How to Avoid Hangnails

Everyone knows how annoying and painful hangnails can be. But they can also lead to infections, which can lead to even more serious problems with your hands and nails. Here are a few tips on how to avoid those pesky hangnails.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Orange stick
• Hand cream or lotion
• Cuticle softener

1. Trim your nails regularly.

2. Keep your hands moisturized with hand lotion or cream, especially after washing with soap.

3. Avoid acetone-based nail polish remover-this dries out your hands, nails and cuticles which can lead to hangnails.

4. Moisturize your cuticles with hand cream or cuticle softener.

5. Push back your cuticles often, using an orange stick or cuticle tool.

6. Wear protective gloves when doing housework that can be drying to your hands.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid cutting your cuticles--they are quite delicate and susceptible to infection if trimmed improperly. Best leave this task to a professional manicurist.