callous help!

[Fuzzdawg]

i have been playing guitar for a long time. twelve years or so. i have nice thick finger callouses, and when they are intact can play almost unendingly without having fingertip pain.

however....

like i said, "when they are intact." i have this wierd problem that my callouses are always peeling. usually about once a week. when my callouses peel, the skin underneat is VERY tender and usually pink, and prohibits me from playing almost whatsoever.

normaly this isn't a problem. it usually goes in a cycle based on whenever i play the most. and i usually play in church. so if i have practice on thursday and play in church on Sunday then my callouses usually begin peeling towards the end of the church service and by monday are totally raw. they usually take about two days to get back to where i can play again. no problem if i don't have practice again until thursday.

but lately, i have been helping in the churches youth group which practices whenever everyone can make it and plays on wednesdays, and also in a band i am in with some friends, which usually practices on thursdays and plays whenever we can get a gig. this means that my callouses are peeling at very wierd times. like last saturday my band had a gig and my middle finger had very little callous and i had a very very difficult time playing. and NOW, my middle finger is ok, but my pointer is now so raw it is uncomfortable to even type this.

does anyone have any suggestions/ tips/ ideas on how to reduce/eliminate/cope with this problem? i have used superglue to make a kind of temporary callous, but that barely works. the superglue is too flexible and begins to peel itself too soon (well before the set is over). not to mention that it hurts like the dickens when it peels off (from the raw fingertip).

[hunter]

I file my callouses with an emory board. The new thick jobbers with the foam center work particularly well and come in various degrees of abrasiveness.

As they start to get too thick I file em down a little. Starts the building process for new callous before the thick one falls off and gets rid of the distressed old callous stuff. You can use the board to smooth those edges that start to peel up too. Just trim the excess flap of callous with fingernail clippers and file the edge flush with the intact callous. Keeps the strings from hanging up on the edge.

hunter

[Fuzzdawg]

thanks. sounds like good suggestions. anyone else?

[Fuzzdawg]

bump

[sabby]

I have soft skin and the same problem. It's a real drag on my feet, but that's a complaint for a hiker's forum.

Hunter nailed it. That and play your acoustic regularly. And don't play right after washing the dishes.

[baald]

crazy glue

[ronin32]

Playing an acoustic helped me get the callous' on my fingers. Going down the first aid isle at Target I found something called "New Skin". Could look into that instead of super glue.

[dspblues]

I have the same problem... I've played with heavy strings, played lots professionally, practiced, etc... and always had my callouses peal and never ever stay. I'd like some help as well. I always try to avoid getting my left hand wet. If I do, I dry it right away. It's honestly a pain in the ass and I wish I could find an answer. I've used crazy glue. That lasts for 1 song... maybe. Then, that starts to peal. No good.

[Fuzzdawg]

Originally Posted by dspblues

I've used crazy glue. That lasts for 1 song... maybe. Then, that starts to peal. No good.

i KNOW!

[Fuzzdawg]

ok, i purchased a nice course grit emery board today from target, as per hunter's advice. upon preliminary usage, i think he may have something. i will let you guys know in a few weeks.

[Fuzzdawg]

note to everyone. about three weeks ago i purchased an emery board to file my callouses to keep them from bursting, as per the advice of hunter (see below). it has been over three weeks and i have not had any callous burstage. if you are having a problem with your callouses bursting, then this is your solution! just file your callouses every few days and whenever they feel like they are going to burst. they will be a bit tender, but nowhere near as bad as if they were allowed to burst naturally!

read below!

Originally Posted by hunter

I file my callouses with an emory board. The new thick jobbers with the foam center work particularly well and come in various degrees of abrasiveness.

As they start to get too thick I file em down a little. Starts the building process for new callous before the thick one falls off and gets rid of the distressed old callous stuff. You can use the board to smooth those edges that start to peel up too. Just trim the excess flap of callous with fingernail clippers and file the edge flush with the intact callous. Keeps the strings from hanging up on the edge.

hunter

[Structo]

Professional bowlers use something similar to new skin.
They bowl on average of 20 games a day and are constantly wearing the skin off there thumb in particular.

[guitarsnguns04]

I dont have hardly any callousing at all. I play tons..I would have to say maybe a lighter touch would help to correct the problem.. Are you really strong handed when you play?

[dspblues]

I think that's my problem... I think I press REALLY hard on the strings/fretboard. I think I need to practice not playing as hard.

[Fuzzdawg]

gng, no i am not really strong handed.