Calluses on the fingers can spoil the appearance, make hands feel uncomfortable, and cause pain. This condition is caused by the pressure between your finger and a pen or pencil when you write. While calluses can be cured, changing your habits can reduce their size and prevent calluses from reappearing. Change the way you hold a pencil, change the pen or paper you use, or change your writing habits.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Changing the Way of Holding Stationery
Step 1. Pay attention to the way you hold the stationery
Take the stationery you normally use, then prepare the paper. Write down a few sentences and focus on the way you hold the pen/pencil in your hand. Think about how much pressure it puts on your finger and the callused area. After that, pay attention to the fingers you use to hold and stabilize the pencil, and then remember where the calluses are in direct contact with the pencil.
Step 2. Loosen the grip of the hand
If you feel that you are holding the writing instrument too tightly or the pressure on the pencil is causing pain in your fingers, loosen your grip on the pencil. Practice writing with a more relaxed grip, then see if the calluses subside after a week. Loosening your grip requires active effort: make sure you keep your original goal in mind so you don't revert to old habits.
Step 3. Reduce the pressure on the pen or pencil while writing
Sometimes, calluses aren't caused by incorrect gripping: they can occur when the writer presses the pencil too hard against the surface of the paper. If you're used to pressing hard on your writing instrument while wearing it, try reducing the pressure on the pencil. Practice writing with lighter, smoother strokes.
- One way to find out if you're pressing the pencil too hard is to pay attention to the curve of the paper you're writing on. Turn the paper over to see if your handwriting stands out on the other side.
- Another sign is a pencil tip that breaks easily. Everyone breaks the tip of a pencil, but if you do this several times a day, chances are you're pressing the pencil too hard.
- Also, pay attention to what happens when you reduce the pressure on the stationery. If your writing still looks dark, you're probably pressing the stationery too hard.
Step 4. Change your grip style completely
There are many ways to hold a pencil. Most people who suffer from calluses find the health problem appears at the bottom of the nail on the middle finger. This happens because they hold the pencil with a “tripod grip” that uses the fingers to hold the pencil. While this style is very common, you can try a variety of other styles: try placing the pencil on your ring finger or holding the pencil between your thumb and first two fingertips.
Method 2 of 3: Buying New Equipment
Step 1. Use the pencil grip
Pencil grips are often used to help develop good writing habits in children, but they can also help you. Look for soft grips made of foam or rubber. You can buy it at school or at an office supply store, and try it out right away. Also, if you're using a mechanical pencil or pen, look for a writing instrument that comes with a ready-to-use soft grip.
Step 2. Try a new pencil or pen
If you're used to pressing the pencil too hard against the surface of the paper, look for a stationery that produces smoother lines. With this tool, you don't have to press too deep to create legible writing. Less friction can help reduce the size of the calluses.
- Try a different pencil. While most pencils use standard #2 charcoal, some are capable of producing smoother lines than similar products. Go to a few shops and try different types of wooden or mechanical pencils to find the best fit. If no product can change your writing style, consider purchasing a drawing pencil with a finer charcoal than type #2: remember, you can't use these pencils for computer-based writing tests.
- Replace the pencil with a pen. The use of pencils and pens is individual choice or is governed by school or office policy. However, pens are generally capable of producing smoother, clearer lines so that you can reduce pressure while writing.
- Buy a gel pen. Even if light-colored gel pens are considered tacky at school, black or dark blue gel pens can help remove calluses. Gel pens come in many different types and there are many stationery stores that will let you test them before you buy. Try several products and choose one pen that can change your writing habits.
Step 3. Use a smoother paper
Each book brand uses a different type of paper so that the texture is different. Some papers feel smooth and slick, while others are rougher and provide more friction. The more friction between the pen/pencil and the paper, the greater the pressure when holding the pencil so that the calluses will get bigger. Take a look at the various types of books sold at a stationery or office supply store, and then choose the product with the smoothest and slickest feel to the paper.
Step 4. Cover the callused area with a protective gel or callus pad
You can buy calluses or calluses at a drugstore or pharmacy. Use the product to cover the area of the finger that is used when holding the pen. This product can reduce the pressure that can worsen the calluses condition.
Method 3 of 3: Changing Habits
Step 1. Use the computer to write
If you can, replace paper and pen with a laptop. Typing is much faster and easier than writing and the calluses on your fingers can subside. If you're still in school and you're not allowed to bring your laptop with you, use a pen in class when absolutely necessary, then type all your assignments.
Step 2. Write on hard pads
Writing on a hard surface can make the result appear bolder without pressing. On the other hand, this means you can loosen your grip. You can also use a clipboard or other hard, flat area as a notebook base.
Step 3. Record class or learning recordings
If calluses are caused by taking too many study notes, use a laptop, smartphone, or digital recorder to pick up the learning sounds, then repeat them another day instead of reading the notes. Calluses go away on their own after a few weeks of rest. So, you are likely to feel a significant change after recording lessons for one semester.
You can also use software that can automatically dictate the sound from the speakers. This allows you to have your recordings and written transcripts in one step without the need to write anything down
Step 4. Reduce the intensity of writing and keep more things in your memory
Just like typing and recording, expanding memory means you don't have to write as much. Improve your memory by practicing brain-training games, inventing mnemonic devices (that is, words where each letter stands for the information you want to remember), sleeping more, or trying to pay more attention to things. With a little effort and practice, you can reduce the load on your fingers.
Tips
- If the calluses don't go away after trying one method above, try another method. Try as many methods as you can until you find the combination that works best for you.
- Head to an art store to try out different types of pencils, pens, and paper. These stores usually offer more choices than office supply stores.
- Be patient. Even if you stop applying friction or excessive pressure to the calluses, it may take a few weeks for the condition to go away completely.
