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why does my skin shred?

Original Post
Ross Young · · Chattanooga, TN · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 5

hey all.

I have been climbing for about 5 years now, and for some reason I feel that my skin just gets absolutely butchered compared to the people that I climb with. on any bouldering trip longer than 2 days, all of my tips have worn down to pink stubs and are bleeding from the pad. I don't ever get this on roped climbing trips (but I believe that is because I am falling much less) but I think that my hands turn and run when they see a boulder field. I am leaving for a trip on sat and I am going to try the super glue thing this time but for the future are there any home remedies that work for hardening skin? I am already in the gym 3 Ish days a week and that is clearly not enough

Greg Gavin · · SLC, UT · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 888

Use hand salve.

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
Antihydral is what the top climbers use for day after day of climbing.
Patrick Mulligan · · Reno, NV · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 995

What Greg said - I'm partial to the Joshua Tree salve. Also, you may be climbing too much. I don't know your history, but maybe you just need to let your skin heal a little more and then create a program of skin care.

Chris Plesko · · Westminster, CO · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 485

Indoor doesn't really get my skin ready for outside. Get some sanding blocks or try antihydral (slowly!)

Ross Young · · Chattanooga, TN · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 5

I have actually read about antihydral, and it sounds pretty aggressive. but I may have to give it a try. I am getting pretty sick of bleeding haha. has anyone had any real luck with the stuff?

Justin Brunson · · Tacoma WA · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 2,266

I've been having the same problem. I've thought it might be at least related to my diet, which is super unhealthy.

Chris Plesko · · Westminster, CO · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 485
Ross Young wrote:I have actually read about antihydral, and it sounds pretty aggressive. but I may have to give it a try. I am getting pretty sick of bleeding haha. has anyone had any real luck with the stuff?
It's worth trying, start slow on just the tips and see how it goes. Plenty of climber info on the internet but you have to google around a bit to find it.

Another thing to be aware of is tactics. Are you just throwing yourself at stuff repeatedly without resting enough? climbing in the sun? not keeping your skin free of oils when outside? If it's just road trip volume then tactics might not be the cause but repeated sloppy burns will destroy my skin on certain problems.
Eric D · · Gnarnia · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 235

Sanding blocks. I use one 3 or 4 times a week.

Also, I don't know where you live but if you are in a dry environment cracks take forever to heal. Moisturize them and then put a bandade or tape over that to keep that environment moist. It speeds up healing.

Fan Y · · Bishop · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 830

your skin shreds because you are falling too much ;) adam ondra says that after 4 days of climbing at fontainebleau, his skin was better than before he got there. i think on this trip he flashed most problems he tried...so there!

Rick Carpenter · · Marion, NC · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 1,315

Easy, you don't use Giddy Organics

Ross Young · · Chattanooga, TN · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 5

well I for sure fall to much but isn't that half the fun? And i am in Ohio so very humid air for the most part, so maybe i do need to dry it out. I think i may even use some rubbing alcohol in the time being. but anti hydral is probably in my future

Jeremy Hand · · Northern VA · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 100

Take astaxanthin and resveratrol. Those nutrients should support stronger tips as well as numerous other benefits.

grampa potate · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 5

You're a wuss. Stop climbing and do something else.

Ellenore Zimmerman · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2013 · Points: 75

you may have a fungal infection, like athlete's foot, but its called "climber's palm" Eat a lot of yogurt.

JF1 · · Idaho · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 400

Anti-hydral is good if you have moist fingers, aka your tips don't split. A mellower stuff to use is this, I tried at a friends recommendation and it is pretty good.

Tuf-Foot

This is what my fingers look like after climbing hard for a while without using anything. They just wear away to nothing, no big cracks.

Trashed Fingers

Matt N · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 415

Chalk up another tick against bouldering ;)

Paul Winkler · · San Mateo, CA · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 265

I pretty aggressively take care of my skin, because if I don't it drys out too much and flakes horribly.

I use anti-hydral twice a week before a big bouldering trip. I leave the stuff on over night, which can make your sheets a bit messy if you don't let it dry a bit before going to bed. I then use Climb-on bar every night of the trip before going to sleep. When in Hueco I'll put it on right when I'm done climbing and have washed the chalk from my hands, then again right before I go to sleep. Using this method I climbed for 5 days on in Hueco and my skin was better the day I left than when I arrived.

ian watson · · Sandia park, NM · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 235

my left thumb peels the worst I use the noxzema ( yes the face cream/cleaner) i put that on and wait for it to soak in then I re-apply . After doing that 2-3 times i put the climb on bar to it right before bed it will be healed better the next day and almost perfect in two days.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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