Using Surface Tension for Swimmers

Surface Tension is the force (usually in water) that keeps watter skipper bugs from sinking.  It's a molecular attraction between the oxygen atom of one molecule and the hydrogen of another.  Some liquids have greater attraction at a molecular level and thus a greater surface tension, other liquids have less.  What if there was a substance you could rub on your hands before a swim that would actually give you greater surface tension just in that area.  Or a gel you rubbed down on your body to reduce the molecular attraction between your skin and the water.  This way you would increase friction where you wanted it and reduced friction everywhere else.