Ouch! Hangnails hurt! Every time you catch that little piece of dried skin on something you feel the pain. Hangnails appear because the skin around the nails dries out for lack of natural oil. They are common especially for women who have their hands in water or work with dry paper. But anyone who works with their hands is susceptible to hangnails.
If you bite your nails, you also are opening the possibility of hangnails. Mail carriers or sorters are especially susceptible for hangnails because they work with paper every day. Paper absorbs oil and dries the cuticles around the nails.
There are some good tips for keeping your hangnail problem under control. First, do not bite your nails. Biting your nails encourage those little bits of dried skin. They can become infected if left untreated and cause more problems.
Clip those little pieces of skin before they get too long. Clip them as soon as you notice them and as short as possible. Do not make the mistake of clipping them while they are hard. Soften them in an oil and water solution, and then clip them as short as possible with sterilized scissors. Do not try to bite them off. This rips the skin and creates a deeper wound.
Those who are having problems with hangnails should soak their nails, as a manicurist would do before giving a manicure. The oil and water solution softens the skin and gives the area around the nails the nourishment they need. Soak your fingers for at least ten or fifteen minutes.
If your problem is persistent and will not go away try this method of treatment. Rub a good cream or ointment on the finger and wrap with wrap plastic around it. It will keep the hangnail and cuticle moist during the night. Remove it in the morning but do that nightly to help your hangnail problem.
Do not pick those hangnails. There is a strong tendency to do that especially if you are nervous or under stress. A good way to counteract that problem is to wear clothes that have pockets. If you get the urge to chew on your hangnails or bite your nails, stick your hands in those pockets and leave them until the urge is gone.
Moisturize your hands daily. Hangnails are caused by dried skin, so keeping the skin around the nails moisturized will keep the skin soft and prevent dried skin. Make it a practice to use moisturizer and take special care to work the lotion into the cuticles.
Natural oils, olive or safflower also work for keeping nails moisturized. Cuticle removing creams are not recommended because they destroy skin tissue. Your cuticles protect the nails from bacteria and fungi. Removing the cuticle can lead to more problems in the end.
Hangnails sound like a minor health problem. If they are left untreated they can lead to infection and serious inflammation around the nails. Hangnails are not only unsightly they are also unhealthy.
