So - wondering what your go to remedy is when you get one of these? I’ve got serious callouses built up on the fretting fingers, but still occasionally get these splits. Ofc, the strings seem to dig it open even more especially doing slides. I’m curious to know what yall do… I keep playing, its sore as heck but eventually repairs itself after about 4ish days 
Split fretter - what do YOU do?
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Ouch…just remembering…ouch
dry hands crack easily.
I would let it heal before playing more or avoid using it.
If I had to play:
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@Fiddle_wood
Haha ouch is right!
I’ve heard folks use that or even crazy glue. Have you actually used new skin yourself? And if so, did it gunk up your instrument? Did it actually work?
And heck I sometimes get splits even when my hands aren’t dry - like at summer cabin camp in the heat!! I had two on the same finger then 
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I haven’t had to use it playing, but we used it a lot in construction and tree business…always kept it in firt aid kit.
I don’t know of anything better to use. Definitely wouldn’t use super glue…
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And I would imagine the bass would give you the worse splits as the strings are like cables compared to mando strings …
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Years ago I finished concrete days & played out nights…split the entire end of a finger while slapping bass…had blood splattered all over this guys bass I played for him while he was taking a break…but that was on the right hand
Blisters are more of a problem on the bass. Have to pay attention to technique to avoid them.
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@Fiddle_wood
Concrete - if that dont totally destroy skin, I don’t know what does… oh my, he must have been real happy😖, and you must’ve been miserable. Yeah, I’ve seen a blistered bass player - index finger right hand.
There was a little older lady that used to.play bass in side jams at our local bg fest, she wore a tight fitting white leather glove on her right hand. Didnt affect her playing at all. Said it was to prevent blisters.
So here’s a multi instrumentalist question for you- of all the instruments which is hardest on the fingers?
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The one I haven’t been playing as much…haha
Seriously though it is guitar, then mandolin.
Bass is harder on muscles in left fore-arm…they can cramp up like my hands will on guitar or mandolin after a long session.
The fiddle is only hard on my ears…
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then you haven’t heard me try to play it… how about “Bonepart crossing the Rhine” - el squeaky squeak, a few good notes, then more squeak, then sort of ok, then not. Absolutely kills my neck or the area where chin rest bottom is.
Guitar, wow im surprised. When Ive tried to play my son’s, I barely could feel the strings. My big problem was just trying to hold it to play.
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It’s all a combination of set-up & technique.
I’m just getting back used to playing the fretted instruments, so they are the hardest for me right now. They also change the ends of my fingers enough that I’m constantly out of tune on the fiddle if I pick it up after playing them. Takes some slow-time working on intonation to find the right notes again.
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Had a few of these in my time. Don’t seem to get this problem now. Time to rest till the skin grows back. Just keep it clean and leave mother nature to do her stuff. 
Have you been doing a lot of slides ? If so don’t press the strings quite so hard.
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I’ve never actually had my finger pad split, but what has happened to me is the skin underneath my fingernail ripping (ouch), usually when doing a choke. Haven’t found a solution except to not really play for a week, and try to prevent it by growing my left hand nails out longer.
As far as the most painful instrument… whichever one has the rustiest strings on it.
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Good comments above. The best thing to do is probably give it a little rest. That said, sometimes, the “show must go on.” Nu skin does work. There was hesitancy mentioned about using super glue… I am NOT a doctor or a chemist, or anything else which would render me worth trusting on this subject. That said, I first used super glue (cyanoacrylate, or simply CA) to fix in climbing what is called a flapper (a flap of skin attached at one end). This was many years ago and I was a bit nervous, because I was putting an industrial adhesive on myself in a way for which it wasn’t designed. BUT it worked great. So, I started using it as such when needed. It came in handy often. As time went by, they came out with a cyanoacrylate specifically used in field first aid, and now something similar is used for incision repair. NOW it could be that CA glue will cause your hair to turn blue, fingers fall off or your brain cells to flee, but I have used it, and it works wonderful.
If you have decided to follow my bad example, a few tips:
Be careful! You really can get all sorts of things stuck together. If you get some glue where you don’t want it, lightly wipe it off.
Don’t squirt it down into an open wound. Close the would and put a thin bead on the closed wound. It will tack the skin together and fill the void.
Give it time to air dry… don’t press on it to see if it is dry real quick. You will have bonded another finger to your wound.
THIN coats. You can add layers if needed.
It would probably be smart to have some CA remover handy. (I am not very smart)
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This is the wrong post to read while walking through home depot.
Just saying there’s a whole lotta options here
But this is probably a better option:
O’Keeffe’s Working Hands (okeeffescompany.com)
Try Hydrogen peroxide to remove the Cyanoacrylate
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Quick fact, crazy glue was actually used by surgeons in the vietnam war to close bad wounds. A while ago one of my buddy’s slashed his palm really bad and it was standing wide open. My mom held the wound together and put a thin bead of crazy glue on it and done. within 1 month he barely had a scar. I have never had those exact cracks on my fingers but i have had something similar and i have found that skin ointment and resting it works the best.
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Flex seal!!!
I can see the advertisements they will have for this new application
Please note, this post does not promote the use of flex seal for any medical condition.
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I personally use super glue for things like that. There might be better options, but that’s what I use.
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I can imagine Phil Swift plunging a hatchet into his thigh, sealing it up with Flex Seal and then going for a swim.
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Thanks for all the replies & suggestions everyone 
!
@Archie - havent been doing much more slides than usual, did do alot of them on the rhythm in E picking w JohnnyD post, but already had the split before then so I probably made it worse 
!
@Michael_Mark - yes, definitely ouch on that under the nailbed skin ripping away. I’ve had that too and it’s not pleasant. But I think you’re right that too short of a nail somewhat causes it/makes it worse. Rustiest strings? 
did you say rusty strings, oh my!
@Mike_R - well if you post a video and we see blue hair, then we will know why ! I can imagine my graceful (not!) self getting stuck to unintended objects or even to myself… and even if I did stick to something intentionally (like the pick to keep from losing it) it would prob end up somewhere bad like stuck to both my hand AND my face ! I’ll b sure to keep all those tips in mind if ever I go that route! As for the nu skin usage, did it flake off on, or gunk up your fretboard in any way? How long did it last before having to reapply?
@JohnnyD - omg flex seal! Haha! That was just great 
! I do use O’Keefe’s, but due to incessantly washing my hands and using hand sanitizer when out grocery shopping etc, it doesn’t stay on long enuff to be of benefit!
@Shaky_loves_banjo - the skin ointment route sounds good, but it’s like the o’Keefe’s, doesn’t stay on long enuff to work. Resting it seems to be a popular suggestion though
@AdamAsh - like I said, I’ve heard of folks that use super glue, but never actually spoke to them about it. Does it flake off onto or put a weird haze on the fretboard? How long does it last? As in 1 or 2 songs, or the rest of the nite?
@mharrison43 - THAT was hilarious!!! I can hear him now, “Phil Swift here…”
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It will wear off, but it would last a while. I can’t say how long because I haven’t used it in years. Super glue seems harder and I suspect lasts longer.
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