Hand rash after skiing

[Waternut]

I get a rash on the base of my middle and ring fingers any time I ski more than one set. Always on the ring finger and on the edge of the middle finger next to the ring finger. It doesn't really itch but usually hard and a little painful like ant bites or something and lasts at least a week. Looks like an allergic reaction maybe from the kevlar in my gloves but it doesn't make any sense that it wouldn't be on the other fingers. I've been through 3 sets of gloves and all do the same thing.

 

Anyone else get this or have any idea what it is?

[Texas6]

Do you have any other rashes? You should start with those:)

[Than_Bogan]

I'm assuming you're not wearing a ring while skiing?

[Waternut]

No not wearing a ring but I started wearing the Overtons palm protectors last year. They cut down on the palm calluses but never did anything to ease the finger issues. I do use elliptical handles so I grip the rope more in my fingers....could be part of it.

[gmut]

If you have been exposed to poison ivy or poison oak your gloves might be contaminated in that area. It happens..... clean the inside of your glove.

[Chef23]

Try a non-Kevlar glove.

[Waternut]

@gmut it's definitely not poison ivy. Haven't come in contact with that stuff in years thankfully. It happens with way too many gloves for way too long for it to be a contamination IMO.

 

@chef23 Yes that is my next course of action. Planning to try out another glove without Kevlar after I try out a round handle. Thinking since the elliptical handles crush right where I get my rashes, maybe a handle that puts more pressure on my palms will help before dropping more coin on new gloves.

[gcam4]

@Waternut we ski with someone who is allergic to lots of manmade fibers. He got tested by the dermatologist and found out all the things he is allergic to. He has to where 100% cotton gloves under his ski gloves as well as a t-shirt under his life jacket.

[BraceMaker]

Does the finger tip discolor white or purple?

[Waternut]

Finger tips...no problems. Just right at the base of the fingers before the first knuckle. Probably should've taken pictures of this earlier but this is after a week. A little bumpy and a little reddish brown still there. Always in the same places and it's always symmetric on both hands. Never had it anywhere else. Starting to sound like a very unique case and not something anyone else deals with though so if new handles and gloves don't solve it, might be worth a trip to the dermatologist.

 

 

 

[Gloersen]

@Waternut - consider microbial etiology

[DmaxJC_ski]

@Waternut Seems like a stretch, but do you get it no matter what water you ski in? Or just your home lake? Have you tried wearing just a plain latex glove inside your gloves as a berrier to see if that makes a difference?

[Waternut]

@DmaxJC_ski That's actually a tough question. I do know that the worst I get it is on a friends private ski lake because that's when I'm skiing the longest and hardest. When skiing on my lake, it's generally open water so I'm doing an extended ski pass...I figure 3-4 passes worth with only 1-2 deep water starts but all at once. I'll often do 2 sets like that on open water. On a ski course, it's more like 6-8 full passes and 6-8 deep water starts with 2 sets of that. Course skiing is obviously more punishing on everything but I'm still skiing 34mph and somewhere between 28-35 off even on open water.

 

I'm got a bunch of nitrile gloves....I may try that sometime. I'm sure it'll feel weird but if nothing else, might even help with calluses just by keeping my hands dry.

[gregy]

Might be warts. Friend of mine had the problem years ago. Something about friction stimulates them. Look just like what you have. I think after a few years it went away.

[DmaxJC_ski]

@Waternut I was curious if different water affects it differently. If you try some latex gloves inside your ski gloves it will eliminate that aspect

[Waternut]

So I tried my same setup with just a new round handle instead of an elliptical handle. Wears my palms a little more but zero problems with my fingers. I'm guessing the point loads on my fingers of the sharp front end of the handle can't take that abuse.

[Jdubs]

I am no doctor so take this with a grain of salt, but I don't think you have a rash. You have what looks more like a hickey type of problem. Skiing hard causes me get them too. The smallest blood vessels in your body are called capillaries. When somebody is putting pinching type pressure on their skin, they can cause the capillaries just beneath the surface to rupture, letting blood seep out into the surrounding tissue. So, hickey like bruises, are actually broken blood vessels just under the surface of the skin that blood has come out of. The blood that has collected and clotted under the skin is generally red at first but then, as it is no longer getting oxygen, the blood dries out and turns into a darker purple or brown color.

[Waternut]

@Jdubs based on today's skiing with a round handle vs a sharper elliptical handle confirms what you're talking about. Thanks for the help. Guess I need to either stay away from elliptical handles or use them sparingly.

[Horton]

Elliptical handle? Just say NO!

[Jdubs]

Glad to help. A handle (round not elliptical) with a larger diameter as well as loosening up your grip might also help.