Split skin on left thumb
 

I know this might sound trivial, but when I play more frequently, eg. more than one hour a day, I end up getting sore splits at the end of my left thumb above the nail. I've had three deep splits on one occasion, and they often don't really heal, they just become an annoyance. Does anybody get these and how do they prevent reoccurrence, because its obviously related to playing.

Ouch! Tip: my wife suffers splitting skin on one finger tip at a seasonal harvest job she takes on. I have saved her by pre-treating it with super glue: coat the tip of the finger before it happens and it doesn't happen. Plus, if she forgets, glueing it after protects, stops the pain caused, and heals it quickly even though she continues working. .

Liquid Skin or Liquid Bandage. Similar to super glue but also contains an antiseptic. Works very well.

That's food for thought. I don't know about superglue, but maybe the glue that hospitals now use instead of stitches might do the trick. Now it's a matter of getting some! Or is it just superglue wrapped up as a medical thing that hospitals use?

I'll look on eBay for liquid skin/ bandage. Thanks guys!

Super glue actually works just fine for that. A lot of hospitals and the military use it as an alternative to stitches- they may have a slightly different formulation, but I've been told by reputable bass players that ordinary superglue works fine.

Hospital glue is superglue. CA: cyano acrylic. Spray on bandage will wear off quickly. With CA it will last the evening. Most will come off when you bathe: you can peel it gently off then in tiny bits.

Just bought some Germaline liquid bandage on Amazon for £5. If that works its staying in my gig bag alongside spare strings, tuner etc. just have to put up with splits for a couple more days! I can't believe I've put up with this for years, but sorted it out in minutes!

I have a similar problem on my right hand during the colder months. I moisturize aggressively throughout the day and drink plenty of water. My fingers still split, but less frequently. When they do split, I'm careful to leave them alone so that they don't get any worse.

I heard a story about Flea once. He used to slap with his right thumb so much that he would take a huge chunk out of it. He would just fill the hole with rubber cement before a show and go to work.

That was superglue's original application. The military started using it in 1966 to stop GIs who got shot up in the field from bleeding out before they could be brought to a medical facility.

Applying plain white adhesive tape over the splits, or cracks works well for me. Cover the splits completely, and then wrap a piece around the thumb nail, keeping any air from getting to it. It may take several days, and I know it may be an inconvenience, but hopefully it will work for you.


John

I glue everything. I glued my dog's tail to a rolling chair just now. Super glue is awesome.

+1

And make sure you clip, not pull off, hangnails. ( I once pulled one that ripped all the way to my elbow :D )

But seriously, It only gets worse if you are of a certain age. Aging skin lacks natural oil and progressively loses elasticity, particularly at the cuticle ends of the fingernails where the nail meets the skin.

Thats freaking hysterical! I made the mistake last week, being lazy to go to the bathroom.