How to Prevent Hangnails

When your nail cuticles become dry or rough, painful and unsightly hangnails often form. Pamper your nails to keep them healthy and free of hangnails.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Olive (not Virgin) Oil
• Cuticle Creams
• Exfoliating Gloves
• Hand Lotions
• Manicure Kits
• Manicure Scissors
• Nail Clippers
• Nail Files
• Nail Strengthening Polish
• Manicure Scissors

1. Give yourself regular manicures: Clean and trim your nails, brush your nails with a manicure brush, and push back cuticles with a cuticle stick. This removes excess skin that may later form hangnails.

2. Use a cuticle moisturizer as needed throughout the day to keep your nails and cuticles moisturized and strong. Try an exfoliating lotion if your skin is particularly dry or roughened.

3. Wear rubber gloves when washing dishes or doing housework. Hot water and various cleaning agents can dry out your hands and encourage hangnails. If possible, avoid soaking nails and cuticles in water, as this can weaken them.

4. Don canvas gloves when gardening or doing other tasks that can roughen and dry out your hands, causing cuticles and nails to crack.

5. Fight the urge to bite fingernails or hangnails. Such habits can aggravate the nail area and cause hangnails to bleed.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have extremely dry or rough hands, try applying moisturizer at night, then donning cotton gloves when you sleep.
• Cut hangnails as soon as you see them.

on 8/22/2006 When you are getting ready go to bed at night, drench your feet in petroleum jelly or Johnson's baby oil gel. Cover your feet with cotton socks and don't worry, it will come out of the socks when you wash them. In the morning you will have smoother and softer feet!

on 11/22/2005 Try drinking a full glass of water before you take a shower. When we wake up we are dehydrated, and the process of showering can be dehydrating.

on 11/22/2005 Might sound crazy ... When watching TV, slather super-rich moisturizer on your hands. Put baggies over your hands and then warm socks. Leave on as long as you can bear. You can't use the remote so well, but what soft hands you'll have, and no hangnails!

on 11/22/2005 Before you go to bed at night, apply a little dab of petroleum jelly on your cuticles and rub it over your whole nail. Sleep well!