Hangnails on fingers: causes and treatment. Hangnails on fingers. Causes in children and adults. How to get rid of it if it breaks out, becomes inflamed, or comes off. There are a lot of hangnails on the fingers, what to do?
A hangnail is a tear in the skin of the nail fold. Most often it occurs on the lateral roll of the fingers, i.e. on the side of the nail, since this area is most susceptible to mechanical stress. Somewhat less frequently, hangnails are found on the rear roller. Hangnails on the toes are also less common.
Externally, a hangnail looks like a piece of skin or an area of skin detachment. This picture does not decorate the nails at all, and also causes pain, bleeding, and can lead to paronychia (periungual felon).
Causes of hangnails
Dry skin with increased sensitivity is most susceptible to the formation of hangnails. Constant dryness of the skin when exposed to provoking factors leads to thinning and loss of elasticity in the area around the nail. Why do burrs often appear? The fact is that even the slightest impact on such skin leads to cracking.
Provoking factors
- Long-term, constant contact of the skin of the hands with water, with household detergents (burrs often occur in women who do not use gloves when cleaning, washing dishes, etc.)
- Working with various chemicals without protecting your hands with gloves (see.
- Chapping, frostbite and dry skin, especially in winter
- Lack of proper hand hygiene
- Bad habit of biting nails, biting the skin around nails, sucking fingers
- Mechanical injury to the skin during trimming pedicures and manicures
- Injury to the skin by sand and pebbles often causes hangnails on a child’s fingers
- Using low-quality nail polishes and coating removal liquids (see also).
- Low-quality materials containing methyl methacrylate used in nail extensions
- Excess cuticle growing on the nail plate
- Frequent walking barefoot, accompanied by skin injury from sand and pebbles.
Internal reasons
Complications
Like any damage to the skin, hangnails can become a gateway for infectious agents of bacterial (streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus,) and fungal (dermatophytes, candida) infections.
- Constantly tearing off or gnawing a hangnail leads to exposure of tissue and the formation of a bleeding, weeping surface, the touch of which brings severe pain.
- Paronychia (felon)- inflammation of the periungual fold occurs when the infection spreads through the soft tissues. If the finger is swollen, redness and throbbing pain appear, periungual panaritium has developed. The subsequent formation of an area of tissue softening with a parallel change in skin color to yellowish indicates the accumulation of purulent exudate in the sub- or periungual space.
- Nail deformation- sometimes paronychia becomes chronic with periodic exacerbations: the nail thickens, changes color and becomes deformed.
Characteristics of burrs
Burrs can be small or large, multiple or single. Constant companions of hangnails are pain, especially when accidentally touched, and bleeding.
- In addition to being an aesthetic and medical problem, hangnails complicate everyday life: they cling to clothes and hair, causing pain.
- Multiple hangnails give the hands an untidy and repulsive appearance; a person with such a problem experiences psychological discomfort and constantly hides their hands.
Diagnostics
Vivid symptoms do not raise doubts about the diagnosis. Particularly noteworthy are cases where hangnails, with proper care and the absence of provoking factors, form again and again. In this case, additional research is needed:
- biochemical blood test
- spectral analysis of hair for microelements
- possibly a test for vitamin levels in the blood
- stool examination for dysbacteriosis
With a deficiency of vitamins, the appearance is also possible. If complications arise, when the finger breaks, a bacterial culture of the purulent contents is carried out to determine the etiological pathogen and sensitivity to drugs.
How to remove hangnails at home
- Steam the skin in a hot bath for 10 minutes. Add sea salt or soda to hot water (1 tbsp per 500 ml).
- Dry your hands with a towel, carefully and thoroughly.
- Using sharp nail scissors or tweezers treated with medical alcohol, carefully cut the cuticle. When cutting the skin, the scissors are held parallel, and the forceps are held in a perpendicular position for a tighter fit to the skin. Do not pull or tear the hangnail - this will lead to rupture of healthy skin, i.e. the basis for a new burr will be formed.
- Treat the skin with an antiseptic (hydrogen peroxide, alcohol tincture of calendula), and then apply Dexpanthenol cream (analogues of Bepanten, Panthenol, D-panthenol, Pantoderm ointment) or moisturizing, nourishing hand cream.
- Place a patch with a fabric center on your finger to prevent accidental injury to the treated skin on clothing.
For those who are afraid to cut off a hangnail, this method is recommended: at night, the skin at the site of the hangnail is thoroughly lubricated with calendula ointment and loosely sealed with the above-mentioned plaster. By morning, the hangnail will soften and remove itself when you wash your hands. However, complete removal may not occur, and the small remaining piece of skin, clinging to clothing, may become another hangnail.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Velvet handles - healing with | Green pharmacy, healing hand cream with sea buckthorn oil | Grandma Agafya's recipes - healing | Ointment and creams with Dexpanthenol | |
How to get rid of hangnails on fingers in salons
In specialized salons, the same actions are carried out as at home, but more professionally and with less risk of relapse. However, both the salon and the technician must be trustworthy, since removing a burr with an untreated tool can lead to infection. Also in salons you can carry out the following types of professional care that prevent hangnails:
- Spa manicure and Spa pedicure
- Trim manicure and pedicure
- Peeling of hands and feet
- Paraffin therapy
Traditional treatment
- Oil baths. Heat a small amount of vegetable oil and hold your hands in it for 10-20 minutes. You don’t have to wash off the oil, but gently rub it into the skin, wearing cotton gloves over it. Repeat every day at night.
- Porridge from . Several fresh leaves are crushed and the paste is applied to the fingertips, covered with cling film on top. Ideally, keep for several hours, but not less than 30 minutes. Repeat 1-2 times a week.
- Sea buckthorn oil or- can be applied to the site of a hangnail, they have an excellent wound-healing, cytoprotective effect.
Treatment of complications
It often happens that a hangnail is torn off, and the finger breaks out after a while. If the inflammatory process develops, you should immediately contact a surgeon.
The acute stage is treated with conservative methods: warm compresses are effective, the finger is kept in an elevated position outside of procedures. If necessary, your doctor will prescribe oral antibiotics to prevent an abscess.
If a periungual abscess occurs in the treatment room, it is drained and opened. In case of a subungual abscess, the nail plate must be removed, partially or completely.
Prevention
- Professional care for hands and feet. High-quality trimmed manicure and pedicure almost completely eliminates the formation of burrs.
- Skin disinfection after home manicure and pedicure (hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil).
- Eliminate the habit of biting nails and sucking fingers, often observed in children. In addition to bleeding and painful hangnails, such a habit can lead to OKI () and.
- Protecting the skin from exposure to aggressive environments and natural factors (protective creams, gloves).
- Hand washing using baby soap.
- Use nourishing and softening hand creams after each wash and manicure. The cream should be applied around each nail and rub in with light massage movements until absorbed.
- Use softening baths with sea salt, glycerin or soda 1-2 times a week.
- Taking vitamins and minerals. Which vitamins are missing can be determined by a blood test.
- Compliance with drinking regime.
- Complete nutrition.
A beautiful manicure is only half the way to well-groomed hands. Small imperfections, like hangnails, can ruin the entire impression of even an interesting nail design. And you don’t need to think - it’s a trifle, no one will notice! They will notice. And they will draw significant conclusions, even if the wardrobe is haute couture.
Why do hangnails appear, how to get rid of them and what to do to prevent them?
Hangnails in a child are normal. There he rummaged in the sandbox, here he tinkered with plasticine, and secretly sucked his finger and chewed his nails. All this dries out the skin, reduces its elasticity, leads to the formation of cracks and tears - and, as a result, to the appearance of hangnails. But why do hangnails appear in adults who take care of the beauty of their nails without sparing their wallets?
Household attack
Although modern apartments are packed with turnkey appliances, you have to deal with everyday life, and the result of the interaction on your hands can be the most disastrous. Housework with chemicals (cleaning powders, dishwashing gels and even delicate balms for washing lace underwear) without gloves dries out the skin, and dry skin is fertile ground for hangnails.
Vitamin deficiency
“Fringe” around the nails may be a consequence of a deficiency of vitamins - mainly A and E. And the reason sometimes does not lie in a meager menu. Absorption of nutrients is affected by problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Even if you eat caviar with spoons, not a single vitamin will be absorbed.
Office work
What does “clean” office work have to do with hangnails? Direct. Frequent contact with paper causes the skin of your hands to dry out. Paper, like a sponge, absorbs fat and moisture.
Manicure
Hangnails after manicure – how can this be? Easily. If we are talking about a trimmed manicure, there is a high risk of injuring the skin near the nail; with an untrimmed manicure, there is a high risk of pushing the cuticle too deep or drying it out with an alkaline solvent.
Air conditioning, heating, insufficient fluid intake - these are a number of other reasons why the delicate skin around the nail plate dries out and tears. We know why. We'll find out what to do.
What to do: prevention and removal of burrs
By observing preventive hygiene, your life will be easier and more fun.
To prevent hangnails from disfiguring your hands, you need...
- Wearing gloves when working with any household chemicals is a key rule that everyone knows about, but stubbornly forgets.
- Always and everywhere carry a moisturizing or nourishing cream with you, using it as your skin dries out.
- Keep a cuticle oil in your cosmetic bag - for example, ORLY CUTICLE OIL, or regularly “oil” your hands with baths.
- To prevent dry skin, drink the conditional “2 liters” of clean drinking water or, more simply, drink more.
- Wash your hands with a creamy pH-neutral soap and dry them thoroughly after any contact with water.
- Prefer an unedged manicure and a gentle method of softening the cuticle - for example, in a warm bath.
- Get off the diet and enrich the menu with foods rich in vitamins A and E, and this is fish oil, liver, caviar, butter, carrots.
What happens if a hangnail appears despite all precautions (or due to their absence)?
Removing burrs: cutting at the root
Hangnails are not only a sloppy looking hand, but also a problem with long lasting consequences. Ignoring this harmless stub of skin, you can get acquainted with two medical terms - paronychia (inflammation of the periungual fold) and felon (purulent inflammation of the soft tissues).
In advanced cases, inflammation takes the form of pandactylitis - severe purulent tissue damage, including bone.
How to remove hangnails intelligently?
- First of all, forget about “tear off” and “bite off”. Of course, you want to get rid of a hangnail as quickly as possible - with your teeth, office scissors, or a penknife. This is absolutely not worth doing. Read above - paronychia, panaritium, pandactylitis...
- Burrs are removed with nippers or thin nail scissors, after steaming the skin in a warm bath (with salt, soda or essential oils). Before use, wipe the instrument with alcohol or peroxide. The wound after circumcision is treated with any disinfectant.
- In case of multiple hangnails (“fringe”), fingers are generously lubricated with nourishing cream at night, wrapped in cling film or gloves are worn, and in the morning the softened skin is carefully removed. The risks of damaging healthy areas of the skin after such a compress are minimal.
- If there is no hangnail, but the skin around the nails indicates its appearance (dry and rough), the keratinized layer is removed with a sanding file, and the sanded area is disinfected with peroxide and treated with a nourishing cream.
- You can forget about hangnails forever with the help of aloe or Kalanchoe. A paste of crushed leaves is applied to problem areas under film or gloves. This compress has strong bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, regenerating and moisturizing properties.
- Aloe growing on a windowsill is a luxury today. But olive or sunflower oil is always available. Warm it up, generously lubricate your fingertips and wrap your hands in film. After 30 minutes, blot off excess with a paper towel. Not a single hangnail on the nose will show, and those who are “pecked” will quickly capitulate.
Remove burr on time and providing skin care after “restoration” is a good thing. Alas, timely measures are the exception, and an inflamed hangnail is the rule.
In the affected area: how to treat hangnails
The place where the hangnail on the finger is inflamed loudly announces itself with throbbing pain, swelling or even purulent inflammation. “I tore off the hangnail accidentally (read, intentionally)” or “he did it himself” – it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s important – the hangnail hurts, is swollen, or even breaks out, trying to ruin not only your manicure, but also your life. What to do? Treat without delay.
Rash salt on the wound
Frequent and long baths with soda or salt (at the rate of 1-2 tablespoons per half liter of water) are a folk method, but officially approved. The solution has strong disinfecting properties. During the Second World War, compresses with table salt saved a huge number of people from death. A salt or soda bath will also save your fingers from suppuration.
"Anointing"
After the bath, blot the skin with a sterile napkin and apply a compress with dioxidine ointment, levomekol or Vishnevsky ointment to the inflamed area, loosely bandaging your finger. Instead of ointments, the bandage can be soaked in a solution of dimexide: 3 tsp. water – 1 tsp. dimexide.
To the office
The “out” option is iodine and a bactericidal patch. Carefully treat the wound with a cotton swab dipped in an alcohol solution of iodine, and cover the “weak spot” with a band-aid. Upon returning home, treat with an antiseptic, take a bath and apply bactericidal ointment.
If the result of self-medication is increased inflammation (pus has accumulated, the temperature has risen), see a surgeon. Using a scalpel and antibiotics, the doctor will work on the mistakes, and you will firmly learn the lesson: hangnails are not a toy.
VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS
Non-child problems: hangnails in a child
Children and hangnails seem to be made for each other. No matter what mom does to separate them, the efforts are most often in vain. All that remains for a caring mother is to make sure in time that the child does not tear off, pick out or chew off a section of loose skin.
A “childish” hangnail is treated like an adult. Steam your finger in a warm bath with salt, soda or herbal infusion (for example, chamomile). Carefully, flush with the skin, cut off the hangnail with nail scissors. The wound is washed with peroxide or treated with iodine. For swelling and inflammation, use bactericidal ointments.
Memo to a caring mother
- If the cause of permanent hangnails is that the baby bites his nails, buy a special bitter varnish at the pharmacy. It is absolutely harmless to the baby.
- A child can be weaned off finger sucking, which dries out the skin of the hands, by playing. “Animate” the finger and ask the baby to feel sorry for it: “Look how thin he has become, but he wants to grow and be strong.”
- Teach your child proper hand hygiene - wash with soap, wipe dry and moisturize with cream.
- After each walk, conduct an inspection, looking for burrs, splinters, scratches and other damage on the child’s arms. Once found, treat with an antiseptic. Before a walk, protect your hands with nourishing cream and cover all wounds with a bactericidal bandage.
- Analyze the menu. Perhaps there are too few products with vitamins A and E. Carrot puree or a salad of grated carrots with a teaspoon of olive oil solves the problem of deficiency of these vitamins at once. How to persuade a child to eat carrots is another question. Remember, the best solution to all conflict situations with a child is play.
On the contrary, it is not worth playing with hangnails. It is necessary to take action. Correct and timely. How do you solve the problem with untidy “fringe”?
Everyone probably gets hangnails on their fingers from time to time. Agree, this is always a little unnerving. I just want to tear off this annoying piece of skin that always gets in the way and clings to something. For girls, in general, it can take a puff or even tear new tights. And if a little dirt gets under the hangnail, it begins to hurt and become inflamed. In general, all this is unpleasant. Therefore, we have prepared material for you that will help you understand the reasons for the appearance of hangnails and learn how to get rid of them.
When there is a consequence, you always need to look for the cause, so as not to repeat mistakes later.
Why do burrs appear:
1.U you have dry skin. Constant contact with water dries the skin. It, especially in the city, is often harsh and contains various impurities, which is what has such an effect on the skin.
Constant work with paper and household chemicals also leads to dry skin: washing dishes, laundry, cleaning - all this affects the water balance of the skin of your hands.
2. You eating incorrectly or unbalancedly. We are what we eat. This expression can be heard several times a day lately, and for good reason. Indeed, an insufficient amount of vitamins that can be obtained from food, or an excess of harmful fats and carbohydrates, affects our bodies, including the skin. Vitamins A and E are responsible for its nutrition. Therefore, if you suffer from hangnails, most likely you do not have enough foods rich in these components.
3. You biting your nails. Hangnails appear in those who have this bad habit. We understand that not everyone can cope with it. However, this is not only ugly and indecent, but also injures the nail plate, along with it the cuticle and nail fold. Therefore, if your hands keep reaching for your mouth, and you don’t notice how you’ve already reached the third or fourth finger, don’t be surprised at the appearance of hangnails.
4. U your manicure was poorly done. Often an incorrect or poorly done manicure becomes the cause of hangnails. Perhaps the specialist or you yourself accidentally touched an area of skin that is not related to the cuticle. Or the cut was uneven and not performed in one movement, which led to the formation of scars on the skin and, as a result, hangnails.
These are the most common reasons. However, if you know that none of the points apply to you, consult your doctor. Perhaps the problem is much more serious.
Preventing a problem is always better than solving its consequences. Now we know what causes burrs, which means we are already armed. Let's give some tips on how to prevent hangnails from appearing.
1. Moisturize your hands several times a day day. To prevent burrs from appearing, you need. Moisturize them at least in the morning, after showering, every time you wash them during the day, and at night.
2. Do houseworky in gloves. This way you will protect the skin of your hands from the effects of household chemicals and other harmful factors that you may encounter in your household chores. If you are uncomfortable working with gloves, use cleaning products that do not contain chlorine. This is what dries out the skin.
3. Give preference to unedged manicure. As we have already said, trimmed manicure can injure your fingers. But an orange stick and emollient oil have never harmed anyone.
4. Don't bite your nails. This habit not only spoils the appearance of your hands, but can also lead to various diseases, because a huge amount of bacteria accumulates under our nails every day, and putting them in your mouth is not the best option. Getting rid of an established habit is difficult, but it is necessary in this case. To do this, you can apply special bitter-tasting varnishes to your nails (they are sold at the pharmacy). So, every time you bite your nail, you will experience an unpleasant bitterness and gradually give up this hobby.
You won't need to bite your nails if there is nothing to chew on, so they need to be trimmed regularly. Watch yourself, and every time your hand reaches for your mouth, occupy it with something, pick up a pencil or fountain pen, a keychain or a sheet of paper. Over time, the habit will leave you behind.
5. Use nail polish remover without acetone and alcohol These two components dry out the skin greatly, and this, as we know, is an excellent reason for a hangnail to appear.
If a burr does appear, it must be removed correctly.
Step 1. Make a hand bath. Add essential oil or vitamin E to warm water.
Step 2. Cut off the hangnail with scissors or special nail clippers. The main thing is to do it carefully, without sudden movements.
Step 3. Lubricate the cut site with antibacterial ointment, then it will heal faster.
Step 4. Moisturize your hands. Moisturizing hand cream (you can add vitamin E to it) or oil will come to your aid.
If you had to cut off a lot of skin during the removal process, cover the area with a band-aid to prevent dirt and bacteria from getting in there.
Why do you need to treat hangnails?
Many people consider the appearance of hangnails to be a common and frivolous matter. Like, what's the big deal - everyone has them. However, if a hangnail is not treated in time, it can cause your nail fold to become inflamed. Bacteria can get under it and lead to a tumor or fungal disease.
If the hangnail turns red, it means that you have not avoided inflammation - take baths with warm water twice a day.
If after three to four days the inflammation does not go away, you will need to consult a doctor. Otherwise, pus will form and this may spread to the entire finger. The doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics and recommend special anti-inflammatory ointments.
Folk remedies for hangnails
In order to cure hangnails, you can use traditional methods.
Baths with chamomile. You can add dry chamomile petals to hand baths. It will have a calming effect on inflamed areas and nourish the skin with vitamins.
Bath from olive oil. Lightly heat the olive oil and soak your hands in it for a few minutes. Remember, the oil should be warm, but not hot.
Bath with sea salt. Sea water is famous for its healing effect on the skin. Add sea salt to the water. Any will do. The solution will not only saturate your skin with minerals, but will also strengthen your nails.
Kalanchoe compress. From the paste made from this plant, you can apply a compress to the area of the inflamed hangnails. Just chop the leaves and pour warm water over them. Apply the cooled mixture to your finger, wrap it in cling film and leave overnight.
Liquid vitamin E. Pharmacies sell liquid vitamin E. Rub it around the nail at night for two weeks.
Neat, well-groomed hands create a favorable impression when meeting a person for the first time and add confidence. At the same time, raw, bleeding skin on the fingertips interferes with communication. In addition, open wounds pose a risk of tissue infection and other complications. The reasons for the appearance of hangnails on fingers are different: from everyday to pathological. A doctor will help you determine what caused the problem using laboratory diagnostic methods.
Causes of burrs
Burrs, or ruptures of the periungual fold, are most often formed due to the characteristics of the skin. People with very dry or hypersensitive skin are prone to peeling of the epidermis. In adults, similar defects can occur with age, when the dermis becomes thinner and loses elasticity under the influence of negative factors.
Violation of the integrity of the dermis without treatment can provoke serious complications. Before getting rid of the problem, you need to find out why hangnails appear on your fingers. The reasons for this can be external or internal.
The condition can be caused by the following disorders in the body:
- deficiency of vitamins and minerals (vitaminosis);
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- lack of fluid;
- bacterial imbalance in the intestines;
- diabetes;
- fasting, mono-diets.
External provoking factors are:
- constant exposure of hands to a damp environment;
- sometimes breaks appear after a manicure if the procedure is performed incorrectly;
- working with aggressive environments (including household chemicals) without protective equipment;
- poor finger care;
- exposure to cold or wind;
- microtrauma of fingers;
- habit of biting nail plates;
- use of low-quality materials for painting and nail extensions (especially those containing methyl methacrylate);
- walking barefoot;
- improper pedicure at home;
- excessive growth of the cuticle.
The severity of the problem may vary.
Characteristics of burrs
Hangnails on fingers vary in size. They are also:
- multiple;
- single.
- pain;
- bleeding;
This is explained by the fact that pieces of skin constantly get caught on clothes and hair. If there are a lot of hangnails, the hands take on a repulsive appearance, causing complexes and difficulties in communication.
You can get rid of an unpleasant defect forever only after identifying its causes.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis in this case is usually not difficult if any of the above external factors are present that contribute to the fact that a person often develops hangnails on his fingers.
You can suspect any disturbances in the body if a defect appears for no apparent reason. That is, in a patient who carefully cares for his hands. In such a situation, the doctor will refer the person for laboratory tests. These could be:
- "biochemistry" of blood;
- if abscesses form around the nail, purulent secretion is collected to identify the pathogen;
- examination of feces for the presence of dysbacteriosis;
- analysis of vitamin content in the blood;
- studying hair to assess the sufficiency of microelements.
Attention: An external sign of a lack of vitamins is cracking of the skin in the corners of the mouth.
If any of the internal causes are confirmed, treatment will be aimed primarily at eliminating the underlying disease. Symptomatic treatment of the skin of the fingers can be done in a beauty salon.
The methods used to treat hangnails on the fingers in beauty salons are not too different from those at home. Their main advantage is that the procedures are carried out by a professional master using sterile special instruments. This approach minimizes the risk of complications or infection.
Effective cosmetic procedures for caring for the skin of hands and feet are:
- peeling;
- SPA manicure;
- paraffin therapy;
- SPA pedicure.
The most effective method of getting rid of hangnails is considered to be a trimmed manicure (or pedicure). During this procedure, the cuticle that grows on the nail plate is completely removed.
Attention: contact only licensed cosmetology salons. Feel free to check the documents of the master and the institution itself.
The above measures not only help solve a problem that has already appeared, but also serve as an excellent means of prevention. If you carry out the procedures regularly, hangnails are unlikely to appear. You can also take care of your hands at home, using pharmaceutical preparations.
Drugs
There are no special drugs for this defect. To cure hangnails on fingers, cosmetologists recommend using high-quality hand or cuticle creams.
You should choose fatty creams with nourishing, softening, and moisturizing properties. This group of cosmetics includes:
- Hand and nail cream with lemon juice and silk proteins (Green Mama);
- Cuticle Therapy Creame (Orly);
- Hand cream (Mavala).
They need to be applied every day, before going to bed or after contact with cleaning chemicals, thoroughly rubbing into the periungual ridges of the fingers.
If the cause of the formation of hangnails is a lack of vitamins, the doctor may recommend IM complexes. Depending on what specific substance is missing, these may be:
- Deakura;
- Calcium pantothenate;
- Aevit;
- Medobiotin;
- Vitrum Beauty;
- Ascorutin;
- Kvadevit;
- Volvit.
Topical use of fortified preparations, for example, liquid vitamin E, will help you cope with hangnails at home. One drop of it should be rubbed into the cuticle every evening. The duration of the course is 14 days.
To remove hangnails on your fingers at home, health procedures should be carried out regularly, having previously prepared your hands.
The deburring mechanism is as follows:
- Hands (or feet) need to be thoroughly steamed.
- Gently pat the skin dry and let it dry.
- Using instruments treated with medical alcohol, carefully cut off the burr.
- Apply an antiseptic (hydrogen peroxide will do).
- Lubricate with D-panthenol or its analogues. You can use your usual hand cream with a moisturizing, nourishing effect.
- You need to protect your finger from injury with a fabric-based bandage.
Attention: Do not try to tear off or chew off pieces of skin!
If there is no hangnail, but the skin around the nail has thickened and changed its structure, you can remove the rough layer by carefully removing it with a manicure file and treating it with an antiseptic.
It is possible to remove a hangnail without cutting it; to do this, you should first steam the skin before going to bed, apply calendula ointment thickly, and stick on a patch. In the morning, the soaked defect will disappear on its own, but a small part of it may remain. Clinging to clothes, it will turn into another hangnail.
To combat skin cracking, folk remedies are well suited.
Natural oils
Oil-based cuticle products can be purchased at the pharmacy, or you can prepare them yourself. Here are some popular recipes:
- in 2 tbsp. l. oil solution of vitamin E, add 10 drops of frankincense, myrrh, and lemon oils. Vitamin E in this recipe can be replaced with jojoba or apricot oil (in the same proportions);
- mix tea tree oil (10 drops) and almond oil (2 tbsp). Instead of almond oil, it is better to include hemp oil in the wound healing mixture;
- combine heated vegetable oil with apple cider vinegar (half a glass each);
- take 1 teaspoon each of grape seed oil and yogurt, add coconut oil, vanilla extract, honey (half a teaspoon each), mix thoroughly.
The resulting mixtures should be stored in a dark glass container. Rub thoroughly into cuticles and nail plates a couple of times a week.
Another way to use this ingredient is in baths. To prepare them, you need to heat the oil (olive is better, but any vegetable oil will do) to a comfortable temperature. Immerse your hands in it for a quarter of an hour, rub the residue into your hands with massage movements, put on cotton gloves, and leave overnight.
Soda bath
Baking soda is good for inflammation of hangnails. To make a bath, you need to dissolve a couple of tablespoons of soda in water (per 1 liter of liquid).
Keep your hands in the solution every day for a quarter of an hour. Then the brushes should be washed, wiped, and lubricated with moisturizer. After just seven days, thanks to such manipulations, the condition of the skin is normalized - with advanced hangnails, it is very rough around the nail plate.
Sea salt bath
Baths with sea salt help not only get rid of existing hangnails, but also prevent relapses.
Dissolve a tablespoon of sea salt in a glass of warm water and add a few drops of almond essential oil. Dip your fingertips into the liquid. After 10 minutes, rinse your hands and coat well with nourishing cream.
You can do a similar procedure for your feet. Sea salt, in addition to getting rid of skin problems, perfectly relieves fatigue.
Chamomile bath
Chamomile bath is one of the most effective procedures for the development of the inflammatory process.
To prepare it, you need:
- Pour 3 tbsp into 10 tablespoons of vegetable oil. l. dry chamomile.
- Bring to a boil in a steam bath.
- Cool to a comfortable temperature.
- Keep your hands in the resulting composition for 10 minutes
The first result is noticeable after just one procedure; five baths are enough to eliminate the problem.
Aloe remedy
Aloe is a plant with pronounced anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties that helps cure hangnails.
Fresh aloe leaves need to be washed thoroughly and crushed to the consistency of thick porridge. Apply the mixture to the wound and cover with cellophane. Keep the compress for at least 2 hours, it is better to leave it overnight. Continue the procedure until the hangnails disappear.
Nutrition
You won't be able to remove hangnails on your fingers without the right diet. The emphasis should be on products rich in retinol, vitamins C and B5, biotin, tocopherol, and rutin.
These substances are found in large quantities in:
- liver;
- legumes;
- beef;
- grapes;
- eggs;
- sea fish;
- citrus fruits;
- caviar;
- corn;
- greenery;
- nuts;
- fermented milk products;
- currants;
- cabbage of different varieties;
- apples;
- mushrooms;
- garlic;
- viburnum;
- tomatoes;
- kelp;
- vegetable oil.
An excellent remedy for stimulating the processes of moisturizing and renewing the skin is carrots. For better absorption of vitamin A, it should be eaten with sour cream. Habitual drinks should be replaced with green tea or rosehip infusion.
Complications
Hangnails on the fingers not only spoil the appearance of the hands, they cause severe pain if touched. Defects can cause serious complications.
The most common of them:
- infection with bacteria, viruses or fungi through damaged skin at the site of the hangnail;
- paronychia (or felon) - inflammation of the periungual fold, provoked by the spread of infection deep into the soft tissues. Symptoms of complications are: swelling and redness of the finger, throbbing pain;
- deformation of the nail plate occurs when paronychia becomes chronic. The nail becomes thicker, changes color, becomes curved, and the skin around the plate becomes very rough.
Attention: if at the site of inflammation the tissues soften and the skin turns yellow, then the process has turned purulent. An immediate visit to the doctor is required.
Such complications often require surgical intervention. If an abscess has formed near the nail, it is opened by a doctor in the treatment room. Purulent inflammation of the tissue under the plate is eliminated by removing the nail completely or part of it.
Following the rules for preventing the formation of burrs will help prevent the problem from developing.
- use gloves when cleaning;
- adhere to the principles of healthy eating;
- entrust the care of nail plates and cuticles to professional professionals;
- protect your hands from the cold;
- do not walk barefoot;
- maintain a proper drinking regime (2 liters of water per day);
- drink vitamin complexes;
- use creams that moisturize and saturate the skin with beneficial substances;
- disinfect the cuticle after a manicure (or pedicure) using antiseptics;
- wash hands with soap for children.
For prevention, you need to take medicinal baths once a week.
When hangnails appear, it is usually enough to balance the diet and provide proper care for the skin of the fingers. But, if there are no external causes of the defect, but hangnails occur, the doctor must decide what to do and how to treat it. You may have to take “vitamins” or buy medicinal cosmetics. If the skin is dry due to pathology of the internal organs, the emphasis should be on getting rid of it.
Hangnails cause a lot of trouble; they itch, hurt, and break out. Since a person’s hands should always be well-groomed, special attention is paid to the cuticle. In appearance, such neoplasms look aesthetically unattractive and spoil the entire impression. Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of burrs as soon as possible. Let's look at how this is done.
Reasons for the formation of burrs
- All problems that are somehow related to the skin start from the inside. If the body lacks nutrients, then the skin will crack and lose moisture. The cuticle dries and hangnails form on the fingers.
- With long-term treatment with antibiotics or other medications, precious fluid is washed out of the body. The liver receives a colossal load, all this leads to deterioration of the skin condition.
- Those categories of people who are accustomed to biting their nails always have hangnails. In addition to the plate, the periungual ridge is also bitten. The cuticle is always injured, it becomes weathered, and grooves appear.
- Often, hangnails are formed due to poor nutrition, as well as problems in the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and kidneys. To exclude these causes, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination.
- When the whole body is dehydrated, the skin does not receive enough moisture, so it dries out. Burrs and cracks appear on the hands. To exclude this, you need to drink at least 2 liters every day. clean water.
- Almost all women wash dishes without gloves. The impact of household products on the skin of the hands negatively affects the periungual fold, severe dryness and hangnails appear.
- If a manicure is performed incorrectly, the skin is injured. This happens especially strongly if you use forceps ineptly. With this procedure, healthy cells are injured, then the skin dies and turns into full-fledged hangnails.
- Most often, this unpleasant feature makes itself felt during the cold season, when the hands are exposed to cold. Frosty wind in combination with subsequent heating devices (alternating temperatures) leads to the appearance of grooves.
- If a girl likes to dig in the soil in the garden or with children in the sand on the beach in the summer, the skin is injured due to constant friction. Such microcracks are the beginning of the formation of full-fledged notches.
How to get rid of hangnails on fingers
Defects appear with frequent frequency on the fingers and toes. Despite the fact that the phenomenon is less common on the lower extremities, it is still necessary to be able to get rid of the defect. Both on the arms and legs, getting rid of hangnails is carried out according to an identical scheme. Let's consider it.
- First, it is necessary to exclude the inflammatory process. Lubricate the periungual fold with fatty baby cream, vegetable oil or any antiseptic. Hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine will also work.
- Then let the product absorb, remove excess with paper napkins and wait a quarter of an hour. During this period, prepare and disinfect all the tools you will need: nail scissors with thin long tips, cuticle nippers, orange stylus.
- If the hangnail is large and long, cut it off with scissors. Try to carry out manipulations by pressing the tool as close to your finger as possible. There should be no tip left from the burr.
- Small burrs are easier to cut off. It is necessary to arm yourself with tongs, and then cut off the damaged areas of the skin. If there is no swelling at the site of the former hangnails, perform a proper manicure.
- First, lubricate all already treated areas with hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the wounds and relieve inflammation. Then push the cuticle to the base of the nail using the orange stylus.
- Hold your finger with your opposite hand and cut off the cuticle with a pair of pliers. Move from left to center, then from right to center. Remove only dead skin, do not touch healthy tissue. If desired, instead of cutting, you can use a special gel to remove the cuticle.
Important!
Extreme care should be taken when dealing with burrs. Do not pull or chew the skin so as not to enlarge the affected area. Since fingers are constantly exposed to external factors, severed hangnails take a long time to heal.
Hand masks against hangnails
Masks must be applied every day to quickly eliminate hangnails and nourish the skin in the nail area with the necessary substances.
- Kalanchoe. Cut off the fleshy stems of the plant, wash them and dry them on towels. Grate on a fine-grain grater, pass through a kitchen sieve or place in a blender. Apply the paste to all fingers, then wrap with a bandage and cling film. Leave for 4 hours, overnight if possible. Repeat the procedure every time before going to bed. Soon the hangnails will stop appearing altogether.
- Sea buckthorn oil. Mix 5 ml. oils with 2 drops of geranium, patchouli or rosemary ether. Lubricate the fingertips where there are damages with this mixture. Rub until absorbed, then walk around in cosmetic cotton gloves for another half hour. For speedy healing and restoration of moisture in the skin, the oil should be used 2 times a day. It disinfects and promotes rapid tissue regeneration.
- Pharmacy vitamins. In pharmacies or large supermarkets you will find special vitamins A and E for healthy hair and nails. Each ampoule has a volume of 1 ml, one piece will last you a long time. Every day, apply a mixture of vitamins in equal quantities to the area of hangnails and rub until absorbed. You can use these products instead of your usual hand cream by applying the ampoule composition at night.
Skin hydration
To prevent hangnails from appearing, it is important to regularly moisturize the skin with a nourishing cream. Don't forget to get your manicure done on time. Hangnails most often form around the nails due to a lack of nutritional components.
Make it a habit to always carry cream with you. After a working day, before going to bed, perform a short hand massage with a fatty and nourishing product. Baby cream does the job perfectly.
Hand protection
During the cold season, it is important not to neglect warm mittens and gloves. Bad weather and frosty winds will quickly take their toll. The skin of your hands instantly becomes chapped and dries out. A number of unpleasant problems begin to appear.
If there are hangnails, the wounds are more susceptible to infection by pathogens. Therefore, when driving in public places and at work, touch handrails and door handles only with gloves.
Maintaining hygiene
Always use personal protective equipment when working around the house. We are talking about rubber gloves. Chemical compounds can greatly harm the delicate skin of your hands. It is convenient to wash dishes using thin silicone gloves. Try to wash clothes exclusively in a machine.
Water treatments
After any water procedures, thoroughly dry your hands. A soft terry towel does the job perfectly. Other attributes with hard bristles can injure steamed skin.
Do not allow your hands to dry out on their own. In a short period of time, the skin will become chapped. In addition, the moisture needed by the cells comes out of the skin. If water remains in the wound, bacteria will develop in it.
Proper nutrition
Adjust your diet and include more healthy foods. Consume foods that contain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Such products include sea fish, nuts, all oils, and avocados.
Minimize your consumption of sugar and confectionery products. These products, on the contrary, dry out the skin. Dehydration occurs in the body. Don't forget to drink 2 liters. clean water per day. Give up coffee in favor of green tea.
Preventive procedures
Some people may experience an unpleasant feature - dry hands are accompanied throughout their lives. Don't despair ahead of time.
Proper care will help solve the problem. Carry out complex procedures twice a year. Use body wraps, paraffin therapy and hand massage with targeted oils.
Bad habits
Addictions play a negative role, affecting the quality of the skin. When smoking, the epidermis quickly dries out and begins to crack. Burrs appear.
Also, avoid biting your nails and the skin around them. This habit indicates that you have increased emotional stress and nervousness. Children may be exempt, but not adults.
How to treat hangnails in children
- If you find a hangnail on your child, you need to act correctly. To do this, prepare a warm hand bath based on chamomile infusion, soda or salt solution. The steaming procedure should last about 20 minutes.
- After this, carefully remove the problem with nail scissors. If the inflammatory process begins, apply an antiseptic cream to the wound. Cover your finger with a plaster or bandage.
Hangnails on fingers appear for various reasons. The main thing is not to tear off a piece of skin. Wait until the end of the working day and fix the problem using the technology described above. Make sure that such troubles do not appear again.
Video: hangnails on fingers - causes and treatment
