If you’ve ever had a hangnail, then you know how annoying it can be to endure and even try to treat it. A hangnail, if you’re fortunate enough to never have had one and don’t know about it, is when a portion of skin gets a tear near the cuticle, which is the layer of clear skin at the bottom edge of your finger or toe.
It can be a slightly bloody, irritating, and frustrating experience. And because there are a lot of nerve endings in the fingertip, the pain is a little more amplified, even making slight contact with the infected area can hurt. They also pose a risk for infection if not treated well.
However, hangnails aren’t inevitable. With proper fingernail maintenance and care, you don’t have to keep running into hangnails.
What Causes Hangnails?
Simply, hangnails are a result of bad fingernail maintenance, including biting and/or picking your nails or clipping too close to the cuticle. Dry skin, cold temperatures (making the winter time especially common for hangnails), a protein deficiency (since protein makes up skin and nails), rough soap, washing your hands too much, or even pruney fingers from being in the water too long can also play a part in causing hangnails.
When these conditions and poor hand maintenance meet, it can become a problem since multiple hangnails can appear at the same time. This will leave you in a painful and frustrating place to do anything with your hands, especially typing.
Hangnail Treatment
If you already have a hangnail, then one thing to keep in mind when treating it is to stay patient. Don’t pick at it or bite it, because then you will only irritate it more and put yourself more at risk for an infection. You can put some cleaning alcohol on the area and use scissors (or a cuticle clipper) to cut the cuticle down at skin level. It’s best to put ointment on after and let it sit (so don’t touch it!).
Hangnail Prevention
Don’t wait before you already have a hangnail to know what’s needed to prevent them. There are a few ways you can be proactive to avert hangnails.
Moisturize. Moisturizing shields the skin around the nails and will ensure they don’t crack or get irritated. This especially helps after you wash them so they don’t get dry.
Don’t snip. Snipping around the fingernail and the cuticles isn’t smart because it will only irritate the area and potentially remove the barrier that stops bacteria and fights against infection.
But the best method is to take care of your fingernails frequently so you don’t run into this issue. And what better way to have good fingernails than with a manicure?
Hydrate Salon and Day Spa will be able to pamper you and your nails to make them appear dazzling and perfect. We focus on the skin around your nails, cuticles, and the nails themselves. By also massaging the nails and cuticles we help produce healthy nails by getting blood flowing to the surface of your nails. We will clip and treat your nails so they don’t just look great, but also to prevent hangnails or any other fingernail problems you’ll encounter without proper treatment.
Schedule An Appointment Today
You won’t want to run into a hangnail any time soon, so a manicure is the no-brainer solution to great treatment and relaxation from any potential nail worry. Treat yourself to the proper maintenance that your fingernails require with Hydrate Salon. Contact us today to get set up for your manicure.
