Any Suggestions for taking care of monster blisters?

PlattsADA · #1 01-19-2004, 12:09 AM

I just got done with an intesive two day all-day improv masterclass series taught at my college.

I played with a combo that the faculty put together for two days, from 9:30- 6:00 two days in a row, and I hadn't practiced pizz much over the past few weeks. The end result is a massive blister on my index finger that covers the entire tip of my finger.

I'm really pissed about this becuase with this blister, along with it goes the callous that I had built up before.

Any suggestions on how to keep it together and keep the skin from falling of?

Thanks!

Asher

**Damon Rondeau** · #2 01-19-2004, 06:35 AM

PlattsADA, you gotta pop that blister. Drain the fluid (you'll probably need to drain more than once) and start using the thing again. If it hurts too much, use a bit of CA glue to toughen up the finger. The old skin will come off eventually and you'll have nice fresh stuff underneath. You'd think that fresh stuff would hurt a bunch to break in, but it doesn't. In my experience, it gets hard right away (I'M TALKING ABOUT THE EX-BLISTER -- GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE GUTTER.)

Some guys worry a lot about infection, etc. Again, in my experience, I haven't even come close to that sort of trouble. I don't use rusty needles or anything, but I'm not particularly careful about that.

Get back on the pony and ride.

Paul Warburton · #3 01-19-2004, 07:26 AM

Yep, no tricks or short cuts on this one.
Back in my day........
No i won't do that, but really, i've had some beauts. When that big one gets too bad you have to just move to another finger. It WILL (probably) get so bad that you'll just have to take a little time off. Keep all that meat trimmed and emery boarded down so as little of the rough edges get caught on the strings tearing them.
Platts, now we'll see what kind of man you really are!!

PlattsADA · #4 01-19-2004, 10:47 AM

Well I kept playing on it for teh whole period, draining it and everyting... it kept filling up and eventually burst and spoogied all over my bass...

No blood or anything though... so should I remove the skin that was once my callous and hope that the new meat hardens? It's split right down the middle now, so I don't think there is much saving it anymore.

I started paring it up with my middle finger, and playing past the pain, and by the time it came to take a solo, I wasn't even thinking about it anymore and could play normally. I got a little bit of a burn looking thing on my middle finger but I looked at it today, and aside from being sore, it's allready hardening up.

So yeah, just clip off the excess skin now and hope for the best?

Paul Warburton · #5 01-19-2004, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PlattsADA

playing past the pain, and by the time it came to take a solo, I wasn't even thinking about it anymore and could play normally.

Yeah, I remember it's better to go out and play in a live situation with good players who mean business...that way, you're having so much fun, you're playing past the pain and building chops at the same time! You can't rely on just practicing alone for this, because you'll just end up in a corner whimpering!!