Black and Blue Fingers (Page 2 of 2)

I suggest always when someone starts playing the guitar, to think about a few things.
The water theory was written very often and it is 100% correct.
There are some "condom like" rubbers, you can put over your fingers, but it's only a little delay of execution.
Didn't you start to fast and to long playing the guitar? What kind of strings do you use?
Using thick strings will cause more pain, and of course what is the kind of music you play.
Do not, or never start playing the hero, I have seen fingers, in a really bad shape: bleeding, infections.
The best way, but in your case, playing a lot, it might be too late, so, this is a tip everyone can use. Take your guitar and start playing, continue to play even when you start feeling your fingertips, BUT DON'T CROSS THE BORDER, THE PAIN LIMIT BORDER. If you play only 2 days the guitar, after 5 minutes you will start to feel something, try to play for 1 more minut. Don't forget that tips I give to you can be different for others: depending on the skin structure.
Play every day, and while doing this you will notice that, starting to play 10 minutes, you will be able to play 2 hours a month later, because the finger tip skin will be a lot harder and stronger.
The best way is adding time everyday you play but NEVER CROSS THE PAIN LIMIT.
There are products in the drugstore to feed your skin, and you can use powder on the fingers to avoid the influence of transpiration (= water).
Don't expect if you are playing for 1 month, even if you are a super talented guy, that you will not suffer while performing. TIME, TIME and TIME. There are creams in drug stores to make your skin strongrer.
The string question as other chordians describe is a difficult one. I use always light and exceptional medium light, without destroying a single guitar string. When do you have to change a string? I don't know, but playing a lot, you will notice after a while, depending from person to person, that the colour changes, more rusty, and when your guitar need to be tuned more and more, check the strings. Best strings: no idea, but Martin and Gibson do have good strings, they can't sell high quality guitars with bad strings. Concerning the nano coated Elixir strings, they look fantastic, but they will give the same result concerning fingers. Even Nylon strings, will hurt too, maybe a few minutes later, but they will.
I hope I could help you.