1. My tips shred so fast, is there anything I can do?

response: Yes! if you produce a lot of calluses then you will want to use a combo of liquid hand jam and hand jam oil after climbing when skin is it's worst. Liquid Hand Jam will get into the deepest layers of your skin and help to add vitamins and hydration to the cells as they are developing. Follow this step with a bit of Hand Jam Oil, you really just need a drop or 2. It will take some time to soak in so be patiient. The oils is doing 2 things. 1st it is lubricating the new cells facilitating the cell migration process and 2nd. it is filling in tiny cavities with in the skin. This helps the skin to stay flexable and resistant to the side effects of chalk. Chalk will actually make your skin brittle. Using a little Hand Jam on rest days even when your skin is fine will make it resistant to moisture loss caused by having hands in water and it will keep your skin in optimal condition.

You can also try using Friction Powder and or Liquid Friction before you start climbing. They are design to deliver moisture absorbing micro crytals to the skin. I am a chalk junky so I will be the first to tell you, it won't replace chalk if you sweat a lot or need that extra grip that only chalk can do but it will keep your hands drier so you use less chalk. That is all good news for your hands. Especially for those of us who are sensitive to chalk.

2. My skin peels when I use chalk, it really hurts! What should I do?

I have 2 responses.

1st DRY SKIN:

You have a condition called contact dermatitis. It simply means your hands don't like chalk. I feel your pain, this is the exact reason I developed Hand Jam and I alway keep that in mind for all the products we make. So first, avoid all chalks with drying agents, 2nd. wash your hands very well after climbing. Use Liquid Hand Jam and Hand Jam Oil exactly as descibed above.

2nd response, HUMID HANDS, thin and peely skin.

If your hands are hot and perspire a lot then your skins natural oil never has a chance to thinken. This oil acts as a glue between the skin cells and chalk can break down that oil if it has not condensed enough. One of the things you can do is to use Liquid Friction and Friction powder before climbing and on rest days even when you are not climbing. They will help remove excess humidity in the skin with out destroying your natural oils.

Do not use Liquid Hand Jam or Hand Jam oil unless your skin is raw and even then use it sparingly. I t will get your skin back on track faster but too much won't do you any good. On rest days if you still feel the need to treat your hands with something, get some aloe vera gel, the kind used for after sun. It's cheep and readily availible.

3. How should I treat a flapper?

Flappers are caused by thick skin on sharp rock. AGHHH.... Always carry nail glue in your bag (you can buy it at Walmart in the cosmetic department) small sterile gauze pads and good sticky tape.

Rinse the flapper with clean water. glue down the edges with nail glue cover it with a thin gauze (just the area over the flapper) and tape well. If you'r not gushing blood and you resign your self to taking it easy you might be able to contiue climbing.

The best way to prevent flappers it to keep your calluses from getting out of control. Invest in a good nail file (100/180 grit). Fille down those thick spots, but not too much and use liquid hand jam and Hand Jam Oil regularly. Because skin can not evaporate excess humidity from the deeper skin tissue when it is covered in thick callus, what happens is a natural fault line starts to develop. You have a nice plump juicy layer of cells covered by a hard rigid layer of cells and no transition in between. It become a natural place for skin to tear and when it does it exposes all those waterlogged sensitive skin cells. OUCH!

Got a question for Sue about your hands? send it to sue@rushessentials.com