Can Your Fingers Bleed From Playing Guitar? (Explained)

One of the most common challenges that every beginner guitar player encounters is finger pain, and sometimes the pain can be extremely unbearable. So, can your fingers bleed from playing guitar? Yes, they can, and in this article, we will look at some of the ways you can prevent this from happening.

Is it possible for your fingers to bleed from playing guitar?

Playing guitar can cause your fingers to bleed if you play for an extended period of time, and ignore the initial pain caused by pressing the strings hard. 

This is because the strings of the guitar are made out of metal, and when they are hit repeatedly, the friction between your skiing and the sting can cause small cuts on your fingertips. 

If you do not stop when your fingers start hurting and keep playing this can cause your fingertips to bleed, and it creates a wound. This will make it very difficult to play guitar while your fingertips are healing.

Does playing guitar damage your fingers?

Playing for extended periods of time, while your fingers are already hurting can seriously damage your fingers. As we have explained the friction between your skin and the metal strings slowly damages the skin in your fingertips, and this is how you build up guitar calluses. 

However, if you ignore the pain and keep playing this can create wounds in your fingertips.

You need to take breaks and allow the skin on the fingertips to harden and create the calluses naturally. It is also important to use moisturizing cream when at the end of the day to make sure your skin is restored and can become tougher.

Over time your calluses will develop, and your fingertip pain will stop.

Additionally, playing guitar with the wrong technique and posture can also damage your 

Who played guitar until their fingers bled?

One musician who is known for playing guitar until their fingers bled is Jimi Hendrix. He was known for his wild and energetic performances, which sometimes resulted in him playing the guitar so hard that his fingers would bleed. 

Despite this, he continued to play and put on an amazing show each time. His passion and dedication to music are what made him one of the most iconic and influential guitar players of all time.

How to prevent your fingers from bleeding when playing guitar

There are a few things you can do to prevent your fingers from bleeding, and here are 5 tips to help you:

• Taping fingers
• Using cream
• Take breaks 
• Embrace the pain but don’t push it too far
• Guitar finger protectors

Taping fingers

One of the simplest ways to prevent your fingers from bleeding and hurting is to use tape around your fingers. Even professional guitar players have used this technique over the years to protect their fingers, including Kirk Hammett from Metallica.

Using cream

When you stop practicing it is important to use cream to moisturize the skin and allow the skin to heal. This is an important step that most guitar players don’t understand. 

If you do not use cream your skin can become dry and is more prone to cracking, and this is why it is so important to use a cream at least during the nighttime.

Take breaks 

Taking breaks when you are practicing is also important because it allows the paint to go down. Give it 30 minutes for your fingers to rest, and then you can go back to practicing.

Embrace the pain but don’t push it too far

When you start learning guitar it is normal to feel pain, and in fact, this is one of the reasons why learning guitar can be both difficult and frustrating. You will have to withstand the pain, and ignore it but don’t do it for too long. 

You want to make sure that you don’t push your skin to the limit, and tear it apart because it can make your fingers bleed.

Guitar finger protectors

Guitar finger protectors are another alternative way of reducing the pain in your fingertips. These accessories are made of rubber or silicone, and they can be easily fitted to your fingers. 

You will be able to press the strings, without the friction caused by the direct contact between your skin and the metal strings.

How long will my fingers hurt from playing guitar?

When you start learning guitar your fingers will hurt for about 3 weeks to one month. This is because it will take time for the skin in your fingertips to develop and create calluses, which will make it painless to play.

However, you should not be discouraged by this, because it is a normal step in the learning process. Every guitar player needs to go through the initial finger pain. 

How long should you practice guitar a day?

In order to prevent your fingers from bleeding, you should be careful with the number of hours, you practice guitar a day. This varies depending on the player, but overall you should practice no more than an hour to two hours. You want to avoid pushing yourself to the limit and damaging your skin. 

You also want to make sure that your fingers do not bleed due to practicing for a long time, because it will create wounds in your fingertips that will be difficult to heal. If this happens you will also not be able to practice for a week, so you really want to avoid this at all costs.

Conclusion

While your fingers can bleed from playing guitar, it can only happen if you do not take the necessary measures. Make sure you follow our tips, and avoid damaging your fingertips.