A Decorator With Sweaty Palms! Major Help Please!!!

Decorating By Aurora42196 Updated 2 Jul 2013 , 2:12am by gona

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Aurora42196 Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 1:48am
post #1 of 19

Good evening ccers

 

I've been cake decorating for about 6 months now. I love doing it. but the biggest problem I have is that I have sweaty palms!  icon_sad.gif its a nightmare as a cake decorator. 90% of the time when I'm working, I have to have a big fan on me to keep my hands from sweating profusely. Buttercream in my piping bag melts twice as fast. and I'm constantly dusting my hands with powdered sugar when working because we all know what happens when moisture touches fondant. I always have to take five when my hands are about to start sweating. Even in the cold winter days I have to keep a fan blowing on me, the rest of my body is cold but my hands will be warm, but not sweating. sometimes it'll take me twice as long because I have to take breaks to give my hands some air.

 

Does anyone else have problems like this? What are you're methods on how to keep your hands cool? I'm probably going to have to wear some kind of work gloves but my hands would sweat under that! gross! icon_confused.gif

 

Happy baking icon_smile.gif

18 replies
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Elcee Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 2:20am
post #2 of 19

My Wilton instructor suggested keeping a glass of ice water handy and wrapping your hands around it periodically as a fix for warm hands while holding the piping bag.

 

If your hands are sweating while you're handling fondant or other components of your cakes directly, then you HAVE TO wear gloves. However gross it is to you that your hands sweat inside the gloves is just a fraction of how gross it is to serve food that you've sweated onto. Sorry.

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CaptainCupcakes Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 2:27am
post #3 of 19

My hands do run warm, but I have never had sweaty palms when decorating. However, have you tried using cornstarch on your hands instead of 10x? That may keep them dry at least. Other than that, I think gloves are your next best bet (yeah, they will make your hands sweat more, but they will keep the fondant dry and latex does not conduct heat.) 

Good Luck!

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Aurora42196 Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 3:03am
post #4 of 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elcee 

My Wilton instructor suggested keeping a glass of ice water handy and wrapping your hands around it periodically as a fix for warm hands while holding the piping bag.

 

If your hands are sweating while you're handling fondant or other components of your cakes directly, then you HAVE TO wear gloves. However gross it is to you that your hands sweat inside the gloves is just a fraction of how gross it is to serve food that you've sweated onto. Sorry.

Thanks for the Advice : ) and to let you know luckily I haven't sweated into the fondant ever! I wash my hands every 3 minutes. Keeps my hands cool and clean when working. Just the problem is i'm constantly getting up to walk to the sink thumbsdown.gif

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cheatize Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 3:30am
post #5 of 19

Perhaps you could buy disinfecting wipes and wrap a cold pack in a towel to keep at your work station.

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vgcea Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 4:08am
post #6 of 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elcee 

My Wilton instructor suggested keeping a glass of ice water handy and wrapping your hands around it periodically as a fix for warm hands while holding the piping bag.

 

If your hands are sweating while you're handling fondant or other components of your cakes directly, then you HAVE TO wear gloves. However gross it is to you that your hands sweat inside the gloves is just a fraction of how gross it is to serve food that you've sweated onto. Sorry.

Amen! 

 

OP, there's really no way to avoid the gloves. I think after a while you will get used to it.

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shanter Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 4:19am
post #7 of 19

Have you tried white cotton or cotton/poly gloves? I know they're used when dealing with blown/pulled sugar. The don't give you the sensitivity of rubber/latex/plastic gloves, but they soak up the sweat and give you a layer between your hands and piping bag to cut down on the effect of heat.

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patti1955 Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 4:36am
post #8 of 19

My Wilton instructor suggested using two piping bags - one cooling in the fridge while working with the other, then switch out when the one gets too soft.  I have to do that with cream cheese icing. 

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yortma Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 5:27am
post #9 of 19

Botox helps with hyperhidrosis (sweaty palms).  If sweaty palms interfere with your occupation, your insurance should cover it.  Ask a dermatologist for more info.  

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gemmal Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 10:45am
post #10 of 19

I run my wrists under ice cold water for a minute or two, cools the blood into the hands or something. Maybe try damp 'wraps' around your wrists like cold compresses but maybe under the gloves so they dont drip?
 

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BakingIrene Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 2:22pm
post #11 of 19

You need to be wearing food grade gloves. ESPECIALLY when you knopw that you are putting out more sweat.

 

But you can put some cornstarch onto your hands just before you put the gloves on.  That will make them feel comfortable for up to a half hour of work.

 

Your other option is very fine cotton gloves on your skin, and then on top of those you should be able to tolerate any kind of food grade glove.

 

The advantage of wearing gloves is that your hands will be insulated enough that you will no longer heat up the icing bags.  Using plastic-lined cloth pastry bags will also help with the heat.

 

And NO HAND WIPE RESIDUE please.  That's even worse than bare hands.

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Gena575 Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 3:59pm
post #12 of 19

Aurora, look for photo handling gloves.  They are typically a very thin cotton with some spandex-ish type material for stretch and shape.  They are also made to be virtually lint free.  I'd cut the fingers off of them as to not lose the finger sensitivity.  Those, with some cornstarch in the palms, layered under nitrile gloves (please, no latex when handling food) should keep you from having to wash every 30 seconds. 

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Aurora42196 Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 6:37pm
post #13 of 19

AThank you all for the advice. I've really wanted to deal with this problem before I start selling any cakes. All the cakes I've made so far are for friends and family. I'm going to have to suck it up and wear gloves. I guess I was just a little paranoid. I will probably try those photo gloves or food handeling gloves. Thank you for the suggestions :)

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-K8memphis Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 6:44pm
post #14 of 19
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Cakepro Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 9:38pm
post #15 of 19

There is a topical prescription available for hyperhidrosis.  I forgot what it is but my son is plagued with sweaty palms and his doctor suggested it. 

 

I agree with the other poster: NO LATEX GLOVES.  Please choose nitrile or vinyl.

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Annabakescakes Posted 21 Jan 2013 , 11:13pm
post #16 of 19

ACan you spray antiperspirant on them, then use cotton AND nitrile? I am so sorry for you, because I flat out would've never started working with food if I had this problem. It is really gross, but I feel for you. I know there is a surgery to fix it...

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Aurora42196 Posted 22 Jan 2013 , 12:15am
post #17 of 19

TBH, I never thought I would pursue a business working with food. I got interested in this in August, and it swept me by storm. I can't get enough of cake decorating and it has become such a passion. icon_biggrin.gif There's always something new to try. I'm getting better and this would be the only thing holding me back. But this problem won't stop me from succeeding. icon_smile.gif Thanks everyone.

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sellingcakes Posted 22 Jan 2013 , 4:31am
post #18 of 19

AAt night before going to bed, supply Certain Dri to your hands. It is an antiperspirant used for profusive underarm sweating but should work for your hands too. Drinking tomato juice daily and taking a zinc supplement will stop the sweating or slow it down.

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gona Posted 2 Jul 2013 , 2:12am
post #19 of 19

is it safe to use power grip liquid hand chalk it says it is non toxic but can it be used while working with fondant???

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