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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Left Hand Finger Cracking/flaking/peeling
Posted by: RobM Aug 18 2007, 08:46 AM
My left hand finger tips keep peeling, flaking and cracking. i've tried using a good hand lotion on them but it continues to happen. Some time it gets to the point where I'm playing and the skin peels up a bit and catches on the string. I'm past the point where I have any pain when I Play but I contine to lose the calouses because of this problem.
I'm seriously thinking of covering the tips of my fingers with a hard clear fingernail polish or super glue. I used to do that in baseball when I would burn off a calous when pitching a game. Worked like a charm.
Any help tips etc would be appreciated.
Posted by: DeepRoots Aug 18 2007, 08:50 AM
I'm seriously thinking of covering the tips of my fingers with a hard clear fingernail polish or super glue. I used to do that in baseball when I would burn off a calous when pitching a game. Worked like a charm.
Any help tips etc would be appreciated.
iv had this before, turned out my strings needed changing (didnt notice till my fingers peeled but the strings were kinda rusty) and also i gave my fretboard a good clean/conditioning which seemed to reduce pressure on my fingertips.
Anybody else?
Posted by: RobM Aug 18 2007, 09:24 AM
Anybody else?
Can't be my problem as I just changed my strings and cleaned my fretboard. I'm also a nut when it comes to wiping down my guitar, I do it after every time I play, no exceptions.
Posted by: DeepRoots Aug 18 2007, 09:26 AM
Hmm strange, how long have you had this problem? Mine didn't linger for too long...
Posted by: Hungus Aug 18 2007, 09:42 AM
I had this same problem awhile ago but I found after about a month my fingers just hardened up and I didnt get callouses anymore. You could try changing how much pressure you put on the strings or what I used to do with annoying callouses (before I started guitar) was just shave them off with a knife or something... also I used to slightly burn the tips of my fingers most days.. dunno why
Posted by: muris Aug 18 2007, 07:58 PM
Yep,I guess these problems will be gone with time and more constant playing/practicing.
Once again Rob,how long have you played guitar?
Posted by: RobM Aug 19 2007, 01:23 AM
Once again Rob,how long have you played guitar?
I have been playing since fathers day this year, (since June 2007), I practice a minimum of 2.5 hours a day. and a lot of days I'll practice 3 hours then take a few hour break then practice again for 3 hours. I'm past the point of having any pain from my fingertips but the cracking/peeling problem gets to be a nuisance after awhile. B ut if you all say it will go away with time I'll believe you, lol. You all are much more experienced guitar players than I am. Thanks again.
Posted by: Pavel Aug 19 2007, 01:41 AM
Man don't put any stupid glue or something else on your fingers!! It's ridiculous to GLUE your fingers! REALLY! Just practice and it will be gone with time!
I felt some pain in my fingers when i was starting on classical guitar but it was gone very fast since i played every day. Also - you might be having problem of OVER-PLAYING. You started only in June so take it easy on long hours until your fingers heal and get some strength. later you'll be able to play the whole day - but be careful in the beginning!
Good luck! 
Posted by: shredmandan Aug 19 2007, 02:17 AM
HeyMan
You havent been playing that long so i would say thats oneof the causes.I have seen my fingers do that but i still would have pain and ive played straight for over 10 years.What i do though is take a few hours off and then go at it again or one day off on the hard stuff at max.Some tips i would say that could maybe help this would be use a lower gauge string than you currently are.I dont know what size you are using now but that could be the problem.Also when they get that bad maybe even tune your guitar down low and play so the strings arnt so tight and hard on your finger's.Ofcourse if you dont play metal style of music you may not like tunning down but atleast you could still play while finger's are soar and would be more comfortable.
Good luck and if you need anymore help just ask.
Posted by: lost-jgs Aug 19 2007, 07:32 AM
i have the same problem , been playin about 2.5 months
no pain at all in my fingers for some reason last few weeks my hands have really been drying out , espcially my finger tips , the callouses like to peel
play on average 2-4 hours a day 7 days a week
lots of bending and i play on 11 gauge strings
Posted by: Hardtail Aug 20 2007, 11:24 PM
This is because as your fingers develop callouses it starts from the outer layer of skin then works its way in. So in other words as your callouses develop your body keeps growing weak skin layers which keep getting shredded off. As the callous gets deeper the lower skin layers get tougher... and your fingers will grow tougher skin to cover them. Eventually your finger tips will be hard but not have that dry flaky aspect to them.
When I was a teen I had to go to the Dermatologist and I happened to just be learning guitar and asked him this very question. That is what he told me to the best of my memory. Hope it helps!
Hardtail
Posted by: RobM Aug 21 2007, 03:06 AM
When I was a teen I had to go to the Dermatologist and I happened to just be learning guitar and asked him this very question. That is what he told me to the best of my memory. Hope it helps!
Hardtail
Thanks, great answer! Thanks again to everyone who answered me as well. BTW, I use .009 - .042 strings and as I said it's not a pain thing it's just the skin flaking thing, but I guess with more time it'll be gone.
Posted by: The Uncreator Aug 21 2007, 04:29 AM
Its probably just a callouse, no big deal, my finger tips do it occasionally but after awhile your fingers adjust and there is no problem
Posted by: swingline Aug 21 2007, 05:15 AM
It could be that something got under your skin. I got a Nitrous, Ethanol, Octane blend on my hand and it went right under the callous lifted it and it peeled. It was very painful, but I think even more common things could do that like gas or acetone.
Posted by: Spiderusalem Aug 22 2007, 06:59 PM
Ok this is gonna sound kinda nasty but I know a way to solve those problems.
Nail Clipper.
It usually gets bad when the peeled skin gets caught on the string and gets peeled back more. So take a nail clipper and clip the loose skin as you would long nails. Then if you get bad skin stubble, you can file it down a bit to a smoother finger surface. Without a latch, the strings cannot peel back your skin.
Take care of the tips of your fretting fingers and they'll take care of you.
Also, I suggest keeping around a nail clipper just because. The are unbelievably handy for guitarists. They easily cut strings when its time to change them, get the dirt out between hard to reach places (like gig-bag fluff in your bridge/tailpiece), and believe it or not they've also been known to cut long finger nails.
And Kris. My uncle was a fisherman and he kept a nail clipper around because he said it takes up less space than a line cutter and even cuts em' better.
Posted by: JCJXXL Aug 22 2007, 09:20 PM
I usually just stick one finger at a time in my nose before playing. The coating I get from that creates a nice protective barrier.
Just kidding
Like the others have said just give it time. I had that happen to me once in the beginning and it hasn't happened since.
Posted by: AliMo Aug 27 2007, 02:06 AM
I have sort of a different problem but its in the same category as this so I didn't wanna make a new topic about it. I have been playing almost a year now and thought I was past all of the finger troubles because they seemed to have hardened and not hurt anymore and there was no callouses anymore. But yesterday I sort of made one of those tiny breakthroughs with my playing, no big deal but I knew I had improved a bit, and I ended up finally playing the fade to black intro solo perfectly up to tempo and I was really excited. So basically I played for two hours in the afternoon, and at night my friend came over and we were jamming on and off out in my garage all night. Today when I woke up I had major pain in my left hand fingertips, i've already put lotion on them twice today and a few hours later i tried to play and it hurt too much. Should I just take a break for a day or so to keep them from getting worse? I can play some easier things without much pain but any quick alt picking or any legato or vibrato is just out of the question. So basically I would like to know if I should just put the guitar down for a day or 2 or practice lighter material for a short amount of time
Posted by: mattacuk Aug 27 2007, 02:12 AM
I had this problem for months when i started! i can assure you if you work through the pain your fingers just harden up with constant practice!
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