Fingers hurting... best way to heal

Several good threads on callouses and blisters. Just do a SEARCH, all things will become real.



Mike

 

I'd suggest playing softer, much softer. Also, dont "work at" getting calluses it merely makes the problem worse and in many cases it doesnt help your playing. Another thing you might do is switch to groundwound or flatwound strings which would be less abrasive. Switching away from stainless steel strings could help also.

Dont pop blisters, let them heal the way they will, the natural way.

The best way to heal is rest. Stop playing as much, or at all for a day or two. Creams on your fingers likely wont help this problem at all, as it would probably add moisture to your skin making them more sensitive and less resiliant to scratches/pressure as if your skin was drier.

 

If you can change your technique, play with a softer touch and let the amp do more of the work.

Also, perhaps it's better to practice more often than once a week, and for shorter periods of time, that way you might build some calluses without blisters.

 

I agree with Anders that practicing is the key. There isn't anything that's going to heal your fingers for work the next day. I find that when I haven't gigged in awhile, my fingertips can get pretty angry after the third set. They can hurt like heck for about the first song or two of the fourth set, but the pain subsides after that until I stop playing again. You might find that you can carry on after you get past the initial pain - the blistered finger notwithstanding...

Blisters are bad news for me - do a search on that subject, as previously suggested...

 

I'd play with a pick if they hurt too much to pluck. Let them heal before you play with your fingers again.

 

Don't let them heal, keep on playing. In a week or two after constant playing, you won't have the problem again, as long as you keep playing a lot.

It's almost like building up your resistance to a poison.

But seriously, the best way to heal is just time. It only takes a couple days for me for the "rawness" to go away.

-T

 

when my finger tips get angry, and I "have" to play the next day, I'll usually use moleskin over the finger tips w/ a little medical tape wrapped around it to enure the moleskin stays on. The mole skin will take the friction and heat away from your finger tips.
I don't recommend this as a substitute for repetative practice but it works in a pinch.

Just last week my band gigged on thursday (3hrs), then a friday night (3 more hours) then on sunday I sat in for a house band on open mike and played another 4 hrs. My fingers hated me, but i did the moleskin trick and it saved me from getting any blisters and kept the pinkness down to a minimum.
frank

 

Cool! Very good idea to get decent at pickstyle and fingerstyle.

 

When my fingers hurt, I usually resort to a different way of playing, I have been practicing alot lately, 4 hours a day for the past week and a half getting ready for a gig, and my fingers have been getting rather sore, I just switch over to pick, or if I can play some parts slap I will. Last night I accidentally picked up an open container of super glue and before I knew it I had it on my fingers, all my tips, and I had to play today. Took a bit to get used too but it was like a barrier between my fingers and the strings, kinda weird, but no hurting today. Anywho
peace
-Ben

 

I say just play through it and get used to it. That's what I generally do and I never get blisters, and only soreness very occasionally.