UKC

I know theres plenty on here about skin care on fingers which makes sense as its the high wear area for climbers, Im ok with this but in general my skin is soft and thin, especially on the backs of my hands. Ive tried keeping them well moisturised but this doesnt help, what can people suggest please? My hands are generally scuffed and scarred from general DIY, cycling and of course climbing.

elizabeth arden 8 hour cream is amazing!!! Expensive, not climber specific and greasy but it is fantastic - does what it says on the tub  

The trouble with most moisturisers is that they soften the skin, making it more susceptible to damage.

Could finger tape on the backs of your hands be an option?

Getting some mileage out of Trader Joe's skin cream. Not too expensive, either.

The skin on yor hands will respond to stress and wear by thickening up, in the old days people swore by rubbing with meths or alcohol but that would just dry out the skin. 

If it's primarily the back of your hands that are affected I would suggest crack gloves.

Surgical spirit will cause epidermal thickening - it removed the fats from the upper layers of the skin and the skin thickens to the 'harmful' stimulus. However, finding the sweet spot of doing this and restoring that essential barrier with emollients is really difficult. I have seen this used therapeutically, but am unimpressed. 

Start posting about your love of Brexit, NHS privatisation and top roping at Stanage. You'll soon develop thicker skin.

If it's jamming rash you're suffering from, there are a few basic options.

1 crack gloves / taping

2 better technique 

3 embrace the look (learn to enjoy looking like you have  early stage leprosy) or

4 develop stoicism

Obviously, since this is a climbing forum, the correct option is 2.

Norwegian hand crème seems to work.

Or you could try pissing on your hand for that "sweet spot" remedy style.

(for the record: I`ve never tried that, only hear say)

I've been thinking getting a job as a labourer may help this afflication that I share with you. Either that or covering doorknobs, cups, my keyboard, steering wheel etc in sandpaper.

You can just buy a urea based cream!

1. Gloves

2. wash your hands less often,  this will preserve the natural oils in your skin that allow it to grow thicker without cracking, splitting and peeling off.

3. "Moisturiser" that doesn't contain much if any moisture i.e water. because it softens the skin. e.g .climb on bar , lansinoh pure lanolin.

lots of suggestions here, thanks for taking the time to reply everyone, not sure if any of it is going to be useful, as said ive tried moisturisers of various kinds. Forgot that Id also tried climb on which is good for well climbing on, wax type hand rub.

I use alcohol hand gels at work but they dont seem to help either, i agree with the sentiment of washing hands less but in a healthcare setting  Ive no choice.

I will look in to the urea/urine option as well as just rubbing my hands in rough stuff more often, oh look its nearly spring, gardening awaits. 

Anyway Ive always been a very practical hands on person, on the farm in the garden etc but always had similar problems.