Hangnails on fingers. Hangnails on fingers in adults: causes, treatment, how to get rid of How to treat hangnails on fingers

A keratinized skin (hangnail) occurs when the cuticle around the nail extends beyond the nail plate. Under no circumstances should you bite it off or tear it out. For this reason, a bloody streak may form around the fingers and nails, and thus you can quickly become infected, which will have a bad effect on your health.

Hangnails on the fingers, the causes of which are known to many doctors, do not appear on their own - they are provoked by certain factors:

Internal causes of hangnail formation

Hangnails on the fingers (the reasons are described below) can appear for completely different reasons.

Hangnails on fingers. The reasons may lie in mechanical damage.

The most common ones are as follows:

Cause	Remedy
Mechanical damage	Happens due to negligence during a nail treatment procedure. If the wound was not treated on time, after a while it will become inflamed and remind itself. To prevent this, it is necessary to sterilize all tools and do not forget about moisturizing after each nail procedure.
House cleaning	You should perform household chores wearing rubber gloves. They will protect the skin from dangerous chemicals that cause brittleness of the nail plate and the appearance of hangnails.
The bad habit of biting your nails	To get rid of it, you should trim your nails, so it will be more difficult to bite them.
Lack of vitamins in the body	To get rid of vitamin deficiency, you need to take a multivitamin complex.

Diagnostics

In most cases, this problem does not require diagnosis. But if, with proper care and treatment, hangnails appear again, you should contact a dermatologist and get tested for biochemistry and microelements. The reasons for the frequent appearance of hangnails can lead to a disease called paronychia. They can become inflamed on the fingers and transfer the infection to the nail fold.

In this case, you must immediately contact a surgeon. If you have overcome the last stage of paronychia, baths, compresses and other therapeutic procedures will help. In extreme cases, surgery is performed to remove infections, or the nail plate is removed completely or partially.

To avoid the appearance of hangnails, it is necessary to regularly care for the cuticle through home and salon treatments.

If you want to trim a burr, this should only be done with disinfected tools.

Medicinal ointments for the treatment of inflamed hangnails

In the pharmacy you can find many different useful remedies for hangnails. It is absolutely not necessary to buy the most expensive ointment, since for the first treatment you will only need a product that contains panthenol - this will disinfect the keratinized piece of skin. Zinc ointment is also an excellent replacement. These options are suitable for hangnails on both fingers and toes.

For subsequent treatment, medications with anti-inflammatory properties will be needed. This could be an infusion of calendula and hawthorn, iodine, brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide. If this is not done, a wound may appear and bleeding may occur. And in these cases, the infection can easily penetrate, which will cause even more trouble.

Another problem with hangnails is pus. It can also be prevented with products containing alcohol. But if this fails, you will have to use antiseptics.

Vitamin complexes

Very often, the occurrence of hangnails is associated with a lack of certain vitamins in the human body. To prevent the occurrence of these ailments, it is necessary to review your diet so that it contains all the necessary microelements and vitamins. If this cannot be done, you can always resort to vitamin complexes.

So, vitamins that help prevent the appearance of hangnails:

Cosmetic creams

Cosmetic creams are also great for getting rid of hangnails. They can also be purchased in pharmacies, salons, and if the ingredients are natural, you can make it at home.

Cosmetic creams mainly contain:

Salon treatments

Beauty salons often offer hand and cuticle care treatments. This includes deburring. Unlike home procedures, they are done carefully in the salon, without damaging the delicate skin around the fingers. To do this, first steam the skin with hot water, then use pre-treated tools.

This is especially important, since it is necessary not to introduce an infection, but to prevent its occurrence.

Then the skin around the fingers is treated with ointment or cream with antiseptic properties. Use forceps to cut off the hangnail, trying to do it at its root, without touching intact skin. Then the affected area is again treated with a product containing alcohol and a patch is applied or a bandage is made so as not to accidentally touch the inflamed area.

They also do procedures that can prevent the appearance of hangnails, usually these are:

Traditional treatment

Hangnails on the fingers, the causes of which are described in the article, can also be treated with folk remedies. One of the best folk remedies is the use of a chamomile bath. The plant has remarkable antiseptic properties. The procedure is done as follows: first, the plant is infused for 30 minutes in a container, then fingers are immersed in the bath for 15 minutes.

After the procedure, the hands are dried and a nourishing cream is applied. Cod broth will help solve the problem with hangnails. You need to place your hands in the broth for a while and repeat the procedure several times. Rubbing lemon or cranberry juice into your cuticles will give your nails a healthy look. Mashed milk and potatoes actively contribute to the treatment of hangnails.

Coffee is a great remedy for hangnails. Place your hands in the liquid and keep them there, shaking them occasionally. Soda solution and nourishing oil baths are used in the same way. You can perform different types of procedures or one as many times as the problem requires. Then you need to cut off the torn piece of skin with nail clippers.

The main thing is to make sure that they are sharp and will do their job well. Otherwise, they can only make the situation worse.

You can check the sharpness of the wire cutters using a napkin or thick sheet of paper. To do this you need to cut the material. If they are sharp, you must first sterilize them, and then the nail fold area. Then carefully cut off the protruding piece of skin and again treat the area with an antiseptic.

In case of severe inflammation, you need to apply tetracycline ointment to the damaged area and wrap it with a bandage. For minor inflammation, it is enough to treat the wound with a nourishing cream and stick a bandage on top.

Recipe for relieving inflammation if the hangnail is inflamed and breaks out

There are times when the hangnail becomes inflamed and pus is visible around the edges. This is not the best outcome, but it is still treatable. In this case, calendula will be a good helper. Both a decoction and an extract of this plant will help. Juice is even better; for this you need to finely chop the calendula. The juice should be applied to the affected area and bandaged with gauze.

Baths with essential oils

Essential oils, like nothing else, will help soften the cuticle before trimming hangnails.

For such purposes, the following oils are excellent options:

rapeseed;
peach;
almond;
castor;
burdock;
argan

It would be a good idea to mix all the listed oils, 2 drops each. They need to be added to hot, but not boiling, water. Let your hands rest for 30 minutes, then lightly pat them dry with a towel and begin removing the hangnail. Elimination instructions are also in the article.

Soda-salt bath

Baking soda is a great help in case of hangnails. It can relieve inflammation and relieve pain. Using soda, they make cuticle baths, and not only for damaged areas. In addition, soda will go well with salt, which will doubly help. To do this you need to take 2 tbsp. sea salt, 2 tbsp. soda and boiling water.

Of course, you should not put your hands into boiling water, but this is only necessary to completely dissolve the ingredients in them.

Place salt and baking soda in water and stir until dissolved. Wait 10-15 minutes until it cools down, then put your hands in the bath. You can use a small bowl or a small saucepan as a container for the ingredients.

Keep your hands in the water for about 17 minutes, then take them out and wipe with a towel; there is no need to rinse off the saline solution. This simple and inexpensive home procedure will be an excellent replacement for a salon procedure and will save money and time. It will quickly relieve pain and inflammation.

Aloe

Aloe is very well used in the case of abscesses and inflammation of hangnails. You need to apply fresh plant gel. If there is only one hangnail, you don’t need to take a lot, 5 ml is enough. First you need to treat the affected finger with an antiseptic and leave for 3 minutes. Then apply aloe vera gel and make a bandage. In 2-3 procedures you can easily get rid of pus and inflammation at the site of the lesion.

Herbal lotions

Serpentine extract is the best antifungal agent made from plants of the sunflower family.

It should be applied 2-3 times a week to the affected area. At the end of the procedure, wrap the finger with a gauze bandage.

Possible complications

Usually, complications do not appear after the appearance of hangnails. But there are cases of a chronic disease called paronychia, when burrs appear again and again. The most dangerous thing is to get an infection if you do not treat this area around the skin of your fingers properly. There have been cases of staphylococcus and fungi. But even difficult situations can be cured.

Treatment of complications

Hangnails on the fingers, the causes of which have been known for a long time, rarely have serious complications. But any complications from hangnails are rarely incurable, so it is better to consult a doctor. There is no need to do home treatment, but prevention of hangnails can and should be done.

Cuticle and hand skin care

You should take proper care of the skin of your hands and nails.

It is important to consider the following factors and nuances:

Article format: Lozinsky Oleg

Video about hangnails on fingers

Causes and treatment of hangnails on fingers:

Hangnails - small, painful and inflamed detachments of skin around the nails - can not only ruin your mood, but also cause a lot of trouble if they become infected.

Have you guessed, friends, that the reason for their appearance may be poor nutrition and little drinking of plain water, which have a detrimental effect on the health of the skin and nails?

They are also caused by the use of various chemical detergents without protective gloves, hard water, winter cold, dry indoor air, drying summer heat, the habit of biting nails, dirty household work without hand protection. Unfairly ignoring the benefits of moisturizers makes the problem worse.

Hangnails - causes, treatment, nutrition

The protective functions of the cuticle - a narrow strip of skin around the nail - do not allow pathogenic bacteria to penetrate inside the nail plate. Under the adverse influence of external factors, the dense ridges that protect the nails lose their elasticity and crack. Drying out or tearing a small area of the cuticle are the initial causes of hangnails.

Using dull manicure tools also causes skin damage and inflammation. If the wounds are not treated in time, the strong stratum corneum of the nail begins to peel off, which leads to damage to the nail fold and the appearance of hangnails.

The development of panaritium, an acute purulent inflammatory process, is possible. In medical terminology, the disease is characterized as the result of penetration of pyogenic dangerous microbes into the soft tissues of the surface of the fingers. If appropriate medical measures are not taken in time, the process of suppuration spreads into the soft tissues, affecting tendons and bones. In advanced cases, the question of surgical medical intervention arises, including removal of the nail.

The formation of hangnails can be avoided if you devote enough time to cosmetic hand care procedures. Improve your diet by enriching it with foods with plenty of essential vitamins and nutrients.

Effective treatment of hangnails at home

To properly remove hangnails at home without negative consequences, it is recommended to first make a softening bath with soda. Then carefully cut them off with sharp nail scissors or tweezers.

After the procedure, it is necessary to treat the area of the damaged nail fold with a disinfectant, pharmaceutical preparations: iodine, brilliant green, alcohol. Treatment lasts until the damaged area is completely healed.

Prepare a good disinfectant solution using ammonia and glycerin taken in equal proportions. This is a proven recipe dating back to Soviet times. Let it stand in the refrigerator and use it as needed - after all, no one is immune from skin damage.

Fresh aloe juice has excellent healing properties and helps heal wounds quickly. You should cut a piece of leaf lengthwise, apply the mucus to the wounds, and bandage it. Or just frequently treat wounds with juice. The fleshy leaves of the money tree also cope with the problem, but not everyone knows about it.

Baths for treating hangnails

Hot 20-minute baths with the addition of a teaspoon of sea salt protect against the spread of infection, remove the purulent contents of wounds, promote softening of the cuticle and rapid healing. It is recommended to add 3 drops of tea tree oil, eucalyptus, coniferous trees, bergamot. First drop the oil onto the dry salt - then it will dissolve in the water.

Baths for fingers made from medicinal plants: sage, chamomile, linden, yarrow - an effective treatment for hangnails. You can prepare an infusion from each plant separately, or mix existing ones to enhance the result.

To prepare the infusion:

pour a teaspoon of herbs or medicinal mixture into a thermos,
pour half a glass of boiling water,
after 40 minutes of infusion, strain the liquid, let cool,
add to the bath water, the temperature of which should be 37 degrees,
Immerse your fingers in the water for just 10-15 minutes.

Potato broth baths not only get rid of hangnails. They instantly heal chapped and rough skin of the hands. Boil the potatoes in a sufficient amount of water for the procedure, drain the broth, cool and immerse your hands in it for 10-15 minutes.

Baths are softened and treated by adding a quarter teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of very warm water. Look at its wonderful properties, with advice from professors on its use for beauty and health.

Masks for healthy hand skin

Nourishing hand masks and folk remedies perfectly help cope with hangnails. And it’s very easy to make them at home using available materials. It is advisable to keep the masks on longer - if possible, make them at night, wearing cotton (country) gloves over them. This is a very effective treatment for skin blemishes.

Honey, goose, badger, bear fat, natural lean and butter oils have unique healing qualities. Soak a soft bandage with one of the products and apply to the sore spot.

For a nourishing mask, mix equal amounts of strong green tea, liquid honey, glycerin, and wholemeal flour. Apply the mixture in a thick layer to your hands and leave for half an hour.
A mask of egg yolk, a spoon of honey and olive oil, applied for half an hour, softens and nourishes, relieves the skin from dryness, flaking, and exfoliation.
A mask made from any natural vegetable oil mixed with butter will heal and renew the skin.
A good treatment for hangnails is rubbing a pharmaceutical oil solution of vitamin A into the cuticle.
Use full-fat yogurt, sour cream, kefir for masks. Soak a piece of natural fabric in it and wrap your hands. After the procedure, wash off the products with warm water without soap.

Also see the cosmetologist's advice on how to remove hangnails at home in just 5 days.

Regularly moisturizing and nourishing the skin of your hands will help avoid repeated cases of hangnails. It is necessary to purchase a high-quality protective cream based on natural oils, and apply a thin layer to your hands as often as possible during the day. A night cream should have a thicker, more concentrated consistency. Its active ingredients care for and rejuvenate rough skin and nails.

To prevent and strengthen the results of treatment, you should periodically treat your fingers with synthomycin ointment.

Treating hangnails with proper nutrition

The main and most effective remedy for treating hangnails is proper nutrition. It requires avoiding low-quality foods, especially fried, over-salted and smoked foods. After all, low-quality food is saturated with free radicals, which steal our beauty and spoil our health.

It is advisable to reduce the consumption of sugar, chocolate, coffee and other diuretic products, which remove water and nutrients from the body, dehydrating and deteriorating the condition of the skin. But consuming enough water per day (30 ml per kilogram of weight) restores elasticity to the skin.

For smoothness and youth, it also needs sulfur and alpha hydroxy acids contained in eggs, onions, asparagus, garlic, apples, tomatoes, milk, beets, black currants and grapes.

Please note that the regular appearance of hangnails may indicate the presence of vitamin deficiency or dysbacteriosis.

People with dry skin are especially prone to problems. To effectively treat hangnails, they need to consume red and orange vegetables and fruits containing beta-carotene in their diet. It’s worth falling in love with the miraculous and most ordinary carrot salad with sour cream, yogurt, or natural vegetable oil. Drink orange, apricot, and peach juices, just remember to dilute them half with water for the health of your stomach.

And for astronauts it will teach you to eat correctly. It will heal the body from many diseases and improve its proper functioning - tested by astronauts and hundreds of people! I recommend that you familiarize yourself with it and start using it for your benefit.

Friends, we learned why hangnails appear, how to treat them effectively, and eat right to prevent their reappearance. Hand care does not require much effort. A seemingly troublesome task will very soon become a habit, making your hands well-groomed to the envy of everyone.

The same procedures are suitable for the legs. For the beauty of the skin on your legs, I advise you to do something unusual and see how it tells you about the state of your health.

Often, hangnails on the fingers are not only a cosmetic defect, but also a medical problem, since their constant appearance may indicate problems in the body.

There are also cases when the only reason for the detachment of the epidermis around the nails and, as a consequence, the occurrence of a similar problem is a poorly performed manicure.

Troubles with the skin around the nail often occur after an improperly trimmed manicure performed at home or in a beauty salon by an inexperienced specialist.

To prevent the formation of burrs, the following rules must be observed:

Firstly, too frequent cutting of the cuticle leads to a deterioration in the condition of the epidermis, causing cracking and inflammation. To slow down the regrowth of the skin, it is recommended to use special gels.
Secondly If your nails or the skin around them look unhealthy, you need to consult a dermatologist, not a beauty salon. Identifying and eliminating the cause of a health problem is the key to flawless appearance of your fingers.
Third, if you do not have sufficient skills in performing a trim manicure, it is better to choose its European version. This procedure eliminates the possibility of infection, is perfect for children and people with fragile superficial capillaries, prevents the formation of skin tears, and slows down the regrowth of the cuticle.
Fourth, supporters of trimmed manicure must definitely use disinfected tools, a warm bath to soften the skin before the procedure and nourishing oil or cream after it.
Fifthly, you should avoid baths with sea salt, as this makes the skin dry and rough and leads to splitting of the nails. You cannot cut the cuticle too much to avoid injuring your finger.

How to trim the cuticle correctly to prevent the appearance of hangnails on the fingers? The use of keratolytics, cuticle softening agents, as well as the correct cutting technique allows you to make the procedure safe and avoid injury to the living and tender nail fold.

Basic rules for cutting cuticles safely:

The cuticle is softened in two ways: “dry” and “wet”. The first option is to apply a keratolytic agent for the time specified in the instructions. The second option involves using a warm bath. The use of a keratolytic makes the procedure safer, since controlled softening of the tissue makes it possible to see the line of separation of living and keratinized skin.
The cut line should be clearly defined, which runs along the deepening of the cuticle. The upper jaw of the forceps should be aimed at this line to prevent damage to living skin, which is the main cause of painful hangnails.
The lower branch of the nippers should constantly slide along the nail plate, and the upper branch should cut the free edge of the skin.
First, you need to make a guide cut, then, using successive movements, with a smooth change in the angle of the nippers, carefully cut the cuticle clearly along the curve of the nail bed in the form of an even thin strip.
After mechanical removal of the cuticle, to prevent the phenomenon of evaporation of moisture from a fresh cut, drying out the skin and the formation of peeling and tearing, special oil should be applied. The drug is applied carefully with a brush, avoiding additional trauma to the damaged tissue. The resulting oil film will perfectly replace the natural protective function of the removed skin.

Why hangnails appear on fingers: main reasons

If, despite a perfectly executed manicure, problems with the periungual area still exist, you should find out why hangnails appear on your fingers.

Not only is this necessary to keep your finger looking flawless, it's likely that hangnails are an important sign of poor health.

Often, hangnails on the fingers are a sign of an incorrect attitude towards oneself or an unpleasant symptom of dangerous diseases.

Causes of hangnails on the fingers associated with lifestyle disorders:

Refusal to use protective gloves if it is necessary to perform work that involves constant exposure of the hand to water, earth, household chemicals, paints, lime, cement and other aggressive chemicals. This doesn't only apply to women.
The bad habit of biting the epidermis around the nail plate or sucking fingers.
Careless handling of paper in the office, which can lead to cuts, as well as excessive pressure on a pen or pencil, leading to thinning of the epithelium on the fingers.
Using low-quality soap, frequent hand washing without subsequent complete drying and application of moisturizer.
Insufficient fluid intake, which leads to general dehydration of the body, especially the skin on the fingers and toes.
Refusal to wear gloves during the cold season.

Causes of hangnails on fingers associated with health problems:

Hypovitaminosis, including if there is a lack of retinol, biotin, vitamins C and E, rutin, as well as a deficiency of certain microelements such as calcium, silicon, iron.
Diseases of the endocrine system, stomach and intestines, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, renal failure, gastritis.
Skin diseases such as dermatitis, eczema, ichthyosis.
Lack of proteins and lipids due to an unbalanced diet or the use of mono-diet; dystrophy.
Disruption of the normal balance of natural intestinal microflora (dysbacteriosis).
Chronic intoxication, allergic diseases, constant stress.

How and how to treat hangnails on fingers

To answer the question of how to treat hangnails on the fingers, you first need to determine the cause of their appearance. If improper care and attitude towards yourself can be corrected on your own, then health problems can only be solved by a specialist.

When hangnails appear on the fingers, treatment should begin by eliminating the cause of its formation.

If there is an internal cause, first of all, treat the underlying disease. If the disease is chronic, you need to consult a specialist on how to eliminate dry skin and reduce its tendency to damage. In the presence of many diseases, in order to prevent cracking around the nail plate, it is enough to carefully care for your hands.
It is necessary to adjust the daily diet so that the body receives all the necessary compounds for the formation of a healthy, elastic epidermis. If there is a deficiency of nutrients and minerals and it is impossible to obtain them in sufficient quantities from food, additional use of food supplements and vitamin-mineral complexes is necessary.

Important

Before choosing a diet for weight loss, you need to consult a doctor who will tell you what type of diet is suitable, taking into account contraindications. This will avoid many problems, including skin ones.

To maintain normal water balance, so that the skin is sufficiently hydrated, you should drink at least 2 liters of fluid daily. To remove intestinal dysbiosis, bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are prescribed in the form of capsules, as well as homemade yoghurts prepared using special starter cultures.

To prevent dry skin and get rid of the need to answer the question of how to treat hangnails on your hands, it is enough to follow simple preventive measures.

You should:

Always use protective cream and gloves when in contact with damaging factors.
Fight the habit of biting nails and sucking fingers, this is especially important in children.
Maintain a sufficient level of humidity in work areas and at home.
Use gentle detergents, preferably “baby” soap or hand washing gel.
Dry your brushes thoroughly, do not leave them wet, apply moisturizer with frequent contact with water, not only at night, but also during the day.
Lubricate the skin of your hands before going out into the cold with a special or nourishing cream, at least 20 minutes before your walk. Be sure to wear mittens.
Choose a professional manicurist or learn how to do the procedure correctly yourself.
When a hangnail appears, be able to remove it correctly, without additional damage and infection of the wound, which can lead to serious consequences in the form of panaritium or deformation of the nail plate.

The main reason for the appearance of hangnails is dry skin, which occurs with frequent contact with water, household chemicals, paper, as well as wind and frost. An unbalanced diet, or more precisely, a deficiency of fats and vitamins A and E, may also be to blame for the lack of moisture.

Those who like to bite their nails also suffer from hangnails, as this unsightly habit weakens the nail bed and leads to microtrauma to the skin around the nail plate.

A poorly done manicure can also play a role, especially if the cuticle is cut off.

Finally, the state of health in general and the digestive system in particular plays an important role.

If you watch your diet, take care of the skin of your hands and do not have the habit of biting your nails, but hangnails still do not go away, this is a good reason to consult a doctor.

How to prevent hangnails

The best means of prevention is to protect your hands from anything that dries your skin, as well as regular use of moisturizing cosmetics. Therefore, it is advisable to do all housework with rubber gloves and apply cream to your hands as needed, and not just before bed.

Make sure your diet includes foods rich in fats and vitamins: fish, vegetable oils, nuts, vegetables, fruits and herbs.

Get a hygienic manicure regularly, preferably unedged. Instead of cutting the cuticle, rub special oil into it and gently push it with an orange stick to the base of the nail. If you can’t completely avoid trimmed manicures, do them as rarely as possible so that the skin has time to recover.

Not . This not only leads to the formation of hangnails, but also increases the risk of infection of the wound by bacteria living in the oral cavity. And getting bacteria into your mouth from your hands can have very unpleasant consequences.

Smussyolay/flickr.com

Give preference to nail polish remover without acetone. Products with ethyl acetate, isopropyl alcohol and propylene carbonate do not dry the skin as much. It would be nice if the liquid contained glycerin or oil extracts.

Do not overuse quick-drying nail polishes, as they not only quickly harden themselves, but also instantly dry out the skin around the nail.

How to properly remove burrs

If it’s too late to do prevention and unpleasant pieces of dry skin are puffing up on your hands, then there’s nothing left to do but get rid of them. But removing does not mean biting off, tearing off or tearing off. Here's how to do it correctly:

Soak your fingers in a bath of warm water and a few drops of vitamin E or olive oil.
Trim the hangnail flush with the skin using sharp scissors or nail clippers. Do not pull or pull: this may injure the skin. And try not to cut off too much so that a wound does not form.
Lubricate the cut with antibacterial ointment: this will prevent infection and speed up healing.
If you had to remove a large hangnail that had become severely torn from the skin, cover the cut with a band-aid.
If the patch is of no use, moisten the cut. Vitamin E or moisturizer is suitable for this. Apply the product several times throughout the day, especially after contact with water.

What happens if you get hangnails, and how to treat it

A hangnail that is not treated in time can lead to inflammation of the nail fold, also called paronychia or periungual felon. If the skin around the hangnail is red, swollen, or purulent, this indicates a bacterial or fungal infection.

At the initial stage of inflammation, when the area around the hangnail is red and slightly swollen, warm water baths can help. They need to be done 2-3 times a day.

If after 3-4 days the inflammation does not go away or progresses, you should consult a doctor. You will most likely be prescribed a course of antibiotics, and if it does fester, you may need to drain the infected area of skin.

If you are diagnosed with fungal paronychia, you will be prescribed appropriate antifungal medications.

Having gone on maternity leave, I was faced with a lot of housework: endless washing of dishes, washing and washing, mopping the floors three times a day. Endless contact with water, lack of time for skin care and periodic exposure to the street without gloves took their toll, and a month after the birth of the child, I looked at my hands with horror: the skin on my hands had dried out and became flabby, and all my fingers were moist. burrs. My once well-groomed and manicured fingers have turned into the fingers of a laborer. But a woman’s hands are one of the main indicators of age and grooming. And then I realized that I needed to urgently take action, otherwise my family would soon begin to be afraid of the sight of my hands.

Why do I have hangnails on my fingers? I understand the reasons

The main reason for this problem is lack of care and aggressive influence of environmental factors:

frequent contact with water;
exposure to cold air outside and dry air at home;
lack of vitamins in the body.

It was impossible to remove all these factors, because no one canceled household chores, so I decided to start by taking vitamins and using hand cream during the day whenever possible.

How I got rid of hangnails: my long path to perfection

In the fight against hangnails, I had to gradually try various methods and means.

Let's talk a little about hangnails and vitamins

I didn’t expect the vitamins to have a quick effect, but I took them regularly every day Complements as the most budget option. A package of 60 tablets cost 177 rubles.

Are expensive hand creams effective against hangnails?

It improved the situation a little, provided that I used it 5-8 times a day, lubricating not only the skin of my hands, but also massaging the nail holes, around which there were a lot of hangnails. I used different hand creams: both expensive and cheap. The cream “Velvet Hands” showed the best effect. Nourishing" for 89 rubles. It contains shea and avocado butter, glycerin and panthenol, which provides a moisturizing and healing effect. The cream smells nice and is quickly absorbed. The old hangnails healed a little and stopped peeling, but the problem was not solved.

In a cosmetics store I was advised to use SallyHansen’s “ProblemCuticleRemover” cream care , which is used to soften the cuticle during manicure. The consultant explained that this cream will well moisturize and soften hangnails, which can be easily removed after using the product. The cream turned out to be not the most budget option, and its use gave no more effect than a regular hand cream.

Folk remedies - real treatment or panacea?

Turning to traditional medicine, I decided to try simple olive oil. After slightly heating the oil, I smeared it on my hands, wrapped them in cling film and put on mittens for 20 minutes. After the mask, my hands became soft, and the skin around the nail holes was noticeably smoothed and moisturized. But such a mask must be done regularly 1-2 times a week to obtain visible results.

My choice in the treatment of hangnails is a product with super effect!

The life-saving remedy turned out to be Smart Enamel oil for 181 rubles. The product is sold in pharmacies and cosmetics stores and contains jojoba oil and vitamin A and E. The 11 ml bottle with a brush is similar to nail polish bottles. I didn’t expect any special miracle from the oil, so I just smeared it on the skin around my nails overnight, treated the hangnails, and went to bed. In the morning, I saw that the wounds from the hangnails had noticeably healed and my hands acquired a well-groomed appearance. After 3 days of evening use, the hangnails completely disappeared.

Manicure accessories against hangnails: do it yourself or contact a specialist?

Home manicure is only for experienced ladies!

Before I started using various products to treat hangnails, I cleaned my hands using nail clippers and scissors. It is best to have this procedure done by a professional, but if this is not possible, then do a manicure at home with sharpened tools. Since I am not a professional manicurist, my hands looked good on the first day, but the next day the skin cut area was covered with new burrs. I saved my skin with Aevit in the form of oil in capsules, which I opened and lubricated the wounds that appeared the next day. Therefore, the option of a home manicure is suitable only for those who know how to do it correctly and accurately. If processed incorrectly, you can not only fail to achieve the desired result, but also aggravate the situation and even introduce infection into micro-wounds.

Professional manicure to help

Having found time to go for a manicure, I was pleased with the result. If you have hangnails, it makes sense to do a trimmed manicure, since a hardware manicure will only get rid of rough skin, but will not cope with neglected skin and hangnails. I added a paraffin therapy procedure to the manicure: Hands lubricated with cream are dipped in warm wax for a few seconds, and then wrapped in polyethylene and covered with a warm towel or special mittens. After 20 minutes, the wax is easily removed completely, and the skin on your hands becomes noticeably soft and moisturized. Warm wax also improves blood circulation in the hands, which promotes faster healing of areas from which hangnails have been cut.

My results of using cosmetics in the fight against hangnails

Having tried several means of combating hangnails, I came to conclusions about the effectiveness of various cosmetics.

Name of product, volume and rating on a 5-point scale	price, rub.	pros	Minuses
Hand cream “Velvet hands. Nourishing", 80 ml 3	89	Smells nice Absorbs quickly without residue Well moisturizes the skin	Short-lived effect
Skin balm “Glysolud”, 100 ml 2	*123*	Very well moisturizes the skin of the hands and smoothes the skin	Has a thick texture and is absorbed for a long time Leaves a greasy feeling Does not solve the problem with burrs
Cream-care for cuticle removal Sally Hansen “Problem Cuticle Remover” 1	*343*	Suitable for preparing for trim manicure in not too advanced cases	Strange smell Thick texture Poorly softens rough skin
Vitamins Aevit, 30 capsules 4	40	Heals wounds quickly Moisturizes rough skin	To use, you must pierce the capsules, there is a risk of getting dirty
Healing oil “Smart enamel”, 11 ml 5	*181*	The bottle is equipped with a brush for application Well moisturizes the skin around the nails Heals wounds quickly Prevents hangnails with regular use	Long absorbed

A few more time-tested folk remedies for getting rid of hangnails

In order to get rid of hangnails, there are a lot of inexpensive folk remedies that are easy to prepare at home:

Baths with sea salt and essential oils. Any sea salt and emollient oil will do: jojoba, bergamot, tea tree. The most important thing is not to make the water too hot, and keep your hands in the bath for 5-10 minutes. After the procedure, it is best to lubricate your hands with warm olive oil or any hand cream.
Kalanchoe leaf mask. Grind the leaves of the plant to a paste and apply to the skin around the nails, wrapping each finger with cling film. After 10-15 minutes, rinse everything off and lubricate your hands with cream. Kalanchoe has a regenerating effect and will speed up the healing of the skin after removing a hangnail.

Olive oil bath. Heat the oil and put your hands in it for a few minutes. If there are no open wounds, you can add a few drops of lemon juice. After the procedure, lightly blot your hands with a paper towel and allow the remaining olive oil to be absorbed.

What else will help in the fight against hangnails on your fingers?

The cause of hangnails can be not only insufficient hand skin care, but also a lack of vitamins and a weakened immune system. A lack of vitamin A in the body can reduce skin regeneration, and a deficiency of vitamin E can cause dryness, which leads to the appearance of hangnails. In this case, it is necessary to add foods containing these vitamins to your daily diet and select a vitamin complex.

Nutrition. Foods rich in vitamin A: liver, fish oil, eggs, butter, milk, cheese, cottage cheese. The following foods are rich in vitamin E: various oils (soybean, peanut, sunflower, olive, flaxseed), nuts, buckwheat, dried apricots, sea buckthorn, beans, peas.
Vitamin complexes : Complivit Radiance (30 tablets for 394 rubles), VitrumBeauty (30 tablets for 1024 rubles), Alphabet Cosmetic (60 tablets for 479 rubles).

H To prevent hangnails from appearing on my fingers again, following a few simple rules helped me:

When contacting water, use gloves whenever possible;
Wear gloves or mittens when going outside in the cold season;
After washing your hands, use any softening cream (you can even use a baby cream);
From time to time, make baths and hand masks;
Take vitamin complexes and eat foods rich in vitamins A and E;
from a professional technician at least 1-2 times a month.

My hangnail problem was solved in a couple of months, which took me to select the most effective product and draw up a set of measures to prevent this problem. In order to preserve the beauty and youth of your hands, it doesn’t take much time or money. The most important thing is skin protection and regular care.

Sincerely, Sozykina Lyubov