Currently, many dancers face calloused hands when practicing and performing pole dancing. This phenomenon can have many different causes.
They can be annoying if you don’t like how they look or if they cause pain. So you must know how to prevent hand calluses from pole dancing.
Don’t worry if you don’t know how to avoid this problem! This article provides all you need to know about this condition and how to prevent it.
Now, read carefully and proceed now!
What Causes Hand Calluses In Pole Dancers?
There are many causes of this problem, but we will cover the four most common today.
Gripping The Pole
As pole dancers grip the pole, the skin of their hands rubs against the metal or other material. This process causes friction.
Over time, this friction can lead to tears forming in the skin. As a result, as the skin heals, it can become thicker, forming a callus.
Pole dancers must often grip the pole to keep themselves steady or perform movements.
This process can put extra pressure on the hands, leading to callus formation. Besides, these dancers use a lot of upper body strength during pole dancing.
Repetitive Movements
Besides the reason above, the repetitive movements with pole dancing can contribute to calluses.
As you know, pole dancing needs a lot of upper body strength and involves repetitive movements.
These movements are usually rotation, climbing, and holding. And they can put pressure and friction on the skin of your hands.
As a result, the skin on the palms and fingers can develop calluses as a protective response to this phenomenon.
Besides, some pole dancers use aids such as chalk or grip-enhancing products. These products can improve their grip on the pole. But it can add more friction and pressure on the hand.
Improper Technique
Improper technique is one of the most common causes of calluses in pole dancers. It is why many beginner dancers suffer from calluses more often than veteran dancers.
If a pole dancer uses the wrong technique, they may put too much pressure on some specific areas. That process puts extreme pressure on the hands leading to calluses.
Lack Of Conditioning
If a pole dancer lacks conditioning, their hands may not withstand the pressure and friction of gripping the pole.
Typically, dancers must have exercised such as grip strength training, wrist flexion, and forearm plank. These exercises can increase the flexibility and ability of the hand.
When you don’t do these exercises, your body becomes stiff, and it is difficult to rotate on the pole. Thus, it will lead to excessive hand force leading to calluses.
Read more: How To Avoid Pole Dancing Bruises?
How To Prevent Hand Calluses From Pole Dancing?
So you already know the main causes of calluses. Now, let’s learn how to prevent this problem!
Use Grip Gloves Or Aids
First, tensioning the handle can create a protective layer between your hand and the pole, helping to prevent calluses from forming.
Thus, look for gloves specifically for pole dancing. These will have a non-slip grip to help you keep the pole steady.
Besides, various grip aids can help you keep the pole steady without causing undue friction on your skin. Some common grip aids include liquid chalk, hand wax, and rosin powder.
Read more: What Can I Use Instead of Pole Grip?
Moisture Your Hands
Keeping your hands moist can help prevent calluses from pole dancing. This method can reduce friction and rub with the pole.
So you must look for hand creams that contain natural moisturizers. But avoid products that contain alcohol, as this can dry out your skin.
Besides, you must apply hand cream to your hands at least twice a day or more often if your hands feel dry or rough.
Adjust Your Technique
You must hold the pole properly and use your whole hand instead of just your fingers for proper pole dancing technique.
This measure helps distribute the pressure evenly across your hand and reduces friction.
Focus on maintaining your grip with controlled movements. Besides, avoid sliding your hand up and down the pole continuously.
This technique will be difficult at first because you do not have enough hand strength.
If you are new to pole dancing, building up gradually and avoiding overexertion is important. This process can help prevent injury and reduce the risk of calluses forming.
Focus More On Your Legs
You can reduce pressure and stress on your hands by building strength and endurance in your legs.
You can try many different exercises to strengthen your legs while pole dancing. These exercises can help build muscle in your legs, improving balance and stability.
Besides, they will enhance your overall fitness level.
Remove Your Hand Jewelry
Another way to help you prevent calluses from pole dancing is to remove any hand jewelry you may be wearing. Rings, bracelets, and other jewelry can create friction and pressure on your hands.
Over time, they can lead to calluses. Thus, by removing your jewelry before starting your pole dancing session, you can reduce the risk of calluses and protect your hands.
Besides, jewelry can get caught in the pole, causing injury or damage to both you and the device. This problem is especially true for rings. They can get stuck on the pole and lead to serious injury.
Read more: Pole Dancing Outfits For Beginners To Pole Dancing Class?
Take Breaks
Resting your hands and giving them time to recover can help reduce pressure and stress on the skin. It sounds easy, but this method is very effective in preventing calluses.
This method is especially important if you are new to this activity or have not yet developed much hand strength.
You can start with shorter sessions and gradually work up to longer sessions as your hand and grip improve.
During breaks, you can stretch your arms and massage your fingers. Or you can alternate between different types of exercises.
Maintain Good Hand Hygiene
Poor hand hygiene can lead to calluses, skin irritation, and infection. So it is essential to maintain good hand hygiene to prevent calluses on hands.
One of the essential aspects of hand hygiene is frequent hand washing. You must always wash your hands before and after pole dancing, especially when using a communal pole.
We recommend using warm water and soap to wash your hands thoroughly.
Besides, you should also take steps to prevent the spread of bacteria and infection. Avoid sharing towels or grips with other pole dancers. You must regularly clean and sanitize your equipment.
How To Treat Hand Calluses?
When your hands have annoying calluses, you must take steps to reduce their impact on your daily life. Here are our suggestions to make you feel better about this problem:
Trim The Excess Skin
The first thing we would recommend is to remove the excess skin that forms the scar tissue. It is a simple and effective treatment for calluses.
This process involves using a sharp blade or pumice stone to remove the thick layer of skin that forms the callus.
Before starting this process, you must ensure that the tools are clean and sterile to avoid infection.
Use Medicated Patches
Medicated patches can help soften and moisturize the skin. It will reduce the thickness of the callus and promote healing.
Calluses patches often contain salicylic acid. It is a beta-hydroxy acid that can help exfoliate and soften the skin. They may also have other ingredients that can help dissolve dead skin cells.
But, you must be aware that while medicated patches can be effective, they may not be suitable for everyone.
If you have sensitive skin or are allergic to any of the ingredients in the patch, it is best to consult a healthcare professional before use.
Surgery
In rare cases, surgery may be necessary to treat particularly large or painful calluses.
In this procedure, doctors can remove any underlying bone spurs or other tumors contributing to scar tissue formation.
But this method is usually only recommended in cases where non-invasive methods have failed.
Conclusion
After reading this article, we are sure you already know how to prevent hand calluses from pole dancing.
Calluses on your hands can be from many activities, and they are usually not painful or permanent.
You must use the home treatments we have suggested above.
But, if they still bother you, you should talk to your dermatologist about other treatment options. For more advice about pole dancing, visit our website!
Read more: