Weird question. But I gotta know...

[Gluvhand]

My hands take a beating at my day job as an electrician. I wear gloves as much as possible but 100% of the time isn't. Dust, dry air, cold all play a factor. I find the lotion and cream solutions do work but not quickly enough for me. I put a nail file to the split and file away the dead skin around it. It promotes new skin growth pretty quickly. Once I get all the dead skin off I find the liquid skin adheres better and finds it's way into the split/crack better and the healing begins.

 

[franklindayala]

Do any of you have any thoughts or idea for strengthening your skin ? Allow me to explain.

I play lots and have been doing so for decades. Saying that because this isn't a lack of callous or experience issue. Its a skin issue.

A few years back, due to the cold winter weather (or heat inside), my skin began to crack. When it happened on my right pointer, my most used finger, it became a very bad situation. I taped it, crazy glued it, bandaided it, vitamin E'ed it, liquid bandaged it... and it didn't heal until the winter ended.

Well... its happening again. It split open 2 weeks ago. I got through a gig with a bandage, but it sucks doing that. My band fortunately has a few weeks off, and I really want to heal this thing up. I'm currently dousing it with Vaseline and wrapping it up, but the skin is still dry once I clean it up - and I know will crack right open within 15 minutes of solid playing.

My best solution thus far is practicing to play with my ring and middle finger, but wow! Try running through a few songs like that .

Any and all thoughts welcome. Thanks.

You could play with a pick during winter. Great bass players played with a pick...

 

[Ben Esparza]

An old Cuban conguero, that has now passed, once told me he was taught that congueros should soak their hands in urine (their own) to keep their skin conditioned for the heavy use of conga playing. He said it works. He also said you have to wash thoroughly after and rubbed glycerin on their hands to not undo what the soaking achieved. Just info; not advice. That information, along with $4, will get you a latte at Starbucks.

 

[Spupilup]

Get one of the aforementioned O'Keefe's plastic tubs for use around the house. Especially after you've washed your hands or feel any dryness. Get into the habit of applying it multiple times a day. Also, pick up a few of these O'Keefe tubes and stash them in your case, in your coat, in your car (that may not be an issue as I think you live in NYC) and anywhere else you may find yourself in need of a dollop of moisturizer.

I have to say, if you can stand the smell, Bag Balm and gloves before bed. I know, I know, it sounds both weird and awful but it works.

 

[Phaidrus]

@Joe Nerve
As per my skin doctor's advice: apply small quantity of 2% iodine solution twice a day (for a few days) to the affected area plus some moisturizing creme/ointment (for more than a few days). Let the iodine solution dry thoroughly before applying the moisturizing creme/ointment. Try keep affected finger as dry and warm as possible, which also means try not to wash it when washing your hands. It works every time, just be patient and diligent.

 

[BigBadBen67]

I also live in a cold climate and have nasty problems with dry skin. Honestly in the winter I just moisturize like a madman to stay ahead of it. Sometimes if it's really bad I'll slather something like Aveno all over my hands and then sleep in moisturizing gloves. It's a little dorky but helps.

Ben

 

[TinyE]

you could be like Tony Iomi and follow his solution. “I got a washing-up bottle — a plastic bottle — and melted it down into a ball. Then I got a hot soldering iron, would drill a hole out in it, and fit it over my fingers, so there was this big ball in my finger. I’d sit there for days just rubbing it down to make a shape of a finger.”

 

[logdrum]

Get a sheep, shear it and that lanolin in sheep wool will do wonders

If you work outside a humidifier is probably not going to help. That is why the moisturizer advice is important.

Drink water : 1/2 your weight in ounces. 160 lbs, 80 ounces. Beer is not water

 

[Fat Freddy]

Beer is not water

Tell that to the Coors Lite people..........

 

[Fishheadjoe]

I can't believe that nobody has mentioned Palmolive as of yet...
Fishheadjoe

 

[RichterScale]

I can't believe that nobody has mentioned Palmolive as of yet...
Fishheadjoe

I'm usually good for it
Weird question. But I gotta know...

 

[Fishheadjoe]

Doh!
Fishheadjoe

I'm usually good for it
Weird question. But I gotta know...

 

[Tom Kinter]

Do any of you have any thoughts or idea for strengthening your skin ? Allow me to explain.

I play lots and have been doing so for decades. Saying that because this isn't a lack of callous or experience issue. Its a skin issue.

A few years back, due to the cold winter weather (or heat inside), my skin began to crack. When it happened on my right pointer, my most used finger, it became a very bad situation. I taped it, crazy glued it, bandaided it, vitamin E'ed it, liquid bandaged it... and it didn't heal until the winter ended.

Well... its happening again. It split open 2 weeks ago. I got through a gig with a bandage, but it sucks doing that. My band fortunately has a few weeks off, and I really want to heal this thing up. I'm currently dousing it with Vaseline and wrapping it up, but the skin is still dry once I clean it up - and I know will crack right open within 15 minutes of solid playing.

My best solution thus far is practicing to play with my ring and middle finger, but wow! Try running through a few songs like that .

Any and all thoughts welcome. Thanks.

I'll confess to not having read all nine pages so I apologize if I repeat an idea. I did see several people recommend the Eucerin advanced repair product and I have found that excellent topically. I suffered from this very condition for years especially in the winter (we're at similar latitudes), just treating it topically. For the last several years I've been taking DHA daily. This is a CVS product that concentrates the omega oils from algae that you have to eat a hellofalotta herring to get. Not to wax too ethnic, but if yer roots are European (as are mine), well then your people for like 1000s of years ate a s*it-ton of herring (or the like) and really damned little meat. I can't eat that much herring, so these supplements make my joints work smoother and maybe have helped with the split-open finger wounds.

 

[underwhelmist]

congueros should soak their hands in urine (their own)

I'm glad you clarified that, would have been weird otherwise.

 

[Fat Freddy]

What you need....according to my uncle Ted......bricklayer extraordinaire with cracked hands like you'd barely believe as being real.....Is....Cold butter mixed with a little splash of Worcestershire Sauce and Coarse white granulated sugar, worked into the hands until the sugar loses its abrasive quality.......

Never tried it.....Never felt the need....

....

 

[Joe Nerve]

A frustrated update:

Been wearing gloves outdoors every day under 45 degrees.

Wear gloves when washing dishes (always have).

I've played LOTS with a pic. Don't love doing that outside of with songs that call for it.

Been not playing during the week.

Bought and used O'Keefe Working Hands, day and night.

Tried putting antibiotic ointment on and bandaging it for days at a time.

Changed soaps in the house several times.

Tried Vaseline.

Tried leaving it alone, completely, and NOT washing that finger throughout the day.

Learned that I can play without issues if I wrap it with a piece of kinesthetic tape - which got me through a few hard hitting gigs.

And now finally decided I'm just gonna play with a glove until the warmer weather settles in.

It seems once this starts, there's no end in the winter so long as I keep playing. Thankfully its the first time in a few years. And oddly, I have no issues on any other fingers, nor my skin anywhere else.

Throwing the towel in. May try a few suggestions here I haven't, but I'm going gloved this weekend.

And I'm aware that this picture at a quick glance can look like something other than what it is, but I'm posting anyhow . How such a tiny cut can wreak such havoc astounds me. At some point I might just ignore it and keep stuff with me to clean blood off my strings...

 

[RGerhart]

A frustrated update:

Been wearing gloves outdoors every day under 45 degrees.

Wear gloves when washing dishes (always have).

Been not playing during the week.

Bought and used O'Keefe Working Hands, day and night.

Tried putting antibiotic ointment on and bandaging it for days at a time.

Changed soaps in the house several times.

Tried Vaseline.

Tried leaving it alone, completely, and NOT washing that finger throughout the day.

Learned that I can play without issues if I wrap it with a piece of kinesthetic tape - which got me through a few hard hitting gigs.

And now finally decided I'm just gonna play with a glove until the warmer weather settles in.

It seems once this starts, there's no end in the winter so long as I keep playing. Thankfully its the first time in a few years. And oddly, I have no issues on any other fingers, nor my skin anywhere else.

Throwing the towel in. May try a few suggestions here I haven't, but I'm going gloved this weekend.

And I'm aware that this picture at a quick glance can look like something other than what it is, but I'm posting anyhow . How such a tiny cut can wreak such havoc astounds me. At some point I might just ignore it and keep stuff with me to clean blood off my strings...

View attachment 4976194

Sorry to hear about this, and your frustration.

I've dealt with this for years, and I still can't decide which is worse--cuts like the one you have, or the splits you get near your finger nails from dry skin. Like you said, it's amazing how something so small can cause such havoc!

 

[StereoPlayer]

I had a similar cut last week…it was unexplainable. I really think my skin is thinning due to age. I used to work hard using my hands and since retiring, I’ve lost most of my man hands.
After looking at your cut, my cut was very similar. I would apply a dab of triple antibiotic ointment throughout the day. The tube sits right next to my chair.

 

[totalnoob]

I had a similar cut last week…it was unexplainable. I really think my skin is thinning due to age. I used to work hard using my hands and since retiring, I’ve lost most of my man hands.
After looking at your cut, my cut was very similar. I would apply a dab of triple antibiotic ointment throughout the day. The tube sits right next to my chair.

It is. What you can do is spread some fatty balm on your skin. Fat, by trapping moisture in your epidermis, will keep it moist and therefore flexible and tough(er). Thinning of skin is inevitable consequence of aging. Ask me how I know...

 

[2tonic]

@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.