Weird question. But I gotta know...

[Joe Nerve]

@Joe Nerve ....I feel for you, man.
I commented way upthread about Bag Balm for dried, splitting skin, but let me ask...have you tried super glue?
Cyanoacrylate glue was invented (during the Vietnam war) to close surgical incisions quickly.
That fingertip split is constantly moving, opening and closing with every movement of your finger or hand. That makes it really hard to heal without a mechanical closure (suture).
A dab of glue may help immobilize it enough to promote healing.
It'll sting some, at first, but subsequent applications won't. You can build it up layer by layer if you find you're wearing it away. I've used this method on cuts on my fingers, but they were injuries, not due to dried or splitting skin.
Disregard if you've already tried this.

Best wishes and keep playing.

Thanks. And yes. I went that route the last time a battled with this and though it worked for gigs, in the end it wound up making it worse.

I used liquid bandage too.

Even tried using one on time of the other.

 

[Gluvhand]

I found Liquid Skin worked but it needed to be applied in a lot of thin layers that were allowed to dry properly before the next layer was added.

 

[totalnoob]

@Joe Nerve ....I feel for you, man.
I commented way upthread about Bag Balm for dried, splitting skin, but let me ask...have you tried super glue?
Cyanoacrylate glue was invented (during the Vietnam war) to close surgical incisions quickly.
That fingertip split is constantly moving, opening and closing with every movement of your finger or hand. That makes it really hard to heal without a mechanical closure (suture).
A dab of glue may help immobilize it enough to promote healing.
It'll sting some, at first, but subsequent applications won't. You can build it up layer by layer if you find you're wearing it away. I've used this method on cuts on my fingers, but they were injuries, not due to dried or splitting skin.
Disregard if you've already tried this.

Best wishes and keep playing.

This is a good tip. Just clean the wound with plenty of lukewarm water, let it dry and then use the CA glue. Sometimes the first application of hardened glue will drop off relatively easily, but at the same time it'll clean the area and the next CA glue you apply will stay there for a very long time.

Thanks. And yes. I went that route the last time a battled with this and though it worked for gigs, in the end it wound up making it worse.

I used liquid bandage too.

Even tried using one on time of the other.

Ah yes, this won't survive a gig. If that's what you hoped, then I have bad news: there is no way around it, you must let it heal before subjecting your fingertip to that kind of stress.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Since someone brought this back to life by "liking" my original post...

I pretty much lost my battle last year. I learned to play by wrapping my fingers very artfully and carefully with this...

It worked, but it took work. I had to cut 3 strips - 2 about 3" X 3/4" and another thinner one to cover the tip. I'd wrap one around the cut part of my finger tip, the thinner one vertically against the front of the tip, and then wrap the 3rd around it all making sure it stayed secure. With practice, it got to where it was hardly even noticable, but I much prefer NOT having to do that.

This year's update: The summer healed my fingers. I decided to NOT go near any dishwashing liquid or cleaning products, wear gloves when I had to do any of that, and limit my hand washing to only when really necessary. Did that with my right hand only though, and erueka , the problem returned on my left fingers. FINALLY threw the towel in and went to a dermatologist, duh!

He gave me Triamcinolone Acetonide Ointment.

It works.

Only problem is I have to use it for at least 5 days straight, and keep it covered at least half that time.

That's the best I've got!

So I thought I'd share it.

 

[wiscoaster]

I don't know if you've tried O'Keefe's but it really works for me to help avoid the winter finger-tip skin cracking. You just have to use it religiously a couple times a day, but you don't have to do the gloves or covering-up things.

 

[Aledal]

Firstly, this thread has been so useful over the past winter where I’ve had to deal with cracks on my fingertips too many times. Many thank yous to all.

Secondly, some folks earlier in the thread talked about climbers and them also having problems with cracked hands etc. I took a punt on a $20 ‘non greasy’ hand cream marketed at/made for climbers and it’s been the best $20 I’ve spent for a long time. Amazing stuff. Strong recommend even if it is expensive. It’s called ‘climb skin’