Why is my fingertip skin peeling when I'm not even climbing?

My finger tips have always had little bits peeling from climbing.  Never been a big deal.  Anyway, I've been out for close to a month due to injury, so no climbing.  Yet for some reason my tips are still peeling just as much as when I climb.  What is going on?

old skin. you haven't gotten to crush those layers of keratin into a solid mass. Now they have a chance to escape.
Just sand them off for old times sake.
Good luck on your recovery. I hope you can come back soon with soft, worthless skin that will also want to peel at the first chance it gets!

Pretty much what AndyMac said.  I've noticed calluses will start to peel off usually at two times (aside from the usual occasional small shreds that will come off naturally): when they're first being formed, and after they've not been used for a while.  Happens with my guitar calluses, happens with my climbing calluses.

I think you'll always retain a bit of callus, even if they shed a bit due to disuse, so don't worry that they're leaving entirely-- I went to the gym a couple weeks ago after not having been able to climb for 5-6 months, and didn't rip my hands up the way I would have expected (did when I first started)-- I had some soreness and they'd clearly gone soft, but there was also obviously still something there.

Hi everyone! Wanted to follow up on this since I am going through skin peeling, although not in the same way. I have been climbing for five years actively. Never more than a week off at any time (usually because of work travel), and am always at the gym at least 3 times a week - sometime more (I am obsessed). Anyway, I moved to NC from IL four months ago, and my fingers have not stopped peeling the last month no matter how much I file, lotion, climb. Nothing. They are continually shredding. They are loosing their callouses so much so that my ability to climb is being affected as my finger tips hurt. The skin just wont stay on. Active climbing friends have recommended maybe they are too dry, so I soak them in climb on and sleep in socks. That's not working. Before this I tried drying them out - still peeling. Someone said that I might be dehydrated. I have increased water intake to 3 liters a day. Still peeling. What do I do?! Has anyone ever gone through this? I am so annoyed, please help

Consider not climbing for a little while?

Leprosy?

The climate in IL is probably a lot drier than NC. Sleep with a humidifier on maybe? 

Some people say that fish oil helps.   I took fish oil capsules for a while and my skin got better.  Correlation does not imply causation.

I also used "hoofmaker" for a while.  I found it really soothing.

Back then, I would occasionally get split creases.   Those are nasty.   Some people say that certain lotions can lead to split creases.

I stopped using "hoofmaker".   The split creases went away.  Correlation does imply causation.

Cause you’re not climbing! Use 60 grit sand paper on em every few days to rough em up and to keep that tough layer of skin on top! 

The most likely and common causes (like dry skin from washing or some sort of drying chemical, like alcohol, in a product you use) are probably it, but just so you know: peeling specifically on fingertips can also be caused by too little niacin (vitamin B-3) or too much vitamin A.

If you take any vitamins or don't have a vegetable-free diet, it's very unlikely you have a niacin deficiency, but if you suspect this cause you could start taking B vitamin and see if it helps.

It is even more unlikely you have too much vitamin A, since it has to be a LOT to cause a problem-- so much that it essentially becomes a toxin.  But if you eat a bushel of carrots per day, maybe you could try cutting back ;)       I only know about this one because of one prescription medication, Retin-A (tretinoin), which is basically a concentrated dose of vitamin A.  The toxicity of the vitamin A helps to destroy your skin's sebaceous glands (thus reducing acne), but along the way it can also eff up your eyesight (extra vitamin A can deposit in the eyes) and make your fingertips peel.  I took it twenty five years ago, and it did all three of those things.  The second two were mostly temporary.  Weird, though.

Don't put lotion on your hands at all, it will only cause you more harm then good.  Colorado is one of the driest places and my skin does just fine without it, much better actually.

If you somehow have ultra dry skin and need to use something, use 'climb on' or a similar dry lotion (basically it is almost all oils)

Are your palms growing hair as well?
If so I may know the problem...

You've got teh Cooties my man.

Puberty

mbk wrote: Some people say that fish oil helps.   I took fish oil capsules for a while and my skin got better.  Correlation does not imply causation.

I also used "hoofmaker" for a while.  I found it really soothing.

Back then, I would occasionally get split creases.   Those are nasty.   Some people say that certain lotions can lead to split creases.

I stopped using "hoofmaker".   The split creases went away.  Correlation does imply causation.

I agree with taking fish oil capsules from time to time. 

My dermatologist also prescribed vitamins A and E when my hands had blood cracks. As far as I know, capsules with vitamins A and E are even more affordable than fish oil capsules.

I end up washing my hands many times throughout the day for work, if you're in a similar position you'll likely get peeling and cracking. No matter how much or how hard I climb, I never have calloused pads because they're always peeling off. Skin is thin so finger tip pain is generally my limiting factor

I had a similar problem and i traced it down to the soap i was using... Bar soap and soap with charcoal infused whatever in it was the cause for me. Pay attention to what you wash your hands with it could have something to do with it. 

Anyone finding solutions to manage peeling tips during COVID-19? I’m a heathcare provider, work outside in the desert, and climb outside 1-2x/week. My tips won’t stop peeling since this spring :(. I’ve never had issues until now. Assuming it’s the hand washing and sanitizers (Which also have photosensitizers). 

+1 on this issue.

The facts are these:
-CLIMBING PATTERN: I climb 2x per week indoors and 2-3 days outdoors per month. I don't use much chalk when I'm outdoors.
-BODY CHEMISTRY: I dehydrate easily and drink more water than my partners. I use electrolyte mixes. Elevation around 10,000ft seems to do weird things to me too.
-PEELING TIMING: 4-7 days delay after long outdoor days, but it doesn't happen after every long outing. I live in Socal, and haven't noticed anything seasonal (what even are seasons?)
-PEELING NOTE: this is distinctly different from regular, minor callus peeling, which I also get. This usually starts with loose skin appearing after a shower, which then rubs off in sheets over a period of 4-5 days. This never happened prior to climbing.
-PEELING LOCATION: usually palms and finger tips. see notes below about feet on this last trip.

This last trip, the peeling was particularly bad. I did Evolution Traverse over 3 days. it's all above 11,000 ft, with Probably 48 hours continuous spent above 13,000ft on a ridge. My feet get pretty messed up, including a full week of swelling that started the day after I got home to sea level. after about 4 days of the swelling, my feet lost the top layer of skin all over the bottoms (heels to toes).  a few days after that (1 week after traverse) the hands started peeling (palms and tips).

My primary suspect is dehydration. Though, I wouldn't be surprised if some vitamin deficiency was making causing the hydration issues and making the peeling worse. Though, last time I had my blood tested, no deficiencies were present.

One more possible cause (or maybe just a contributing factor) to investigate:  it is possible some skin peeling could be caused by fungal infections or a virus hanging out in the skin.  There are some mild funguses and viruses that could not be very noticeable unless you exacerbated the skin (by climbing on rough stone, for example) but would be very persistent without treatment.  I know some folks who have more or less seasonal outbreaks of minor skin virus symptoms, including peeling, every spring.  If you suspect this as a possible contributing factor, a dermatologist may be able to help identify it and suggest treatments.

Ive noticed extended peeling on my fingertips even a week after climbing. But only my right hand. I have psoriasis which is the only thing I can think of causing it.