Split Finger Tips

[nofrets5]

Not sure just WHERE this should go, but wanted to offer a tip to other bassists who have this problem especially in the cold winter months.

Every year when the weather gets cold, inevitably, my finger tips will start to get sore and eventually one of two of them will split/crack, which is very painful to catch a hefty bass string in.

Super glue to the rescue, until I mentioned this to health food store clerk who suggested Flaxseed Oil capsules, as this is something you have to treat from the inside (not just hand lotion) as well.

So, a couple 1000mg capsules a day, no split finger tips. May be just luck but I've done this for about 5 years now when the fall goes cold and have little problem, plus I believe flaxseed in also an anti-oxident so it may have other benefits as well.

[scottbass]

I've never had the problem, but my wife does - and she doesn't even play stringed instruments!

She uses some kinda glue stuff made especially for fingertips; maybe it's called tuff skin or nu skin or something like that? All I know is it smells like fake banana - you know, like banana bubble gum or banana Runts.

It sounds like you've found something that works well for you.

[Phalex]

I deal with split fingertips every winter. My hands get so dry the knuckles on my right hand bleed when I play. I'm going to try your flaxseed oil tip!

[nofrets5]

Cool, glad this might benefit a couple others; should also mention the "other" half of the "exterior" winter ritual : Gold Bond Ultimate Healing lotion, expensive but I keep using it as it's good stuff. I skip my callouses every other application so I don't overly soften them, but help them not to split either.

Rituals !

[hunta]

My dad has a problem with cracking fingers/hands that he attributes to years of immersing his hands in darkroom chemicals at work. Somehow he found a fix by cutting citric acid from his diet. It seem to work for him, but I'm not sure why. A chemist at an old job told me how exposure to chemicals can cause defatting of the tissue in your hands. If you're messing with chemicals of any kind (darkroom, household cleaning products, etc) please wear gloves (and for that matter, goggles, a mask, protect yourself!!!). The effects they have on your hands or other parts of your body may not be apparent for years, and by that point you may have no clue what caused the problem.

I used to tear the crap out of my hands playing and always had a tube of superglue in my case. It's a quick fix, I really don't think it's healthy to put superglue on your hands on a regular basis.

[Phrogie]

I work in the printing industry, so dry hands/cracking skin on the hands is a huge problem (paper soaks up all kinds of moisture in a nasty way) all year long, tho in the winter it's a lot worse.

On top of that, I've only been playing maybe a year or so... the calluses are trying to re-develop (I played cello about a zillion years ago, so had them on my left hand fingers at one point)... but the constant wounds aren't helping, since they aren't being given a chance to heal properly.

I'm going to give that flaxseed oil hint a try, 'cause lotion by itself just ain't doing it. In the meantime, liquid bandages on my fingers help until they heal.

Thanks for the tip!

[peterpiper]

I used to have 4 or 5 very painful splits until a started taking VITAMIN C, at 1000 mg per day. Cleared up in 2 weeks. I think of it as scurvy of the fingertips.

[Eyesee7]

I also take a good amount of healthy oils like olive, cod liver, flax, etc. but I found that the only thing that cured my winter cracked-finger problem was increasing my water intake. It's easy to fall into the habit of drinking less water than you do during the hot days of summer, but that lack of water can cause dehydration. Think of how dry your house can get during the winter, and you have to put a humidifier inside your guitar case..