What's the best prevention against paper-cut like injuries?

[salcero1]

I wanted to ask members of this forum are there any prevention methods to guard against developing paper cut like injuries in the folds of fingers while playing for an extended period of time? Does taping of the fingers or using shea butter, lanolin or good quality hand cream beforehand help? Perhaps a combination of both tape and any of the aforementioned creams or butter would do the trick or is there another solution method for this problem? I play with synthetic as well as natural heads, mainly goat on the Macho & mule on the Hembra or Remo fiberskyn synthetic heads on both. I practice daily for about 90 minutes and at times extend my playing to 2.5 hrs. Throughout the years I have not developed thick callouses as a conguero would but I do suffer from a diabetic condition which makes the nerve endings on the tips and folds of my fingers extremely sensitive to pressure changes while playing the bongos. Thank you for you views and helpful insights concerning this subject in advance. Jorge

[goingquinto]

sounds like a dryness problem maybe? I used to get those kind of cracks sometimes when I used to play djembe. I would try shea butter, but it is kind of greasy. It might get on synth heads and be hard to get off. Maybe you could find something a little less greasy. I also find sometimes my hands get really dry when I'm not drinking enough water. Hydrate from the inside. I guess my body pulls moisture from extrmities first. Hope this helps. I'm sure some others might have some ideas about a non-greasy lotion/salve.

[salcero1]

I have used pure lanolin which comes in a small jar and has a vaseline-like consistancy. I use a very small amount on the palms and fingertips of my hands rubbing it well until it disappears and in essence some gets transferred to the heads while playing. I've read where it helps maintain the smoothness, feel, and elasticity of natural heads but I still develop these painful cuts or breaking of the skin in the folds of my fingers. Hydration is not a problem here because as a diabetic I'm limited to what I may drink and water is my #1 beverage daily. I drink many glasses throughout the day and evening. Shea butter I presumed would be too greasy for me. I have seen many a professional bongocero and conguero use tape on their fingertips and was wondering if this helps them from developing such injuries after playing long sets at gigs. I don't play heavy handed either just light strikes and crisp slaps, a very basic non-show boating style. I tend to follow John Dandy Rodriguez' techniques whom I greatly admire but not quite with his intensity on solos and such. Thank you for your response Quinto.

[Anonimo]

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[salcero1]

Cuco,
It does make sense to break up the practice into smaller time intervals which would give my hands time to heal without the intensity and length of time constantly hitting the drums during my longer practice sessions. I do hydrate well and follow my physicians advice on what is best for me to eat and drink throughout my daily schedule. I will investigate the cream for diabetics you had suggested and see if this helps me otherwise I need to do a little more research until the right solution is found to benefit and solve my problem. Thank you.

[Anonimo]

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[salcero1]

I experience this problem more so in the winter months when the air is drier than the summer and autumn months when the air is humid and has more moisture. My primary care physician is well aware of this problem of mine and gave me a lotion but it didn't seem to do the trick. I will ask my doctor for a referral to see a dermatologist within the VA medical center here in Manhattan where I go for my medical issues. Again thank you for the input and advice.

[bongosnotbombs]

I use shea butter, it's not too greasy. Give it a try, what do you have to lose? If it works, cool, if you don't like it toss it, it's not expensive.

[Anonimo]

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[salcero1]

BNB,
Doesn't shea butter contain lanolin, aloe or both? If so I have tried lotions with this compound mix along with pure lanolin and it's just not doing me justice. I will ask the dermatologist of the shea butter to see if it is a good resolution to my problem before I purchase anything else. Good tip thank you.

[RitmoBoricua]

[quote="leedy2 Same happens to me winter is the worst time heaters running what doctor prescribe is regular hand lotion dermatologist definitely will give some better . You know I get a lot of dryness in summer if I go in pool at the house from the chlorine in pool.[/quote]

Same thing happens to me my finger tips split open and bleed. Also during winter I have to thoroughly warm-up before I can really play without discomfort. The callouses in my hands get real big in the winter and tender. I have to lubricate my skin real well in winter. I also use band-aids to protect my fingers in winter. During warm weather I have no problems.

[bongosnotbombs]

BNB,
Doesn't shea butter contain lanolin, aloe or both? If so I have tried lotions with this compound mix along with pure lanolin and it's just not doing me justice. I will ask the dermatologist of the shea butter to see if it is a good resolution to my problem before I purchase anything else. Good tip thank you.

Pure Shea butter contains neither of those things. It is the butter of a nut that comes from a tree in Africa. Give it a try, it's typically only a few dollars.

[Ernesto Pediangco]

Aside from using lotions & shea butter...consider Corn Huskers lotion ! Dehydration will happen just from playing skins which soaks up the natural moisture from your hands & fingers. Even plastic will ! But...I discovered that wrapping my fingers with sports wrap tape ~ ( not to tightly since that cuts circulation ) will keep my skin & the flesh of my fingers from over stretching from the impact of playing skins for 2 to 3 hours of gigs, some times more ! The tape also seals in the moisture so my skin remains flexible & elastic. Dry skin cracks open because we over stretch it beyond its natural elasticity, like when you drop a fruit on the floor, it rips open by tearing caused by similar impact. A smoother drum head also reduces friction which pulls at the skin. I have some times used fine sand paper to smooth out the rough Asian Bison heads & eventually just rejected Asian Bison heads except when having no other choice but to play some one elses drum. My hands are naturally dry since I work a lot w/ my hands. I do construction & everything I touch, drys my hands, builds callouses, or requires frequent washing which also removes natural oils in the skin. Most hand lotions & butters, are only on the exterior of your hands & fingers, but the water in them is absorbed and the other contents of the lotions are largely wasted. Too much oils & greasy stuff soak into the heads & con tribute to bacteria growth ! Aloe Vera is a good treatment to your hands, but allow time for it to soak in & then....tape up the areas that take the most damage ~ Like the tips of fingers from the slapping strokes. BTW...don't neglect to sanitise the drum heads once in a while ~ fungus & bacteria do accumulate.

[salcero1]

BTW...don't neglect to sanitise the drum heads once in a while ~ fungus & bacteria do accumulate.

Ernesto,
Can you explain best what to do in order to sanitize a drum-head? Would a damp hot towel moistened with just hot water or an anti-bacterial fluid be applied to wipe down the drum-heads and let thoroughly dry? If not what would be the correct procedure for this process?

[jorge]

I agree with most of the suggestions above. Here is a list of things that can help, probably no single one will be enough.

1) Trying to play unamplified bongos over loud and amplified instruments in a salsa band can really hurt your hands. Get and learn to use a good microphone. I recommend Shure SM57, experiment with mic placement to get the sound you want, you can even put it under your seat behind the bongo, maybe about a foot in back of the mouths of the drums.
2) Oral hydration is necessary but not sufficient. You also need to keep the moisture in your skin from evaporating, which happens more in the dry heated indoor air of NYC winters. Grease (lanolin, manteca de corojo, shea butter, etc) helps but even better are moisturizing skin lotions containing urea, like Eucerin. Urea is the chemical in urine that underlies the drummers' tradition of urinating on your hands.
3) Put the bandaids on the vulnerable parts of your fingers before you play, don't wait until you have pain or splittng skin. If the skin is splitting, put a little triple antibiotic ointiment on it before putting the bandaid on. Carry bandaids with you to all gigs.
4) Avoid playing with cold hands. If you have to play and your hands are cold, find a sink with warm water and hold them under the warm water until they are warm. Be careful not to burn yourself.
5) Use the oil or grease based creams on your hands after bathing or otherwise wetting your skin and letting the water soak into the skin.
6) Occasionally cleaning cuero drum heads with a little alcohol on a paper towel can help prevent buildup of dirt, dead skin, and, in humid climates, mildew and other mold. I usually follow that with some manteca de corojo on the drum skin to replace some of the oils removed by the alcohol. Careful because alcohol dries the skin on your hands too.
7) Infection prevention is important, especially for diabetics. Preventing splitting by the above methods and using triple antibiotic ointment and bandaids when you do get broken skin can help a lot. Trim your cuticles carefully to prevent splits that can tear more as you play, although you don't need major manicures like Tata Guines and Giovanni Hidalgo!