Do you love feeling on the tips of your fingers after a weekend of climbing.  Do you love feeling your callouses thickening up?  Have you thought about what is the best skin care for rock climbers and boulderers?  Many climbers know by now that the best skin care comes from your diet, a solid salve, and good self-care practices.

Here are 8 skin care tips for rock climbers and boulderers.

1. Never Pull A Flapper or a Hangnail
2. Never Wash Dishes or Soak in Epsom Salt Before You Climb
3. Consider Increasing Your Consumption of Omega-3 Foods
4. Consider Increasing Your Consumption of Coconut Oil
5. Have A Brick, Cinder Block, Or Chunk of Rock as Part of Your Workout Gear
6. Use an Emory Board or Sheet of Sandpaper to Keep Your Callouses Healthy
7. Use Salve Specifically Created for Rock Climbers
8. Stop Doing Dynos and Try That Move Statically

Never Pull A Flapper or a Hangnail

Whether those were pieces of flappers or hangnails, the worst thing you can do is pull (or chew – blech!  Disgusting!) at those bits of flesh on your hands and fingers.

The best thing you can do for your small injuries – like flappers and hangnails – is to always carry a nail clipper or tiny scissors in your climbing pack.  Take a moment to carefully trim the dead or torn flesh away.  If you are done climbing for the day, care for your injuries as you normally would (wash, healing salve, bandage).  Or, just tape it up and keep climbing!

How many times have you pulled a bit of your flesh only to have it pull right further into undamaged tissue.  Oh, that sting!  And the first thing you think is, “I SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT!”

Never Wash Dishes or Soak in an Epsom Salt Bath Before You Climb

What is the old commercial about doing dishes – “softens your hands while you do the dishes.”  Nope, nope, and nope.  Do your dishes some other time – not right before you go climbing.

If your hands in are water long enough, the sebum (the waterproof coating) washes away and your outer layer of skin becomes waterlogged – and soft.  And if you go climbing soon after, you risk having your skin ripped or torn by a sharp hold or after a giant dyno move.

Same goes for Epsom Salt soaks and baths.  If you have never tried an Epsom Salt Soak or Bath, do it this winter.  Walgreen’s usually has a good price on the 5 or 10 pound bag.  Fill your bath with hot water pour in 2 cups (or the entire bag) of Epsom Salt.  Soak for an hour.  It will melt away aches and pains and stresses of the day. Guaranteed!

Consider Increasing Your Consumption of Omega-3 Foods

Winter, and the dryness therein, is one of the major causes of dry and fragile skin.  Omega-3 will help normalize your skin fats and prevent dehydration in your cells.

Fish is one of the best sources of animal-based omega-3 oils.  You can even supplement your diet with krill oil.

A solid choice is King Oscar Sardines in extra virgin olive oil.  They have a very mild flavor and you can make a quick meal of quinoa and sardines.

You can also supplement with Carlson Lemon Flavored Cod Liver Oil.  This is one supplement that I personally use, especially during the winter.  I take 4 spoonfuls of Carlson’s with Now Brand Vitamin D.

I am not a fan of the flavor of salmon, but if you do enjoy salmon; keep your eyes open as the FDA recently has allowed genetically modified salmon into our food system.

Consider Increasing Your Consumption of Coconut Oil

I’ve used coconut oil on my face and have not enjoyed the results.  For me, coconut oil always make me break out with small pimples.  I really don’t want to bother with a long-term experiment on my face.  So the many times that I’ve tried coconut for my face, I inevitably abandon it.

That is my experience.  If you want to experiment with coconut oil as a topical moisturizer, you may find it works for you.

I do, however, eat coconut oil consistently.  I eat a primarily ketogenic diet.  Coconut oil is a staple.  I eat it plain.  I make all sort of fat-bombs.  I make my own style of Butter Coffee (most people call it Bullet or Bulletproof coffee).

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• 16 oz of freshly ground, freshly brewed coffee
• 1 or 2 Tablespoons of Kerrygold Butter
• 2 to 4 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil
• 10 shakes of cinnamon
• Blend in a bullet (or similar) blender for 30 seconds – until fully blended

Have a Brick, Cinder Block, or Chunk of Rock as Part of Your Workout Gear

Here is my hunk of granite that I keep in my office.  I hold it, coddle it, spin it, almost let it fall out of my hand, grate my finger tips on it, etc.  I don’t climb so much in the winter, so I work out with my hunk of stone at least a few days per week to keep my fingers and hands roughed up a bit.

Use an Emory Board or Sheet of Sandpaper to Keep Those Callouses Healthy

This is something that was surprising to me as I began to purchase climbing movies.  I’d see various climbers and boulderers use an Emory board to smooth down their callouses or bits of skin.

I’ve got loads of sandpaper, so I use what I have on hand.  You can be as aggressive as your finger sensitivity allows you.  The aim here is to manage your callouses.  You want thick skin; but not so thick that a huge chunk pulls off if you miss a move or slip from a dyno.

Use Salves Specifically Created for Climbers

Joshua Tree is the most miraculous climbing salve I have ever used.  I’ve seen my own deep flappers heal in a few days.

My face and hand and elbow and knees salve is Climb On.  I like it.  I like how it is made

I have not yet tried American Oak, but I will add my notes and opinions as soon as I try it.

Stop Doing Dynos and Try That Move Statically

This one is somewhat self-explanatory.  The climbing injury I’ve personally witnessed most often is the one where that climber misses a crazy dyno and gets a horrific flapper.  Bro, just stop.

Which of these tips will you practice this winter?  How do you care for your skin during the winter.  Share your ideas and tips in the comments.

For more tips and idea about staying healthy as a climber, visit HCRBeta’s Injury Prevention Category.

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Jason Clements is the founder of and writer for HCRBeta, Hike Climb Relax:  How to…  Jason has served as the President of the Kansas City Climbing Club.  He lives in Shawnee, Kansas and also runs the cell phone recycling company, Cells for Cells, which recycles cell phones to raise money for families battling cancer.  You can follow Jason on Facebook or on Twitter @jasonclements.

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