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aligardner
Sep 29, 2006, 8:26 PM
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I am uk climber and I must have girlie skin!! My fingers are agony after 3/ 4 routes on sharp rock. Does anyone have any tips for toughening up the skin-safely
Thanks
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grampacharlie
Sep 30, 2006, 1:05 AM
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I've used tincture of benzoin (an oral antiseptic) on my tips when the get a bit fried. It toughens up skin, disinfects, and leaves a slightly sticky coating that seals the area in question and allows tape/bandages to stick to skin that would other wise be too sweaty to allow adhesion.
I've heard that rubbing alcohol does have similar effects without the sticky residue, but I've not tried it.
BTW, both will sting like crazy if there is an open wound.
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zenelky
Oct 3, 2006, 4:41 PM
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Not what you want to hear, but you just gotta climb more. Sharp routes are gonna hurt anyone's fingers, but you just gotta keep climbing through it. The more often you climb sharp routes, the less they will hurt. It's kinda like climbing slopers, you just gotta climb 'em till your skin is gone. Then, when it grows back, it'll be tougher or you'll be tougher. Either way, just climb, climb, climb and when you can't touch anything anymore go back to the camp site and have some more beer. That'll dull the pain, I promise!
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clee03m
Oct 3, 2006, 6:44 PM
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I also think climbing often is key. I find that if I climb once or twice a week for short periods of time, I have sore fingers. But if I climb more often and for longer periods of time, I get tough skin on my fingers.
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lmcwil
Oct 3, 2006, 8:40 PM
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Yeah, the more you climb, you'll naturally get callouses. This includes gym climbing- in fact, i think i get more callouses from the plastic than i do from real rock.
Meantime, whenever you do scrape up your hands, we get this stuff here in the US called "Climb on" that's like a waxy substance w/ some herbs and stuff that really helps the injuries to heal up more quickly. It comes in a little round tin. I bet you could find something similar, or maybe even buy it on-line. It also works as a fantastic lip balm. Which reminds me, you can also use regular lip balm (not gloss!) on your hands as well in a pinch. it definitely makes the cracks and scrapes heal up faster.
playing guitar also toughens up my fingertips pretty well :-)
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aligardner
Oct 14, 2006, 5:06 PM
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Thanks for all the tips
Much appreciated
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mudbunny3
Oct 15, 2006, 9:54 PM
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I, too, find that after a long day on the rocks that the tips of my fingers are not only a bit sore, but they peel. It's happened a few times after climbing slabs. I figure that it's just one of the things that come with climbing. Although...I do tend to slather on extra lotion for the next week or so. But then I'm back out on the rock and the whole cycle starts again...
C
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aerili
Oct 17, 2006, 3:32 AM
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In reply to: I've used tincture of benzoin (an oral antiseptic) on my tips when the get a bit fried. It toughens up skin, disinfects, and leaves a slightly sticky coating that seals the area in question and allows tape/bandages to stick to skin that would other wise be too sweaty to allow adhesion. I've heard that rubbing alcohol does have similar effects without the sticky residue, but I've not tried it. BTW, both will sting like crazy if there is an open wound.
Technically speaking, there is no scientific evidence to back up claims of "skin toughening," although I have friends who use it for this same apparent reason. It is an antiseptic and it does improve tape adhesion, however, and is advocated in medical literature for these uses. But if it seems to toughen your skin, then by all means the $12+ a bottle is probably worth the possible placebo effect, haha. :wink:
Ali, it is also a known fact that women have a thinner dermis skin layer than men and I don't seem to last as long on the wicked Queen Creek volcanic knife edges in my area as long as the guys, for what it's worth. :x As others stated, I think it's just a matter of getting your skin as tough as it will/can be through more climbing... and for me personally, doing a good tape job at the first signs of soon-to-be flappers or other skin abrasions can make a big difference and extend my climbing day.
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acacongua
Oct 18, 2006, 11:02 PM
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Registered: Feb 14, 2003
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In reply to: I am uk climber and I must have girlie skin!! My fingers are agony after 3/ 4 routes on sharp rock. Does anyone have any tips for toughening up the skin-safely Thanks
Great beta given to me: anti-hydral cream. You can get a tube from foozball.com. In the summer, I can't keep skin for anything - and I've had a lot of experience on meat grinding corbin sandstone to callous them up. :roll:
This works!!! BTW, you only need a little. :D
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