Splits in ends of fingers (fishing in cold weather)

[samhainapples]

A thread for any advice/tips people may have on avoiding or treating these.

 

Obviously wearing decent gloves as much as possible, but this doesn't seem to have stopped me picking up three massive splits on fingers and a thumb over a couple of cold night/dawn sessions. Opening them up again on taut fishing line is particularly ******* painful.

 

Just bought some Germolene "New Skin Liquid Plaster", which is brilliant if you've already got split fingers. Unlike the spray on versions (which are difficult to apply accurately without wasting loads) this is thicker and applied with a mini-spatula. Seals them up perfectly in seconds, long-lasting and no waste.

 

Anyone got any tips on how to avoid them in the first place? Have been told Vaseline is good but reckon this will make sorting tackle, etc, more difficult.

 

(Apologies in advance if this is too wussy a subject - I realise the best answer is probably to just get tougher salty seadog hands )

[Manxman]

I've suffered with hacks for years to, like you say that new skin is the business. But it makes your eyes water when you apply it to a raw opening.

The only thing I've found is to lash plenty of lanolin based hand cream on, keeps the skin softer and less prone to cracking.

[ayjay]

Snowfire Stick - for prevention - you can get them in Boots (and other places) - they won't be on display in Boots for some strange reason - you have to ask for them.

[Phone]

sam,

 

I agree with ayjay (although I don't know about Boots(?)). May I remind you this is often a pre-cursor symptom of diabetes

 

Phone

[Brian Carragher]

Splits in fingers cant really be avoided, some of its due to the thickness of the Epi and Dermis layers of your skin and how blood pressure increases when your hands are cold to try and keep the extremities warm, so no matter how much lanolin based creams you use it can have no effect in relation to cracking fingers

 

When your hands are wet and cold at the same time is when most damage occurs, try and keep your hands dry and towel off after getting them wet and putting a pair of gloves straight on to conserve heat, you can always wear a pair of disposable vinyl gloves similar to surgical gloves that keep off the wind and wet but you've still got to use your towel to dry the vinyl gloves otherwise the heat loss to your hands increases, I use the vinyl gloves and they do help to stop fingers cracking as I suffer terribly with it

 

Rather than using Germolene New Skin which does work, I used to use it, I use superglue direct into the cut, dries quicker and gives a harder shell over the top, lasts longer too and the skin beneath knits together rather than forming those thick hard ridges that dont come together and prevent healing, might take two applications of superglue but its much much better, if you have the accellerant hardner spray that goes with it you can be fishing again within 20 seconds of a cut opening up

[IanBass]

Thanks for the info chaps. I get a small split in my thumb in the same place time after time. Have tried various 'cures'. WILL be trying some of these. Thought it was just me, and yes I am diabetic.

[ayjay]

Splits in fingers cant really be avoided,.............................................................................

I'd have to disagree, I work outside most of the time and whereas splits in my fingers were a regular occurrence I don't remember having any this winter - I have worn gloves more often than I used to, but the only other difference is the Snowfire Stick which I've been using for a couple of years now.

 

One other thing which made a difference a few years back was changing my diet, I went from a low calorie diet to a low carbohydrate (high fat) diet, the increase in fat including butter (instead of butter substitutes) also saw a large reduction in the splits in my fingers.

 

@ Phone - "Boots" is the name of a large chain of chemists shops.