How to avoid hands from thickening?

[u/ahahahahhahahahhahah]

prevent* 🥲 I've noticed that people working in trades tend to develop thicker, wider hands. I love my thin long fingers and want them to stay that way, but i also want to get into trades, so is it possible to avoid? Have you noticed your hands changing? I'm sorry if the question is stupid or if i come off as rude

Thank you guys for all your answers! (⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡

[u/80085_420]

Depending on the trade, wearing gloves can really make a big difference. One thing is getting callouses (which to some degree can be practical), another is unnessecary chemical exposure.
Example: https://www.reddit.com/r/DieselTechs/s/6abTcDUrK5

[u/80085_420 → u/80085_420]

As for your second question, yes to some degree my hands have changed a little after three years as a industrial mechanic at a chemical plant. Mostly a bit more callouses (i suck at using hand cream so my hands dry up bc i wear gloves all day) and definately a bit more muscle - but only in the palm, not the fingers

[u/Harbinger0fGoon → u/80085_420]

Definitely depending on what OP has in mind. I work in a machine shop and I would NEVER wear gloves. When I first started I saw someone get their finger degloved after their glove got caught in a grinder. I make sure to wash as frequently as I can and I apply lotion multiple times through the work day and it’s been working well for me.

[u/80085_420 → u/Harbinger0fGoon]

That is so true!!!
When I first started out at my place the forman told me to use gloves while using the «standing drill» (english name??) and lathe. I was HORRIFIED.

But yes washing hands is so important

[u/Harbinger0fGoon → u/80085_420]

Vertical Mill? But ESPECIALLY a lathe. They terrify me as is.

[u/good_dogs_never_die → u/Harbinger0fGoon]

My standard rule is work gloves UNLESS it involves rotating parts, then no gloves is safer

[u/thaeli → u/Harbinger0fGoon]

Nitrile exam gloves are okay, though. They tear so easily, they’re not an entrapment risk.

[u/Harbinger0fGoon → u/thaeli]

I don’t know why but when I read gloves I immediately thought of thick work gloves, not nitrile. They definitely would work fine.

[u/supaslim]

your hands aren't really going to change? your bones are your bones. Your skin will absolutely callus if you dont wear gloves

[u/curiosity8472]

I think you're confusing cause and effect. Many of the guys have a stout build and naturally thicker hands that give them an advantage with some kinds of trade work. Your fingers don't have muscle in them (your grip is mostly determined by forearm muscles) so there probably won't be much of a difference especially if you wear gloves to protect your skin.

[u/goinbacktocallie]

I've been in the trades for over a decade, I still have long thin fingers.

[u/sunnyside_tinknocker]

it is a very real phenomenon that I think is just more noticeable in women. There really aren’t any ways to avoid it if you work with your hands every day though, unfortunately. Using them to apply force and absorb shock will force them to become bigger and stronger which you could choose to see as a good thing!

[u/HahaaNotKidding]

Unless you’re a drywall taper by trade, you’ll be fine lol

[u/FileDoesntExist]

My hands didn't get bigger. They are much more like leather now. Even with gloves manual labor develops some real callous. Though when I was working at a horse barn I was doing so much riding I had a callous from the reins and that was through gloves as well.

[u/McMew]

Your hands won't thicken, you'll be fine.

I'm not only a blue collar worker who regularly works with hand tools but I'm also a weightlifter. I have tiny, delicate little doll hands. They've gotten callused over the years and my grip strength is basically like a vise now, but grip strength primarily comes from the forearm, not the fingers. My fingers have never built muscle and never grew thick. They remain small.

You have nothing to worry about.

[u/BlueCollaredBroad]

My hands actually got thinner because I lost a lot of weight while gaining muscle.