Antihydral

So, after having this stuff recommended to me by several people over the past few months I'm now trying it and it is amazing. It turns skin into callous quickly and thereby reduces the sweatiness of your hands. Make sure not to use too much or use it too often as it'll crack your skin (bummer), twice a week does the job just fine. Also, make sure you stop if your hands look like they are turning greenish. To use it apply a thin layer to your tips (not in the cracks between pads) and let dry. Keep it on for 20-30 min or longer. I usually apply before bed and keep it on overnight but I don't think anything is to be gained once 45 minutes have passed.

I just love it, I have to chalk up so much less when it is hot out. Since using it I can climb even more days of the year and enjoy myself.

Anyone else use this stuff?

Edit to add to orginal post:

Sorry,

Antihydral

Stupid me forgot to include the name and link.

what is "this stuff"??

Who all has used this stuff? I found a few blog posts from climbers using antihydral on google. Seems like all the feedback is good, just looking for more opinions.

Do you just put it on your tips? Once, twice a week? All the time, or just the week before a big trip? Do you combine with ClimbOn, lotion, nothing? Any and all info is appreciated.

I have pretty moist skin and I after a few days of climbing I tend to get raw tips. No cracks, just worn down epidermis and tender, oozy tips. I use a lot of chalk most of the time, and once I start getting the oozy tips, my skin just soaks it up.

So it seems like antihydral would be really good for me, but it also kinda freaks me out. Just looking to gather some more data before I drop 30 bucks on a tube.

sanz wrote:Who all has used this stuff? I found a few blog posts from climbers using antihydral on google. Seems like all the feedback is good, just looking for more opinions. Do you just put it on your tips? Once, twice a week? All the time, or just the week before a big trip? Do you combine with ClimbOn, lotion, nothing? Any and all info is appreciated. I have pretty moist skin and I after a few days of climbing I tend to get raw tips. No cracks, just worn down epidermis and tender, oozy tips. I use a lot of chalk most of the time, and once I start getting the oozy tips, my skin just soaks it up. So it seems like antihydral would be really good for me, but it also kinda freaks me out. Just looking to gather some more data before I drop 30 bucks on a tube.

I only use it in the summer. Once before I go to bed and once in the morning when I get up. I also use it on my feet to prevent blisters.

Ray Pinpillage wrote: I only use it in the summer. Once before I go to bed and once in the morning when I get up. I also use it on my feet to prevent blisters.

What ray said is exactly how i use it. Yes, its amazing and it keeps my tips from getting destroyed on short trips to hueco.

The key is not to use too much and I try to only apply it to the pads on the tips of my fingers with care not to let it get into the cracks out of fear of deep/painful splitters.

That being said, i feel like i have to take especially good care of my skin when i'm using this, i bring an emery board to sand down any loose skin that could catch on a hold between burns and try especially hard to wear gloves doing the dishes also. It makes a difference!

It's the secret sauce of the pros... It also causes brain cancer but since I am unable to read the label I cannot confirm!

I read that this stuff causes possible behavioral side effects, gambling, compulsive eating, anal leakage, an increased heart rate, and erections that last more than 4 hrs. Hardly seems worth it. I'll just go purchase an emery board instead.

I use it a couple of times a week for periods of harder climbing. Seems starting with it before your tips are hurting is key for me with my really moist hands.

Like sipping your finger tips in wax.

jarthur wrote:I read that this stuff causes possible behavioral side effects, gambling, compulsive eating, anal leakage, an increased heart rate, and erections that last more than 4 hrs. Hardly seems worth it. I'll just go purchase an emery board instead.

Clearly, you are not dedicated enough!

what if i already had those symptoms before, is antihydral right for me?

8 hour erections

I use this stuff in the pre-season when I need to get my skin in shape. I do the overnight approach. A dot on each tip, just covering the pad. Im careful to keep it out of my seems. I do it 3 days in a row. I find that anymore my skin will become too hard. In the shower I'll notice my skin will want to wrinkle, but cant; that's where I stop. In addition to that, I use a fine-grit sand paper & this hand cream:

amazon.com/Neutrogena-Norwe…

Word of caution with Antihydral: Dont go overboard with it. If you notice it's causing your tips to become glassy, stop & file down your skin. I had a friend go through this. It had the effect of decreasing friction on holds. He ended up blasting off a crimp and wrecking a tendon.

More important is general skin care. Yes, you can have too much callus on your tips. Use sand paper. If your skin has holes, file down the edges and keep them slightly moisturized & CLEAN. Treat a flapper like you would a slight pulley injury(REST!). If I go completely through a tip or seam, I'll take the day to belay friends on their project or climb really easy pitches. Otherwise you're just prolonging the issue.

Also, I keep sand paper & nail clippers with me at the crag. Im proactive with trimming skin tags & filing/clipping edges.

I also belay using gloves. If you do the same, I'd highly recommend chalking your hands and waiting a few minutes before starting the tying in ritual.

I have very dry skin and my tips and more frequently, my joints get splits. I've found that I can keep most of this at bay by using O'Keefe's working hands on a near daily basis.

I've always assumed that because of this, Antihydral was wrong for me.

I do have very sensitive and thin skin though as a result of using the O'keefe's. I'm good for only one day of really sharp climbing every 4 at best. If it's not that sharp, 2 on 3 off.

Would it be possible to use the Antihydral only on my tips, keep up with the O'keefes, and be both thick and flexible with no splits?

I have a tube of antihydral, I've been scared to open it.

If anyone wants a tube I ordered extra to save on shipping. $20/tube, will deliver anywhere in Boulder.

I don't use chalk and use this when temps broach ninety - works well.

Kris S wrote:

If anyone wants a tube I ordered extra to save on shipping. $20/tube, will deliver anywhere in Boulder.

Would you deliver to Arizona?.

I use rhino products "dry" formula. It works pretty damn well. The active ingredient is methenamine which I believe is in most antihydral products.
My hands sweat like crazy, and without it they never build up any worthwhile calluses.
I clean my hands well, let them dry,  and apply right before I go to sleep. I apply across my whole hand. Only once a week though. One week I was climbing a lot and I applied it 3 times. All of the skin on my palms peeled off, oops. My tips were fine though.
Of note, I have always had terrible hangnails. Chalk definitely exacerbates the peeling. I started experimenting with the dry around my cuticles and it seems to have really helped.
I guess you'll just need to weigh pink baby skin hands against anal leakage. I have been happy with my decision.

I used that on a trip to El Pot for about 5 days and my fingertips basically fell off completely after the trip. It was also sharp limestone for 5 days but I blame the antihydral 

Antihydral is aid, also YGD!!!!

I got a tube of this stuff from a foosball website.  I remember reading somewhere that the active ingredient is some type of formaldehyde analogue which denatures the proteins in your sweat gland ducts causing them to plug up for a few days.

I used it more when I was starting out and my weak skin kept getting torn up.  This stuff thickened the skin up really nice.  Less chalk needed was a nice added benefit.  I had to sand my skin down regularly it was getting so thick! Now that I've been climbing for a few years, my skin seems to have naturally toughened, or maybe my technique is better and I'm not thrutching so hard and I'm easier on my skin (?).

I use it less now, mostly when I'm gonna be climbing in super hot weather.

I’m going straight from dryer-than-hell-Bishop to Thailand next month, will this help with dealing with the humidity?