I have tremendous trouble with hangnails. My cuticles start peeling a little bit, usually near the center of the base of my nail, and then either I remove the peeled piece (by pulling or clipping) or it starts getting bigger and I have to cut it off anyway. That leaves a small hole in my cuticle, the edges of which start to wear away and peel more, which makes me cut away more. This goes on until my fingertips are a big mess, often involving bleeding and bandages. What should I do with my damaged cuticles, and how do I stop this cycle from starting in the first place?
To repair hangnails: Nail cream or nail oil. I had no idea these products existed, but they do, and they are designed specifically to deal with this problem, and do a very good job IME. Regular application for a few days fixes my problems.
To prevent it: Keep your hands protected outside (gloves). Minimise exposure of your hands to things that will strip water or oil from them (e.g. detergent, soap, solvents, nail varnish, nail varnish remover), and when you can’t avoid those, use moisturiser afterwards to replace the lost oil.
(Explanation: Splitting/peeling nails is usually due to insufficient of oil or more rarely moisture. I’ve heard some people take a paleo line that we didn’t need gloves and moisturiser and nail oil in the ancestral environment. Maybe, but we didn’t wash our hands with detergent multiple times a day then either.)
Yes—that’s the part I too have trouble with, and that these products and practices help. They also help the nail itself, but fewer people tend to have that problem.
In my explanation should’ve said “Splitting/peeling nails, and troubles with the skin around them, are usually due to insufficient oil …”, sorry.
There’s no reason why you should trust a random Internet person like me with health advice. But think cost/expected benefit. If your hangnails are anything like as painful and distracting as mine were, trying out a tube of nail cream, moisturiser, and a pair of gloves for a week is a small cost compared to even an outside chance that it’ll help. (Unless the use of such products causes big problems for your self image.)
I’ll see if I can find any nail cream at my local supermarket, then. How often should I apply it?
There’s no reason why you should trust a random Internet person like me with health advice.
I’ve seen similar advice on various web pages after I did a Google search on the problem, too. Which means that it’s many random Internet people, which is slightly more trustworthy. ;)
I got mine in a large pharmacist, in case you’re still looking.
How often should I apply it?
I’d be guided by the instructions on the product and your common sense.
For me, a single application is usually enough these days—so long as I’ve been able to leave it on for ages and not have to wash my hands. The first time I used it, when my fingernails had got very bad, it took about three or four applications over a week. Then ordinary hand moisturiser and wearing gloves outside is enough for maintenance. Then I get careless and forget and my fingernails start getting bad again and the cycle repeats! But I’m getting better at noticing, so the cycles are getting shallower, and I’ve not actually had to use the nail cream at all so far this winter. (Although it hasn’t been a very cold one where I am.)
Nail polish base coat over the cuticle might work. Personally I just try not to pick at them. I imagine you can buy base coat at the nearest pharmaceuticals store, but asking a beautician for advice is probably a good idea; presumably there is some way that people who paint their nails prevent hangnails from spoiling the effect.
I’d be cautious about using nail polish and similar products. The solvents in them are likely to strip more oil from the nail and nail bed, which will make the problem worse, not better. +1 for asking a beautician for advice, but if you just pick a random one rather than one you personally trust, the risk is that they will give you a profit-maximising answer rather than a cheap-but-effective one.
I have tremendous trouble with hangnails. My cuticles start peeling a little bit, usually near the center of the base of my nail, and then either I remove the peeled piece (by pulling or clipping) or it starts getting bigger and I have to cut it off anyway. That leaves a small hole in my cuticle, the edges of which start to wear away and peel more, which makes me cut away more. This goes on until my fingertips are a big mess, often involving bleeding and bandages. What should I do with my damaged cuticles, and how do I stop this cycle from starting in the first place?
To repair hangnails: Nail cream or nail oil. I had no idea these products existed, but they do, and they are designed specifically to deal with this problem, and do a very good job IME. Regular application for a few days fixes my problems.
To prevent it: Keep your hands protected outside (gloves). Minimise exposure of your hands to things that will strip water or oil from them (e.g. detergent, soap, solvents, nail varnish, nail varnish remover), and when you can’t avoid those, use moisturiser afterwards to replace the lost oil.
(Explanation: Splitting/peeling nails is usually due to insufficient of oil or more rarely moisture. I’ve heard some people take a paleo line that we didn’t need gloves and moisturiser and nail oil in the ancestral environment. Maybe, but we didn’t wash our hands with detergent multiple times a day then either.)
It’s not the nail itself, it’s the skin around the nail...
Yes—that’s the part I too have trouble with, and that these products and practices help. They also help the nail itself, but fewer people tend to have that problem.
In my explanation should’ve said “Splitting/peeling nails, and troubles with the skin around them, are usually due to insufficient oil …”, sorry.
There’s no reason why you should trust a random Internet person like me with health advice. But think cost/expected benefit. If your hangnails are anything like as painful and distracting as mine were, trying out a tube of nail cream, moisturiser, and a pair of gloves for a week is a small cost compared to even an outside chance that it’ll help. (Unless the use of such products causes big problems for your self image.)
I’ll see if I can find any nail cream at my local supermarket, then. How often should I apply it?
I’ve seen similar advice on various web pages after I did a Google search on the problem, too. Which means that it’s many random Internet people, which is slightly more trustworthy. ;)
:)
I got mine in a large pharmacist, in case you’re still looking.
I’d be guided by the instructions on the product and your common sense.
For me, a single application is usually enough these days—so long as I’ve been able to leave it on for ages and not have to wash my hands. The first time I used it, when my fingernails had got very bad, it took about three or four applications over a week. Then ordinary hand moisturiser and wearing gloves outside is enough for maintenance. Then I get careless and forget and my fingernails start getting bad again and the cycle repeats! But I’m getting better at noticing, so the cycles are getting shallower, and I’ve not actually had to use the nail cream at all so far this winter. (Although it hasn’t been a very cold one where I am.)
(Almost a month late, sorry.)
I would take a recommendation from Doug as strong evidence that something is a good idea, FWIW.
Calcium Deficiency could be a possible issue.
Nail polish base coat over the cuticle might work. Personally I just try not to pick at them. I imagine you can buy base coat at the nearest pharmaceuticals store, but asking a beautician for advice is probably a good idea; presumably there is some way that people who paint their nails prevent hangnails from spoiling the effect.
I’d be cautious about using nail polish and similar products. The solvents in them are likely to strip more oil from the nail and nail bed, which will make the problem worse, not better. +1 for asking a beautician for advice, but if you just pick a random one rather than one you personally trust, the risk is that they will give you a profit-maximising answer rather than a cheap-but-effective one.