Many people often find themselves with dry, cracked skin around their nails due to cold, dry air, or bad nail biting. Some have a habit of nibbling even the cuticles surrounding the nails: it follows that the skin tears and sometimes small wounds can become infected. Fortunately, if you have dry, cracked or torn skin you can run for cover by putting into practice the simple tips you find in this article. Read on to find out how to always have soft and tidy hands.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Repair the Cuticles
Step 1. Soak your hands
Take a medium-sized basin and fill it halfway with hot water (approximately 10 cm high). Dip your hands in the water making sure your nails and cuticles are completely submerged. Soak your hands for about 5 minutes.
Warm water softens the skin around the nails so you can use the cuticle pusher without pain
Step 2. Dry your hands
Blot it with a soft, clean towel. The cuticles should remain slightly moist, but make sure there are no drops of water. It is important that your skin is moist and soft when you manicure, as it is easier and less painful to remove dry skin.
Step 3. Push the cuticles back
Use an orange wood cuticle pusher stick (has one diagonally cut end and one pointed end) to prevent cuticles from growing over the nails. The side with the diagonally cut tip is used to push the cuticles back, while the pointed side is slid under the nails to remove the dirt that often accumulates there.
Alternatively, you can use a plastic or metal cuticle pusher, but remember to sterilize it before and after each use. The orange sticks are disposable, so throw away the one you used when you finish your manicure
Step 4. Trim the excess skin
Use a pair of clippers or a pair of manicure scissors to scrape off the dead skin surrounding your nails (including the one you pushed back with the orange stick). Be very careful and only remove the parts where the skin is visibly loose, lifted and transparent, leaving the actual cuticles intact. The only parts that need to be cut are those that, before using the cuticle pusher, covered the nails and are now detached from the nail and raised.
- Do not cut the skin that surrounds and protects the nails - cuticles are important for their health.
- The excess raised skin is whiter in color than that still attached to the base of the nails. Only remove the raised flaps of skin to prevent them from snagging on objects when you move, causing tears in healthy parts.
Step 5. Moisturize the cuticles
Purchase a specific cuticle cream, lotion, or oil from a perfumery or grocery store to apply to dry skin around your nails. Massage a generous amount on the nail as well as on the cuticles. Continue to massage until the entire area is coated with a large dose of product.
- If you want, you can also apply the moisturizing product under the nails.
- Generally, products without alcohol and fragrances moisturize the skin better.
Step 6. Put on a pair of gloves to trap moisture around your nails
Go to sleep in comfortable cotton gloves. During the night, the moisturizers will penetrate deeply into the nails and cuticles. You can take off your gloves in the morning when you wake up to admire the result.
- If you wish, you can apply a layer of petroleum jelly or paraffin wax for the hands on top of the moisturizer, to make the skin absorb more of it. Then put on the cotton gloves.
- Reapply the product for 2-3 consecutive evenings to increase the effectiveness of the treatment and make the results last longer.
Part 2 of 2: Preventing the Cuticles from Drying
Step 1. Hydrate them frequently
If you want the skin around your nails to remain soft and smooth, you need to moisturize it every day, even more than once. The cuticles and nails must be constantly moisturized, otherwise the skin could tear, the nails could break and in addition cuticles could form.
The skin tends to dry out more easily during the winter, due to the cold and dry air of indoor environments, so the cuticles need to be moisturized even more often
Step 2. Stay away from substances that dry out the skin
When the hands are dry they tend to crack and cuticles appear. Prevention is the best way to keep your cuticles soft, so try not to use substances that are known to dry out the skin. For instance:
- Do not wash dishes with hot water without wearing gloves. Hot water and detergent deprive the skin of its natural moisture. Use gloves every time you wash the dishes to protect your nails and cuticles, and always dry your hands thoroughly when done.
- Do not use acetone to remove nail polish. Acetone also eliminates natural oils that keep skin and nails hydrated.
- Do not leave the house without wearing gloves in cold weather. During the winter months it is important to protect your hands from cold air and wind to prevent the skin from drying out.
Step 3. Leave the cuticles alone
The solution to get rid of the cuticles around the nails is not to tear them. Soak your hands and use a moisturizing cream or oil as explained in the previous section. If you tear them, you risk the skin tearing and the wound becoming infected.
Some people have a habit of tearing their cuticles when they are stressed. There are far more effective methods of eliminating anxiety. Use self-control to lose this habit so bad for your hands
Step 4. Don't bite your fingers
Try to keep your hands away from your mouth. Biting your nails or cuticles is a dangerous habit. Bacteria in your mouth can infect torn skin, plus you run the risk of overstretching your nails and feeling pain.
At the pharmacy you can buy a special transparent nail polish with a bitter taste that serves to make you pass the desire to bite your nails and the surrounding skin
Step 5. Keep your body hydrated by drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day
If the body receives the right amount of water it is able to provide the right hydration to the skin, so the cuticles remain smooth and soft. Water is your best beauty ally; you can add orange or lemon juice or cucumber slices to flavor it and make it more palatable. You can also drink fruit juices, herbal teas or teas to meet your daily fluid requirement. Foods naturally rich in water, such as watermelon, or the water you use for cooking, such as soup, also help keep you hydrated.
Remember that when you sweat a lot, your fluid requirement increases
Step 6. Eat a healthy and balanced diet
If the body is deficient in nutrients, the skin, nails and hair are equally affected. You need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, accompanied by lean proteins and healthy fats in order for your body to absorb nutrients properly.
Talk to your doctor to find out if you can take a multivitamin supplement to help keep your nails healthy
Step 7. Keep your nails in order with the file
It is best that they are not too long, to prevent them from getting caught in your clothes or breaking. Pay special attention to the corners of your nails and blunt them to avoid injuring the surrounding skin.
