Any ideas how teenage ds can toughen up his hands? They always blister when it's too hot for gloves

[CamillaSalander]

He has really weirdo skin on his hands - he gets blisters in all sports, riding, sailing, climbing, you name it.

I have suggested lots of washing up.

Yard work - mucking out, sweeping, carrying buckets. My callouses have callouses...

I second what Callisto says, but why don't you just get some of those really cheap thin cotton riding gloves(the ones that cost about 2pound on Robinsons), they only last a few months before they wear through but they do protect delicate hands and are fine however hot it is.

Gymnasts are told to pee on their hands to toughen them up. DS prefers to use lotion with urea in. I don't know if it works because you would think that it would soften them rather than toughen them up.

Yard work, yeah. Only I'd prefer a personal statement out of him atm! (UCAS looms...)

But the urea thing is interesting. Flexitol (for horrible heels) has urea in - I wonder if that would do it. I could do with a solution other than hard manual work, which he knows would cure him. I should think urea lotion just makes the skin more malleable so less likely to blister.

Thanks for the gloves tip, too. Might get some for myself, as well.

just wear gloves, i never ride without gloves however hot. I have ones that are even cooler than the cotton jobbies from robinsons but they are up in the tack room and i'm afraid i'm too lazy to unlock and walk up there right now, I always buy them from places like Bramham where there are loads on display to compare.

Thanks, Loshad. Will deffo look into cool gloves.

Try rubbing them with surgical spirit. Recommended by guitar playing friend!

I always ride in gloves; I have summer ones and winter ones and just couldn't imagine not wearing them. Gd is going through a no gloves phase at the moment but I think autumn hunting will sort that one out

Thanks, Talkingnonsense. I thought I'd heard that surgical spirit could be used for that.

It's my ambition to be hunting when I'm in my eighties. Oh, OK then, in my sixties. I haven't ever hunted yet, but aim to do it "when I'm older".

I always ride with gloves too, whatever the weather

Just about to take up riding again and am allergic to horses so will have to wear gloves all year round otherwise I am scratching my hands to shreds afterwards. It is fine to wear gloves whatever the weather!

I HATE wearing gloves to ride. I never do - even if it's freezing - the reins slip through my hands so much.