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The seam on the inside of my hand between the first and second pad of my index finger always splits and looks like a deep, gaping little mouth. It's been like this for about two years now and I just don't know how to keep it from splitting.

I know other climbers have skin splitting problems. What do you all do to keep the skin on your hands supple and inury free?

oh man that is just hot, a little mouth on your hand, so lucky.


with that said my knuckles always crack and bleed and i have found applying vaseline to the knuckle and then placing socks on my hands at bedtime heals them up pretty good.

glove fulla' vaseline

anticlmber wrote:oh man that is just hot, a little mouth on your hand, so lucky.


with that said my knuckles always crack and bleed and i have found applying vaseline to the knuckle and then placing socks on my hands at bedtime heals them up pretty good.

Vaseline and socks at bedtime huh? sounds like more than a cure for cracked skin....

Rub some 'tussin on it.

like the above vaseline ideas, you want to keep the area moisturized. I have taken a small part of a cotton ball, put some lotion (or emolient of choice) and then taped that to the affected area like a homemade band-aid.

Also, sometimes I will 'level' out the surrounding area by shaving back the skin on both sides of the crack.

If it's like what you get in winter from dry cracked skin, the best I ever found is Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Skin Therapy Lotion.

super glue will help keep it closed so you can keep climbing.

rhunt wrote:super glue will help keep it closed so you can keep climbing.

just don't ever use it on head wounds. Trust me.

Michelle, Bag Balm is the best stuff for healing dry, cracked hands and feet. If you don't like the idea of using petroleum products, get something similar at the health food store. Apply liberally and put on cotton gloves/socks before you go to sleep.

I get those exact same "smileys" Artsay. Nothing really cures them. But I have noticed that I get them from bouldering at the gym. I rely heavily on crimping with my thumb over my index finger which allows alot of pressure on a small area. I don't think a have ever gotten "smileys" from sharp rock. It is more like the skin just pulls apart rather that being sliced.

I can usually feel it before it rips. Before it rips I tape the shit out of it(wide strips of tape not the skinny ones) and that keeps it from ripping. I lose a bit of crimping strength but F'it. It is only the gym.