I must be doing something really wrong...the skin on my fingers has cracked.

Fassa Albrecht · #1 03-02-2009, 12:11 AM

Dont know how to explain this but recently I've been REALLY giving the bass some rip, playing a good couple of hours a day.

The only problem- all the skin on the ends of my plucking fingers has cracked and broken to the point where it's becoming painful to play, like I've got a thousand papercuts all over my hands.

I've never had this happen before and so I'm unsure as to what is causing the problem and what I should do.

Any ideas?

Rudreax · #2 03-02-2009, 12:18 AM

If it hurts, stop. Plain and simple.

jordie65 · #3 03-02-2009, 12:23 AM

a couple of hours a day?!?!?!

but seriously just wait the callouses will build up and soon your fingers will be fine

Fassa Albrecht · #4 03-02-2009, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jordie65

a couple of hours a day?!?!?!

but seriously just wait the callouses will build up and soon your fingers will be fine

Haven't had anything approaching callouses in all the time I've been playing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudreax

If it hurts, stop. Plain and simple.

Problem- I need to play.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Have you tried vomiting on them?

Rudreax · #5 03-02-2009, 12:31 AM

If you truly have to constantly play, either suck it up and play through the pain or find another way to play. This could be a chance to try out playing with a pick. Or, you could use whatever fingers you aren't already using to play. OR, you could just focus on your left hand now!

Always make the negative a positive, you know? Also, while you're at it get your fingers checked out.

dannster · #6 03-02-2009, 12:31 AM

super glue in the interim.
a good full spectrum B complex vitamin supplement in the long term.

Fassa Albrecht · #7 03-02-2009, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudreax

If you truly have to constantly play, either suck it up and play through the pain or find another way to play. This could be a chance to try out playing with a pick. Or, you could use whatever fingers you aren't already using to play. OR, you could just focus on your left hand now!

Always make the negative a positive, you know? Also, while you're at it get your fingers checked out.

What concerns me most is not that it's happening but that it's come on so quickly when I've done more playing than this and had no bother.

But I think I'll try some pick-playing...

Fassa Albrecht · #8 03-02-2009, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannster

super glue in the interim.
a good full spectrum B complex vitamin supplement in the long term.

Good thinking...

jordie65 · #9 03-02-2009, 12:37 AM

another thing. dont play when your hands have recently been wet, what i mean is for example you may dry your hands after a shower but the skin is still soft. soft skin and wound metal strings isnt a good mix

Fassa Albrecht · #10 03-02-2009, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jordie65

another thing. dont play when your hands have recently been wet, what i mean is for example you may dry your hands after a shower but the skin is still soft. soft skin and wound metal strings isnt a good mix

Could cold temperatures be affecting my fingers? I know I've had cuts on my fingers during cold weather so I'm thinking it's something to do with that.

MakiSupaStar · #11 03-02-2009, 12:42 AM

No pics. No cracked fingers.

Fassa Albrecht · #12 03-02-2009, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MakiSupaStar

No pics. No cracked fingers.

I'm not posting pictures at 8am when I've had no sleep and so am like a zombie.

Implosion · #13 03-02-2009, 12:48 AM

Cold weather? In England? Seriously?

jordie65 · #14 03-02-2009, 12:50 AM

an unusual cold snap i heard

EagleMoon · #15 03-02-2009, 12:56 AM

What next?

jordie65 · #16 03-02-2009, 12:58 AM

a heat wave across africa

MakiSupaStar · #17 03-02-2009, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

I'm not posting pictures at 8am when I've had no sleep and so am like a zombie.

I said pics of your fingers, not of you. What does the amount of sleep have to do with your cracked fingers?

Implosion · #18 03-02-2009, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Implosion

Cold weather? In England? Seriously?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jordie65

an unusual cold snap i heard

I don't if you were being sarcastic, but I sure was. England !=cold. I don't care even if it has snowed there for the first time in decades.

Mikio · #19 03-02-2009, 01:11 AM

cut those blisters and let them dry and heal, then start playing again x)

Projectile · #20 03-02-2009, 01:18 AM

Weird. I've never had anything like that happen to my fingers before. What does your diet look like? Are you eating your fruits and veggies? I used to have some nasty skin problems like psoriasis before I started eating healthy.

My advice would just be to play with a pick until your fingers heal. Learning how to use a pick well is a good skill to have anyway. If you have a gig and you simply MUST use your fingers, then you can coat the tips with superglue to get you through the night. It will burn like hell when you first put it on, but it works.

EDIT: I just realized that I have had this happen before! It wasn't from playing bass, but from sharpening blades on a whetstone. Sometimes my my wet fingers would ride up against the grinding stone and wear away at the skin. I wouldn't even notice the pain until I would see blood in the water. It would leave the tip of my finger feeling like raw meat for days. It sucked horribly. If that's what's happening to your fingers then stop immediately. It's only going to get worse.

Let me guess, you are using stainless steal strings right? I don't know how people can play for hours on those things. They are like like sandpaper on my fingers; abrasive and gritty like a whetstone. I bet if you switch to nickle plated strings you won't have the problem again. Then, after you build up some calluses, you can switch back to SS strings if you prefer the tone.