Firstly healing the callouses.
Soak hands in warm water.
Soap vigorously when the skin is softened and warmed and use a pumice stone to rub over the surface of the callouses to reduce their height.
Dry hands carefully and apply hand cream to soften skin.
Do this every night.
Sleep with cotton gloves on to keep the cream on his hands. A lanolin based cream is good as it’s heavy and greasy. It should absorb over night.
Over time, the callouses reduce in depth and if he gets new blisters they are not so deep in the epidermis.
Secondly, prevention
He needs to learn how to tape his hands properly to protect the cut skin and give cushioning so he doesn’t aggravate them while rowing and allows the healing to continue.
We wrote an ebook about this – Blisters and Skin Injuries in Rowing
Thirdly – hygiene
His hands will get more resistant to blisters the more he rows. Develop good hand hygiene habits.
Resist the urge to use teeth to pull off skin that’s ragged.
Cut off loose skin and hang nails or burst blisters with sharp nail scissors.
Be aware of water-bourne diseases and wash hands after rowing every day and before eating and make sure his tetanus injections are up to date.
This Post Has 6 Comments
Why would you look for a cure for awesome?
Because as many rowers will point out once you have too much awesome you’re overloaded – and rowers are overloaded enough in training.
Haha true. The only thing I can suggest is having some wrist-wrapping tape on ya; that usually helps.
Is that what you usually use to prevent/protect blisters? (Any cream/lubricants?) Or are you the tough guy who just splashes alcohol over it?
Wear tape, but once they’re there, there’s not too much you can do, I think. I just try to ignore them.
Natures cure is calluses. Until nature takes it’s course use neosporene and wear golf gloves.