Painful Fingernails After Diving

[Woland]

My fingernails almost always hurt a bit for a few hours after diving. Is this something I should be worried about, or relatively normal?

Thanks.

Woland

 

[Bob3]

Your problem isn't normal, I'd look at your gloves, are they too tight? Fingers too short? Cuffs too snug? Are you a nail biter, or someone that soaks their hands in dishwater & etc?
Diving in icewater and/or digging in the sand w/o gloves or mitts will make your fingernails hurt, too.

 

[Woland]

Your problem isn't normal, I'd look at your gloves, are they too tight? Fingers too short? Cuffs too snug? Are you a nail biter, or someone that soaks their hands in dishwater & etc?
Diving in icewater and/or digging in the sand w/o gloves or mitts will make your fingernails hurt, too.

My gloves seem to fit fine, but maybe the cuff is a bit too tight. My hands yesterday were purple when I came out of the water on my second dive. I guess that's bad, eh?

I don't bite my nails or do many dishes, so I guess that's out, and nope, I am wearing gloves and not doing any digging, but the water here in the NW is pretty chilly (50-55).

Thanks. I'll look into some other gloves and give them a shot.

Woland

PS - I am wearing a wetsuit, not a drysuit.

 

[Bob3]

Yah, purple isn't a good color for hands to be. Assuming you don't otherwise have a circulation problem, my best guess would be something restricting circulation anywhere between the hand up to the shoulder.
I can get 4 hours out of 3-finger mitts in icewater & still have comfy hands using a semi-dry/wet mitt.

 

[SteFord]

My gloves seem to fit fine, but maybe the cuff is a bit too tight. My hands yesterday were purple when I came out of the water on my second dive. I guess that's bad, eh?

I don't bite my nails or do many dishes, so I guess that's out, and nope, I am wearing gloves and not doing any digging, but the water here in the NW is pretty chilly (50-55).

Thanks. I'll look into some other gloves and give them a shot.

Woland

PS - I am wearing a wetsuit, not a drysuit.

Sounds like circulation causing the color change, which could be caused by something other than the gloves. I get painful nails once in a while if I dive with my "cold" gloves and haven't trimmed my nails lately. Seems to be just a micro cut sometimes at the edge of my nail. Gloves should be snug, not tight. Many of the heavy gloves have an elastic band that wraps your wrists and there's a tendency to grab that sucker and pull it as tight as possible. You probably can't feel the snugness of that strap through a wetsuit, so if you feel the strap, it's probably too tight.
S.

 

[lissette]

Woland, i find that my nails will hurt for a few hours after the dive and discovered it was because i was kind of digging my nails into my wetsuit when i was pulling it on. I keep my nails short before a dive and try not to use my fingertips when i put my suit on or adjusting it.

 

[Spoon]

My gloves seem to fit fine, but maybe the cuff is a bit too tight. My hands yesterday were purple when I came out of the water on my second dive. I guess that's bad, eh?


that defintely aint normal, check your circulation, that could be the problem. good luck

 

[wylerbear]

Do you keep your fingernails really short? I find that my fingernails hurt right after I've cut them very short. Once they've grown just a bit they don't bother me at all. Don't know if that's your problem but it is something I've noticed.