Originally Posted by: OMNIA71. I heard applying alcohol (etilic) on your fingers 2 or 3 times a day for a few weeks will dry your skin, thus hardening your skin. What do you guys think? [/QUOTE]

Getting callouses the 'easy' way is not advisable, I think. By using alcohol, you are unnaturally drying and damaging the skin (thus why it dries hard). While 'naturally' made callouses also are to protect the skin from damage, they are not made by starting damaging the skin. Overly dry skin is damage.

[QUOTE=OMNIA7]2. I've been practicing all day and my fingertips are obviosly red and hurt, but should I keep practicing right now or let it cool off until tomorrow?

Just don't overdo it. When I'm rebuilding my callouses, I play until they are 'slightly' tender. You shouldn't want to 'play through the pain' in the case that you get a blister that stops you from playing for a week etc.