Help For Early-Season Blisters

[mcanadiens]

So I finally escaped the office and hit my first balls in anger for this season. This morning I woke up with a nasty, painful blister on my left, middle finger about a quarter inch from the base and slightly toward the top (or left) of the center.  

I've never had a blister in this particular spot, so in order of importance:

1) What's the best way of dealing with the blister so that it doesn't cause problems during my already agreed to match tomorrow?

and

2) How strongly does this suggest I'm doing something very stupid with my grip? Or maybe does it suggests that I'm finally doing something correctly with my grip and my hands aren't used to it yet?

Edited April 27, 2018 by mcanadiens

[billchao]

2 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

1) What's the best way of dealing with the blister so that it doesn't cause problems during my already agreed to match tomorrow?

Tape it. I would pop it with a sterile needle first but I forget if you're actually supposed to do that or not.

5 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

2) How strongly does this suggest I'm doing something very stupid with my grip? Or maybe does it suggests that I'm finally doing something correctly with my grip and my hands aren't used to it yet?

Sounds like you have the grip too much in your palms and there's a gap there that's rubbing against your finger as you swing.

Your skin should get tender before it callouses, but not blister. The callouses on my left middle finger are on and around the first joint.

[ncates00]

12 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

So I finally escaped the office and hit my first balls in anger for this season. This morning I woke up with a nasty, painful blister on my left, middle finger about a quarter inch from the base and slightly toward the top (or left) of the center.  

I've never had a blister in this particular spot, so in order of importance:

1) What's the best way of dealing with the blister so that it doesn't cause problems during my already agreed to match tomorrow?

and

2) How strongly does this suggest I'm doing something very stupid with my grip? Or maybe does it suggests that I'm finally doing something correctly with my grip and my hands aren't used to it yet?

1. To get through your match, clean the area, apply super glue and let dry.  Then cover that bad boy with some band aids.

2. Never had one there.  I get some friction and peeling on some other fingers, but not the middle finger of the bottom hand.

[lastings]

slap a band-aid on that sucker and get back to the range.  it'll callous over in no time. 

[mcanadiens]

Thanks for the advice fellows. 

1 hour ago, billchao said:

Sounds like you have the grip too much in your palms and there's a gap there that's rubbing against your finger as you swing.

The grip wasn't really something I was thinking much about yesterday and at this point in the season anything is possible. 

I'll be paying attention to it tomorrow. 

Edited April 27, 2018 by mcanadiens

[Patch]

Tape it, and wear a glove.

Blisters are caused by friction. Friction means the club.grip is rubbing, and / or moving in your hands too excessively. It's probably moving a  few layers of skin against he meaty part of the area. 

I also believe getting calluses, without blisters first, is the best way to go.

It would stand to reason that if the club grip is moving in your hands, that the club face is impacting the ball differently than what you had at address, which could cause errant ball flights. 

I swing a club most every day. If you looked at my hands, you'd swear I never touched a club in my life. Then again, I also wear two gloves.

[dennyjones]

4 hours ago, mcanadiens said:

So I finally escaped the office and hit my first balls in anger for this season. This morning I woke up with a nasty, painful blister on my left, middle finger about a quarter inch from the base and slightly toward the top (or left) of the center.  

I've never had a blister in this particular spot, so in order of importance:

1) What's the best way of dealing with the blister so that it doesn't cause problems during my already agreed to match tomorrow?

and

2) How strongly does this suggest I'm doing something very stupid with my grip? Or maybe does it suggests that I'm finally doing something correctly with my grip and my hands aren't used to it yet?

@billchao was correct for dealing with a blister that still has the skin attached.   Take a sterile needle and pop the blister and place a bandaid or medical tape over the blister.  The draw back here is if you are creating a blister in the first place the bandage could rub off leaving you in a bad situation.   I've found medical tape works well.

If the skin has been removed,  @ncates00's suggestion with the super glue is correct.   They use super glue in the emergency room, I know, been there done that.

Either way it shouldn't keep you from playing.   Good luck.   

[SmiterofPV1x]

As a legal drug dealer (run a drug store/pharmacy) I'm finally qualified to offer an opinion. Hooray! 

Ive seen some miracles worked overnight with vitamin E. If you can't find vitamin E oil, just buy the softgels of it, pop, and apply. It's truly a miracle in how it works, I've seen blisters 100% gone the next day. Good stuff. 

Wear a glove if that fails. I'm dealing with a nasty dog bite on my right index finger that I should have got stitched up. I had to play with a right hand glove for the first time ever my past two rounds. I played terrible so I blame the right hand glove, but honestly I think I just played terrible. It was a massive PITA to constantly be puting on two gloves but I couldn't have played otherwise. One of my drivers has a MCC +4 Align grip on it. That club can't be hit until my finger heals as it just shreds around the bite, something you may have to consider too. 

Good luck!!

[SmiterofPV1x]

Forgot to add the disclaimer; this is just something that I've found in life that works for me and others I know.  It may or may not work for you and should not be construed as medical advice. I am not able to properly evaluate your particular condition therefore this may or may not work for you. Proceed at your own risk. 

Whew. Barely was able to salvage that one:)

[dennyjones]

11 hours ago, SmiterofPV1x said:

Ive seen some miracles worked overnight with vitamin E. If you can't find vitamin E oil, just buy the softgels of it, pop, and apply. It's truly a miracle in how it works, I've seen blisters 100% gone the next day. Good stuff. 

Are you suggesting that you rub the vitamin E oil on the blister?   That's something I've not heard and would be a great idea to put in my back pocket when needed (not literally).   Very nice.

[colin007]

BITE IT OFF.

[SmiterofPV1x]

11 hours ago, dennyjones said:

Are you suggesting that you rub the vitamin E oil on the blister?   That's something I've not heard and would be a great idea to put in my back pocket when needed (not literally).   Very nice.

Yes Mr Jones. Vitamin E oil has amazing recuperative properties. I first learned about this when I played HS Football (American style!) and suffered through 3-a-days back in the day that dinosaurs roamed and concussions were thought of as "derrrr... I got my bell rung..derrrrrrr" lol. 

I cannot stres this enough that I am speaking from personal experience and not as a/your medical professional. But I'd try it next time your skin needs to heal fast. It's no joke a miracle for blisters, etc (standard disclaimer that this should not be construed as medical advice, I cannot nor would I ever diagnose and treat an ailment based upon talk simply on the interweb). Vitamin E oil though does seem to have some serious healing qualities, at least in some percentage of the population. I had many days that I'd go limping off the practice field, 15# lighter than when I stepped on it 8 hours prior. Feet blistered to the point that I didn't think I'd make it the next day. Applied some miracle juice, presto/good to go and ready to lose 15# of water weight the next day. 

Stay hydrated and if you have blisters consider giving this low cost alternative a shot. I'm speaking from personal experience and am not diagnosing, treating, or intending to cure, but for me personally it worked miracles. Sharing personal experience with it only. Your mileage can and may vary. 

[Buckeyebowman]

If you are raising blisters, or developing callouses, that means that your grip is crap! Sam Snead played a million years on tour, and I read an article where he said he never had a blister or callous from his grip!

[SmiterofPV1x]

11 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

If you are raising blisters, or developing callouses, that means that your grip is crap! Sam Snead played a million years on tour, and I read an article where he said he never had a blister or callous from his grip!

Mr Buckeyebowman, I'm not sure Mr Snead has too much to share in commonality with the rest of us mortals! Good on him if he didn't develop these! I work a professional job and my meaty hands are as soft as a baby's bottom. They are susceptible to blisters and callouses. In fact if I play frequently I'm bound to get them. My left middle finger in particular always gets one at the base and one by the 2nd/last joint. Always. I'm sure my grip is crap compared to his. I'm also sure the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. 

I'd be willing to bet that ANY of us would get blisters/callouses if we hit balls 6+ hours a day. Comparing one of the all time greats to us isn't very fair. I saw a picture of a tour players hands recently (I'm sorry I can't quote it but I forget who it was!). In the heading it stated "Beware! Graphic Content!" They looked like they went through a meat grinder, twice. It was UGLY. It wasn't Sam Snead but it was the look of a pair of hands that practices golf a TON. Chewed up, spit out, regurgitated, then started over again. Ugly. So if Mr Snead was able to get through his career without chewing his hands up, great. I don't think it was normal even for that level. On a personal note the few tour players hands I've shook, they've all felt like sandpaper. Tiger wears medical tape on his fingers. Just as an example. 

Have a great night, golfing friend! 

[boogielicious]

10 hours ago, SmiterofPV1x said:

Yes Mr Jones. Vitamin E oil has amazing recuperative properties. I first learned about this when I played HS Football (American style!) and suffered through 3-a-days back in the day that dinosaurs roamed and concussions were thought of as "derrrr... I got my bell rung..derrrrrrr" lol. 

I cannot stres this enough that I am speaking from personal experience and not as a/your medical professional. But I'd try it next time your skin needs to heal fast. It's no joke a miracle for blisters, etc (standard disclaimer that this should not be construed as medical advice, I cannot nor would I ever diagnose and treat an ailment based upon talk simply on the interweb). Vitamin E oil though does seem to have some serious healing qualities, at least in some percentage of the population. I had many days that I'd go limping off the practice field, 15# lighter than when I stepped on it 8 hours prior. Feet blistered to the point that I didn't think I'd make it the next day. Applied some miracle juice, presto/good to go and ready to lose 15# of water weight the next day. 

Stay hydrated and if you have blisters consider giving this low cost alternative a shot. I'm speaking from personal experience and am not diagnosing, treating, or intending to cure, but for me personally it worked miracles. Sharing personal experience with it only. Your mileage can and may vary. 

You should probably let folks know the difference between tocopherol and tocopheryl acetate. Consumers can get easily confused by labeling. I assume you are recommending tocopherol. 

[Vinsk]

2 hours ago, boogielicious said:

You should probably let folks know the difference between tocopherol and tocopheryl acetate. Consumers can get easily confused by labeling. I assume you are recommending tocopherol. 

For dermatological purposes I would assume he’s referring to Tocopheryl acetate. 

[Valleygolfer]

You need to grip your club like a baby bird.... 🤣😅😅

[mcanadiens]

Thanks everyone. Used a needle and popped it.  Hit it with bactine and wrapped. Didn't play real well. But the blister was no problem.