mothmonsterman

leave it alone your body with absorb the liquid and you will be left with a stronger callous capable snagging the tastiest meat products off the BBQ.

+1

Lorenzini · #14 09-30-2007, 11:55 PM

Weird. I guess I'm lucky. I actually have pretty soft skin/hands but have never gotten a blister playing bass. This thread really helped me understand how to handle my next blister though

stoo · #15 10-01-2007, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattman

I'd have to say.. stay away from slappin' and poppin'.. it really dosen't sound that good anyway.

Well... your ears are very different to my ears then, cos it sounds good to me.

Quote:

I've clearly found that really seasoned guys that have been playing for years and making money in live music, rarely resort to slappin'. (specifically: electric bass )

Are they making as much as the likes of Flea or Les Claypool? Maybe they should expand their repertoire a bit.

Can't argue that there's no need to overdo the slap thing, but to completely overlook an evidently popular technique or sound, and to advise others to do the same just because you're not keen on it.... what gives, fella?

bakeronbass · #16 10-01-2007, 11:23 AM

My two cents is dont pop them leave them. Turn up your amp so that you start to develop a lighter touch and muting techniques. Not that you dont, its just advice that helped me. Dont wait till its completely healed to play again. Once you have hard callouses dont let them get dry and split open. What I do when I see that its dry is rub it on the side of your oily nose. Works f in great for me.

Mikeus · #17 10-04-2007, 01:03 PM

hahaha!!! i just have had this same problem for the first time EVER!!! in the last few days. i changed the way i finger the strings and this happens lol! but yeah, i popped mine. my reason being that the new skin underneath would harden and begin to form a callous. ive had to use a pick last few times but then i just thought...play the pain away!

trtrzenified · #18 10-05-2007, 05:14 AM

Sometimes i got abit of tiny bleeding, but rarely blister. It hurt sometimes though, espeically when i double pop. I wonder whether there is anyway to play pop without the pain?

chicagodoubler · #19 10-07-2007, 05:09 AM

once again.

anatomy 101.

the purpose of the pus is to soften the skin below.

pop it and drain it, apply newskin. the pus will only make your next recovery time longer.

secret road lessons of professional touring musicians, volume 1.

capnsandwich · #20 10-07-2007, 05:34 AM

I've dealt with blisters quite a bit, especially in the Marines where I had a very physical job. I've learned that you need to take a STERILIZED needle and pop the blister from the side, right next to the unaffected skin, drain it out, and then soak it in some hydrogen peroxide. After that, put neosporin on it and wrap it up. Repeat this, the neosporin part, 2-3 times a day. If you absolutely need to, you can put super glue on it but as soon as you're done, wash it with peroxide and wrap it up with neosporin.

Superglue is perfectly fine to use, especially since it was first developed by the government for military use. Notice how quickly it sticks to skin and hardens. That's to quickly close up wounds on the battlefield so it's completely safe to use on open wounds.