How To Get Rid Of Calluses On Hands From Lifting Weights?
Calluses on hands is a problem common in those individuals who like to take care of your body. Calloused hands are less likely or almost unlikely to be an issue for those who don’t. How is that? Here is how. If you are someone who likes to take care of their body, you probably also notice how your skin is too. For most people, it is the skin on their face that they pay the most attention to. But there will be some who pay attention to skin everywhere, as it’s the layer that covers and protects your body from any external material that might have otherwise got in.
To add to that, it’s the only part that is visible to everybody, the only visible aspect of the condition of your health. Also, if you like to take care of your body, you probably also work towards its fitness, and maybe also how it looks. Some might even hit the gym and lift some weights for muscle building. And here is where the issue arises. When you start lifting weights, there is quite a lot of damage that is caused to your skin because of the repeated friction and trauma of lifting weights.
The natural response of your body to this is to produce harder and sturdier skin in your hands which can then bear the friction and trauma better. Hence, calluses on hands are even referred to as weightlifting calluses. It is similar to how guitarists have calloused fingertips because of the constant friction and trauma of the strings or even your sole has calluses because the calluses on the skin help it bear friction better.
If so, then why are we answering the question of how to get rid of calluses on hands from lifting weights?
The calluses are meant to be hard and sturdy, because they are there to serve a protective purpose. The thickness and rigidity prevents the skin underneath from getting damaged, as your skin has sense that the area faces repeated trauma and thus the area needs to be protected.
However, the hardness and rigidity of the calluses on hands causes your hands to feel rough. They don’t feel like how skin typically feels. Other than this drawback, another problem with calluses is that their rigidity causes them to crack rather than bend when we curl our hands. This can cause worse cuts to the skin and even bleeding in some cases.
The existence of calloused hands is not the problem. The problem in the thickness of the calluses. If the callus is too thin, it defeats its purpose and fails to serve any protective function. And if the callus is too thick, it will be too rigid to adjust to the hands movements and be prone to cuts and rips. Both of these are bad. The callus needs to be of the perfect thickness that serves its purpose, and doesn’t inhibit your hand.
Now when it comes to lifting weights, grabbing the handle/bar of the weights by a strong fist in the first thing you do. Then, even lifting up the equipment requires you to put force via your hands. This means that your palms/hands face constant trauma. This causes the formations of the calluses in the first place. Consequently, if the callus is too thick, it can wear and tear off by the friction that will occur between your palms and the handle/bar, leading to discomfort and possibly even bleeding.
How To Get Rid Of Calluses On Hands?
Hence, when we talk about getting rid of the calluses on hands, it’s the problematic callus we are talking about. So, how to get rid of calluses on hands from lifting weights?
1. Wear gloves
A controversial idea among weightlifters, but overall all will agree that wearing gloves can prevent formation of very thick calluses. The reason being that gloves prevent or immensely lessen the impact of the friction and trauma on the palms. Subsequently, the skin does not feel the need for a thick callus.
The controversy about wearing gloves while weightlifting is in the context of gloves inhibiting the grab or hold on the weights. Since gloves limit friction, it leads to loosening of the hold on the handle/bar.
2. Chalk
If you are someone who detests the idea of wearing weight lifting gloves, go for the chalk. It will allow you to get a good grip over the weights, and also prevent stretching and trauma on the skin of your palms. This is because it dries out the sweat which allows you to get a good grip, and also keeps your skin from sticking to the metal bar, keeping it away from dragging along the metal.
However, chalk even ends up drying your skin and those weightlifting calluses too. This can worsen the callus situation on your hands and make them more prone to tears. If you wish to continue using chalk, make sure you wash your hands after your weightlifting session and moisturize them well!
3. Scrub or file them
As mentioned earlier in this article, you don’t want to completely get rid of your calluses on hands by weightlifting. They are necessary if you lift weights, it’s just that you need to put an effort in making them suitable for you. This means that you need to get their thickness adjusted to the point where it serves its function and doesn’t inhibit your workout.
Soak your calloused hands in warm water for fifteen to twenty minutes. This will make those calluses soft and easier for you to exfoliate out the excess dead skin. After doing this, make sure you apply a moisturizer on your hands to lock on the moisture in the skin.
Another way to get them to the wanted thickness is to file them. Easiest option is the pumice stone, which you can find at any store that sells beauty supplies. You can even get yourself a specialized filer made for calloused hands. If these ways do not work for you, or the things are way beyond these small remedies, visit a doctor for a faster and more effective treatment. Also, If your calluses on hands are bleeding too often, we recommend you too visit a doctor and get the necessary treatment.
How To Get Rid Of Calluses On Hands From Lifting Weights?
Calluses on hands is a problem common in those individuals who like to take care of your body. Calloused hands are less likely or almost unlikely to be an issue for those who don’t. How is that? Here is how. If you are someone who likes to take care of their body, you probably also notice how your skin is too. For most people, it is the skin on their face that they pay the most attention to. But there will be some who pay attention to skin everywhere, as it’s the layer that covers and protects your body from any external material that might have otherwise got in.
To add to that, it’s the only part that is visible to everybody, the only visible aspect of the condition of your health. Also, if you like to take care of your body, you probably also work towards its fitness, and maybe also how it looks. Some might even hit the gym and lift some weights for muscle building. And here is where the issue arises. When you start lifting weights, there is quite a lot of damage that is caused to your skin because of the repeated friction and trauma of lifting weights.
The natural response of your body to this is to produce harder and sturdier skin in your hands which can then bear the friction and trauma better. Hence, calluses on hands are even referred to as weightlifting calluses. It is similar to how guitarists have calloused fingertips because of the constant friction and trauma of the strings or even your sole has calluses because the calluses on the skin help it bear friction better.
If so, then why are we answering the question of how to get rid of calluses on hands from lifting weights?
The calluses are meant to be hard and sturdy, because they are there to serve a protective purpose. The thickness and rigidity prevents the skin underneath from getting damaged, as your skin has sense that the area faces repeated trauma and thus the area needs to be protected.
However, the hardness and rigidity of the calluses on hands causes your hands to feel rough. They don’t feel like how skin typically feels. Other than this drawback, another problem with calluses is that their rigidity causes them to crack rather than bend when we curl our hands. This can cause worse cuts to the skin and even bleeding in some cases.
The existence of calloused hands is not the problem. The problem in the thickness of the calluses. If the callus is too thin, it defeats its purpose and fails to serve any protective function. And if the callus is too thick, it will be too rigid to adjust to the hands movements and be prone to cuts and rips. Both of these are bad. The callus needs to be of the perfect thickness that serves its purpose, and doesn’t inhibit your hand.
Now when it comes to lifting weights, grabbing the handle/bar of the weights by a strong fist in the first thing you do. Then, even lifting up the equipment requires you to put force via your hands. This means that your palms/hands face constant trauma. This causes the formations of the calluses in the first place. Consequently, if the callus is too thick, it can wear and tear off by the friction that will occur between your palms and the handle/bar, leading to discomfort and possibly even bleeding.
How To Get Rid Of Calluses On Hands?
Hence, when we talk about getting rid of the calluses on hands, it’s the problematic callus we are talking about. So, how to get rid of calluses on hands from lifting weights?
1. Wear gloves
A controversial idea among weightlifters, but overall all will agree that wearing gloves can prevent formation of very thick calluses. The reason being that gloves prevent or immensely lessen the impact of the friction and trauma on the palms. Subsequently, the skin does not feel the need for a thick callus.
The controversy about wearing gloves while weightlifting is in the context of gloves inhibiting the grab or hold on the weights. Since gloves limit friction, it leads to loosening of the hold on the handle/bar.
2. Chalk
If you are someone who detests the idea of wearing weight lifting gloves, go for the chalk. It will allow you to get a good grip over the weights, and also prevent stretching and trauma on the skin of your palms. This is because it dries out the sweat which allows you to get a good grip, and also keeps your skin from sticking to the metal bar, keeping it away from dragging along the metal.
However, chalk even ends up drying your skin and those weightlifting calluses too. This can worsen the callus situation on your hands and make them more prone to tears. If you wish to continue using chalk, make sure you wash your hands after your weightlifting session and moisturize them well!
3. Scrub or file them
As mentioned earlier in this article, you don’t want to completely get rid of your calluses on hands by weightlifting. They are necessary if you lift weights, it’s just that you need to put an effort in making them suitable for you. This means that you need to get their thickness adjusted to the point where it serves its function and doesn’t inhibit your workout.
Soak your calloused hands in warm water for fifteen to twenty minutes. This will make those calluses soft and easier for you to exfoliate out the excess dead skin. After doing this, make sure you apply a moisturizer on your hands to lock on the moisture in the skin.
Another way to get them to the wanted thickness is to file them. Easiest option is the pumice stone, which you can find at any store that sells beauty supplies. You can even get yourself a specialized filer made for calloused hands. If these ways do not work for you, or the things are way beyond these small remedies, visit a doctor for a faster and more effective treatment. Also, If your calluses on hands are bleeding too often, we recommend you too visit a doctor and get the necessary treatment.