What's your hand care routine?

Also- you took pride in your soft hands??? What are you, a British Aristocrat?

Uh oh, Jack. Better be careful. You've upset the Manly Men (tm)

Here's my routine,

After every climbing session apply Metolius Climb-on or a similar balm to the palm side of your fingers, do this sparingly to treat hot spots only, it is not lotion.
The day after climbing, before climbing again, use a 3M sanding sponge (220 grit) dry to remove dead skin and callouses. I have tried various skin removing items (pumis stone wet, razor blades, emory, ect.) and the sanding sponge is by far the best. It is critical to sand your hands smooth to avoid excess skin build up, this will prevent flappers. After sanding apply a balm or lotion to your freshly sanded fingers.
If your hands dry out use O'keefes, apply like lotion. I usually need this in the winter for cuticles and knuckles.

If you get a blister while climbing stop, slap/clap your hands together hard trying to hit the blister. I have found that it reduces the fluid from building up which keeps it from pealing open. If you continue climbing, tape appropriately over the newly formed blister. Don't pop blisters let them heal into callouses then sand them down.

master gumby wrote:

Lol a male that prides himself on "soft, soft hands"..... No comment. 

Why would you automatically assume I’m a male?

Jack R wrote:

Why would you automatically assume I’m a male?

Obviously Master Gumby has a masculinity inbalance.

My routine is to hop on a route without taping my hands and curse from the pain of jamming without tape. And then I start cursing my poor technique when I start scraping them up. And then I pick at the scabs the next few days at work and curse myself again for making them bleed and having to start the healing process over. 

Nathan Z wrote: My routine is to hop on a route without taping my hands and curse from the pain of jamming without tape. And then I start cursing my poor technique when I start scraping them up. And then I pick at the scabs the next few days at work and curse myself again for making them bleed and having to start the healing process over. 

Exactly "It must be climbing season since Greg's hands look like a meth users"

People get flappers when they start, it just happens. Start climbing outside more, sand down overly large callouses. I try to weight my hands on rock or at least rub my hands on rock at least every other day even if i'm not climbing outside that day. This promotes tough, thick skin. Pay attention to skin pain on your hands and learn what is superficial pain and what is *that's about to tear* pain. After long enough, you will develop habits of grabbing certain types of holds with more care or at different positions to prevent real damage. Ignore superficial pain as that is the path to tougher skin.

I have sweaty, soft hands naturally so i wear gloves when i have to do dishes, avoid soaking them in baths/pools/etc., but i don't go insane about it. I also never use any product on my hands, i just wash them regularly. Learn what type of skin you have and either keep them dry or hydrate them accordingly.

ClimbOn is really best used as a salve for those really nasty places on your hands. Little gobies, cracks, and flaps. It is very oily if you rub it all over your hands because that is not its primary function. I believe it's more akin to packing onto a dry/cracked area, then taping over and keep climbing.

The Jtree stuff is more of an all-over lotion bar. But definitely end-of-the-day application, as it's pretty oily too.

The Frictionlabs Climbskin hand cream does not have an oily feel at all, so if you're trying to avoid that this is a great option. A different formula then the rest. However, I'm pretty sure there is pure uncut cocaine that costs less per ounce than this stuff.

I've started sanding down the calluses. Or just picking at them like a mongoloid until they peel off;  not recommended. After climbing I wash my hands and use one of the aforementioned products.

Probably the best thing I have done for my hands is better technique. In my infantile state of crack climbing days my hands would get mauled. Now I can crag for days in a row and the backs of my mits could be that of J.P. Prewitt (and if you get that reference, we're officially kindred spirits).    

T M wrote:

Best advice you have got..right here mate...right here

Thanks for your comment on a year old thread bumped by a company promoting their own product. 

Derek Plafcan wrote: I ran across a product called Bag Balm a while back when researching skin care. I believe it’s popular with gymnasts if I’m not mistaken. I’ve used most of the climbing specific skin products, and many of them work fine.  As an aid specifically for healing and repairing skin quickly, I’ve found that I prefer Bag Balm. I also noticed that it doesn’t leave a thin, oily presence that washes away or comes off quickly.  A little bit a few times a day seems to be good for moisturizing and healing. Though like most things, it might be a good idea to experiment and see what works for you. Bag Balm can be found at any Walgreens and costs about $12 for a tub that can last at least 6 months.

I also think you have the right idea with sanding down your callouses. Skin generally rips where it’s weakest.  Callouses are dead skin, and as you’ve found out, are prone to being easily damaged. If you’re climbing regularly, I’m of the belief that attention to your skin can have huge payoffs.

Good luck!

“When my skin's really dry, I'll rub it over my face and on my hair, then leave it there all day,” she told Now magazine.
- Shania Twain