UKC

I've been training for about 6 weeks now, and my peeling skin on my hands from chalk and just generally using them so much has become ridiculous now. I've been using Climb On bar, but with little effect.

I've also now got sharp pains just under the dead part of a couple of my fingernails. This must be from fingerboard sessions. Any advice on this kind of thing? Presumably it happens to quite a few people who train.

Chris

In reply to Chris Ellyatt:

Do something else until it heals? Sounds like you're over-doing it, or have done too much too quick.

In reply to Chris Ellyatt:

See what it feels like without chalk. Seriously. Chalk really dries your hands out.

Climb on is ok for making your hands feel better but I'd question its validity as a moisturiser, get some proper stuff.

In reply to Chris Ellyatt:

My hands are really dry at the moment but I've hardly climbed recently due to crappy work load. Think its the cold weather and central heating drying them out. Yours is probably a mixture of the two.

Try norwegian hand cream by neutrogena. Works really well for me.

In reply to Chris Ellyatt:

if your hands are really dry you should not use chalk. After all chalk is just supposed to used to absorb sweat.

In reply to doz generale:

Well obviously my hands sweat when I'm doing a workout, so I use chalk because otherwise I slip off. It's after the workout that the peeling becomes a problem. But yeah might lay of it for a while.

In reply to Chris Ellyatt: try a towel or drying/chalking the holds?

In reply to Chris Ellyatt:

Both my partner and myself only started to have dry skin problems when we switched to Metolius Superchalk, even though I normally use very little - one ball will last me about 2 years. They do seems to be pretty effective though.

Do you really need to use chalk for training? If climbing without chalk makes it harder than it's a good training!

In reply to Chris Ellyatt: I get where your coming from, i need chalk for my fingerboard sessions as otherwise i just end up slipping alot on the smaller holds. What i usually do is use the chalk and train, but straight afterwards wash my hands normally and then moisturise using norweigan by neutrogena. Of course i've still got blisters from the chalk and constant strain but skin doesn't peel at all

In reply to Chris Ellyatt:

Have you tried using Climb On before you put chalk on your hands? I've found this can reduce the drying that it causes.

I think this is a problem that is common to Superchalk specifically.

In reply to PaulMarshall:

i used to suffer exactly the same problem - dry skin, often cracking across the finger tips and just under the nail. Interestingly it was far far worse when i used to kayak and climb - my hands were a mess! I switched from metolius superchalk to moon chalk and it's made a huge difference (and stopped kayaking). I also use climb-on after a session and it helps. Neutrogena seemed too water based and it helped for about an hour but then the skin dried out again.

I now keep on top of my skin - eg use climb on when i need too, take days off to get the skin back etc - and i've been climbing years with no problems.

On the plus side after a while you get used to slight pain in your tips when your skin's bad, so when you wear your tips out in font etc, you're used to climbing through the pain!

Hope the above helps, any specific questions feel free to email me

chris

In reply to Chris Ellyatt: i used to get really bad skin. but now i use block chalk, wash my hands after climbing in cold water then hot water and moisturise after that using e45.
at the moment i have no skin on my finger tips so there is nothing to peel ther ebut it hurts sooo much and i dont have any tape left after lending it to people

In reply to Chris Ellyatt:

I always make sure I moisturise after climbing. It helps.

In reply to Chris Ellyatt: re chalk..i had the same problems but only with the US brands.

In reply to Chris Ellyatt:

Look after your hands more? I think maybe taking a bit of a break from dipping your hand in your chalk bag might help. Failing that, clean and was your hands well with a decent anti-bacterial soap and then use a decent moisturiser (ask your gf or mother, or nivea E45 cream) and this should sort your hands out.

look after your hands, you can always train a little less!

In reply to thin bob:
chalk goes on hands not holds. why would you chalk the hold? it doesn't need drying out your hands do. chalking holds only reduces friction.

In reply to OP:
I've found that prolonged washing of hands before I moisturise helps massively. You need to wash in warm water for a few minutes so the skin is wrinkly (like after a bath or shower). Then moisturise. The warm water helps to expand the cells and gaps between the cells in your fingers which helps it to take on the mosturiser. I use boots own brand hand moisturiser and find it work as well as climb-on and sypeland stuff which i've used in the past.

In reply to jamestheyip:

Thanks for the advice guys - I'll try moisturising more for a start.

In reply to James particularly though - this is exactly the same for me. When I used Wild Country's Pure Chalk, I had no peeling issues, now I've swapped to Metolius Superchalk, this has started.

I reckon it's because they use stronger drying agents.

Chris

In reply to Chris Ellyatt: No thanks

In reply to Chris Ellyatt :- how about "mighty grip" ? dont know if thats any good for climbing ? doesnt dry your skin out.