Hangnails occur when the cuticles surrounding the nail dehydrates, causing the skin to peel off. Many of us have experienced this condition, especially around our finger nails.
Hangnails are thought to be caused by the dehydration of the cuticles and damage to the skin surrounding the nail. Forcefully removing the hangnail results in forming a wound and causing bleeding. For this reason, the wound may develop into “perionychia”.
Other possible reasons include nutrition deficiency and your daily lifestyle. Having an unhealthy diet or disregarding the nutrition balance can trigger the condition. Furthermore, having your daily routines being disrupted may also trigger the condition, hence we need to be cautious.
How to deal with it: Don’t forcefully remove the hangnail. If you have to, remove it from the roots.
Avoid forcefully removing the hangnail. It can create an open wound.
Keep it as it is and apply some cream to leave for a while. If you want to remove it, don’t pull on it forcefully. Apply some cuticle oil to moisturise the affected cuticles and cut it at its root with a pair of nippers. Leaving it exposed may result in infections, and should be dealt with swiftly.
How to prevent it
The main cause for hangnails is thought to be dehydration. Therefore, it is crucial to keep the areas around the nail moisturised.
On such occasions, it is recommended to apply cuticle oils. Also, it is advisable to where gloves during long sleeping hours.
Keeping the cuticles moisturised is important, but too much may result in the appearance of Athlete’s foot and Ringworm fungi. We should moisturise in moderation.
Also, those who feel very uncomfortable with it have been known to cover it with a fake fingernail or to cut the whole hangnail off using a pair of nippers.
