You cringe at the sight of a small strip of skin beside your nail separating your nail and your cuticle. Everytime you touch it, you feel a tinge of pain. If this strip of skin comes in contact with your clothes, you get hurt. You usually remove this by cutting it with a nail clipper. Are you familiar with it now? You need to know that this isn't part of your nail. Technically, it is called a hangnail. A hangnail does not grow like wild grass in a garden. It grows because you bite your nails. Once your skin gets dry and you bite your nail, a hangnail grows out of your finger. If you have a little brother or sister, you will notice that he or she usually complains about having hangnails because kids have a habit of biting their nails. A hang nail refers to a nail condition where excess skin is partially detached from your nail. Aside from being painful, hangnails are unattractive as well.

 

Prevent Hang Nails From Developing

You surely want to proceed with your daily activities without your painful hangnails getting in the way of your routine. Below are some helpful tips to help you prevent hangnails from growing: 1. Stop biting your nails unless you are ready to endure the pain that comes with this bad your hangnails give you. 2. Dry skin causes hangnails so keep your skin moisturized using moisturizers, lotions and creams. You should undergo regular sessions of pedicures and manicures for the maintenance of your nails. Regular cleaning will stop hangnails from developing. 1. Apply a moisturizing cream or lotion two times a day to prevent hangnails from growing. If you don't have a moisturizing cream or a lotion, feel free to use oil instead. 2. Buy a cuticle oil to prevent your cuticles from getting dry (Learn how to get rid of dry cuticles. A cuticle oil moisturizes your nails, preventing the growth of hangnails. If you can't find a cuticle oil, you can buy a moisturizing cream or a regular hand cream.

The Cure

If you can't prevent it, then cure it. Here are some quick solutions:

• Get a pair of nail scissors to cut the dry skin. You need to get rid of the dry skin before getting rid of your hangnail because the dry skin is the root of the problem. If you directly cut your hangnails with a nail clipper, your skin may be torn. Once this happens, infections and more hangnails may develop. When cutting dry skin, take extra care (Tips on how to get rid of dry skin). The scissors should be dipped into an alcohol or anti-septic to avoid infection.
• You can soak your hand in oil or water for five minutes and let your skin get softer. Your hangnail becomes will become painless if your skin is moist and soft. Five minutes can hardly be noticed, so take some time to condition your skin for hangnail removal.
• Some people get hangnails regularly. If you are one of them, you need to soak your nails in oil or water on a regular basis too. Regular basis means soaking your nails on oil or water for 15 minutes daily. After that, apply lotion on your finger tips two times a day.
• If you are planning to push down your cuticles, your nails need to be moisturized first to avoid the development of hangnails.

• If you have removed a hangnail, you need to apply an anti-bacterial lotion on the affected area. Let the lotion stay by wrapping your nail with a bandage.
• Some hangnails are red and some are even filled with pus. These signify that an infection has occurred. You need to see a doctor before the infection gets worse.
• Pamper your nails regularly with manicures. Make sure that you choose a manicurist who knows how to properly remove pesky hangnails.
• Petroleum jelly will help you a lot in treating this nail condition because this product is known to be a good moisturizer. Your petroleum jelly has fats that penetrate well into your skin's layers. As the jelly rests on your skin, a film is formed, preventing air from making your skin dry.

With these tips, you can get rid of hangnails easily. Then again, you must remember that sticking with the basics is important, like cleaning your hands and nails as often as possible. Learn the proper way of cleaning your hands and nails to make sure that you prevent hangnails from growing. For now, take some time to review these tips and assess your lifestyle. One new habit may change everything.

 

* Take good care of your hangnails by learning how to paint your nails.