If youve tried researching this topic, you probably came across articles and authors referring to people with hard skin around nails as sufferers. But, I like to think of it as a regular occurrence… in fact, as Im writing this article, Im picking on a particularly hardened piece of skin around my thumb nail. I know I probably shouldnt, but its very irritating…
The state of your skin in this area may also depend on the season (cold weather will dry out your skin and make it hard, or cause tiny cracks), on your line of work (if you are involved in demanding manual labor), or your diet (specific vitamin deficiency).
So, is there something you can do about it? Of course there is!
How To Get Rid Of Hard, Calloused Skin Around Your Nails?
Soak your fingers in warm water to soften the skin. Once softened, remove cuticles, hard skin, and callouses using manicure scissors. Afterward, apply lotion to moisturize the skin and lock in the moisture overnight.
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how to fix dry skin around nails
“If it’s just dry and chapped skin, the simplest thing to do is to start using a moisturising hand cream. Massage the cream well into the nail holes and onto your hands regularly, especially after meals. You can go for emollients, petroleum jelly or almond oil,” Dr Chabbra says.Is the skin around your nails peeling? Know the causes, treatment and more
“The cuticle skin bears the brunt of most of the environmental agents, which are one of the most common triggering factors for the drying up and eventual peeling of the skin,” Dr Dadu says.
And, when the peeling is accompanied with swelling, redness and itching, it can be a symptom of fungal infection. Both the conditions, she says, require proper assessment and treatment by a doctor.
Apart from skin diseases, lack of certain vitamins and minerals in our body can also contribute to skin peeling. Insufficient intake of Vitamin B, A, E and C can all affect the skin health making it dry, scaly and ragged.
“Chronic eczema, atopic dermatitis and pompholyx are other skin conditions which can lead to dryness and skin changes,” she adds.
Exposure to chemicals substances like soap, detergents or nail paint can cause an allergic reaction leading to skin irritation and peeling.
Skin Peeling Around Nails
Yes, that’s how dry skin around fingernails start forming. If left untreated, they will start snagging to things and one fine day you will actually hurt yourself pretty bad. Dry skin around nails is actually very painful. Sometimes, they may lead to bigger problems. Like the dry skin around the nails may fall off and leave a gaping hole. This makes it easier for bacteria to enter your body. In order to know how to get rid of dry skin around nails, there are some very common treatment procedures. Just follow these and you will see the difference in just a few days!
We all love beautiful hands, and so we will give you some really nice tips to get rid of dry skin around nails.
We have a few home remedies for dry skin around nails. Read on…
[Also Read: How To Grow Long Nails]
Moisturize, Moisturize And Moisturize More
The first step in getting rid of these somewhat painful skin bits is to moisturize your skin well. We can’t emphasize more on how much moisturizing and a simple cream can work for the dry skin. Use different lotions and moisturizing oils to hydrate the especially dry areas around your nails. When you are moisturizing your nails, take a generous amount of moisturizer and make sure you take special care of your cuticles. Also make sure that you cover the entire area that is surrounding your nail. Also, note that sweet-smelling moisturizer probably will not be that effective. Instead look out for those creams and lotions which are alcohol-free and do not have much fragrance.
If you are sleeping at night with some extra dry nails and cuticles, apply a generous amount of cream and go to bed with gloves. This will work to repair your skin overnight and by morning you will have beautiful and soft hands.
Your nails and cuticles need extra care if you do rough work. Sometimes even every day work can be enough stressful for your nails and you may start getting dry skin around nails. One of the best ways to combat this is to go for regular manicures. Manicurists will make sure that your nails and cuticles are moisturized well and beauty treatments at the salon will prevent your skin from drying up. Going for a manicure at least once a month can work exceptionally well for your skin. Look out for nail polish removers that contain Vitamin E and moisturizers because they will protect your nail and keep the area around it hydrated.
[Also Read: How To Get The Perfect Manicure]
Illustration of the cuticle and nail
The easiest way to treat dry cuticles is by moisturizing the area with a cream or oil. Some treatment options include:
1. Cuticle cream
A cuticle cream is an emollient that nourishes and moisturizes dry cuticles. Look for ingredients like vitamins A, C, and E, and natural oils such as almond and sunflower oil. The oils will help soften your cuticles and the vitamins can nourish and strengthen them, too.
To apply cuticle cream, massage a small amount into your nail beds after washing your hands. You can find cuticle creams at your local drugstore or beauty supply store.
Some cuticle creams to try include:
Cuticle oil softens and hydrates the cuticle area. It’s usually made of a blend of oils and sometimes contains vitamins. Cuticle oil is quick-absorbing and also conditions your nails to help prevent future dryness and cracking.
Look for ingredients such as sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, and aloe vera for additional soothing.
To use cuticle oil, apply a thin amount to your nail beds using your fingertip or a soft brush.
Like cuticle cream, you should be able to purchase cuticle oil from beauty supply or drugstores.
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, coconut oil is an at-home treatment option. The saturated fat in coconut oil can help soothe and strengthen nail beds.
To use, massage a small amount of coconut oil, using your fingertip or a soft brush, into each nail bed.
If you get manicures, the Mayo Clinic advises against cutting your cuticles. If you do decide to trim them or have a nail technician trim your cuticles, it’s important to confirm the equipment your nail salon uses is sterilized. That will help prevent infection.
You also want to confirm that the cuticle cutters are sharp. Clippers that aren’t sharp enough may cause more peeling along the cuticles.
You can bring your own equipment if you’re concerned.
Why Does The Skin Around Your Nails Become Hard?
Since fingers are the most used and exposed parts of our body, it comes as no surprise that the skin around the nails will suffer. This is especially true for those that do not take good care of it.
So, why does the skin around our nails become hard?
Its a natural process where the skin forms hard, thickened areas as a response to repeated irritation, friction, or pressure. By developing these calluses, the skin is actually doing its job; and, though they are generally not harmful, if left neglected for long, these calluses can become irritated.
But how?
Whenever we put pressure on the tips of our fingers, the delicate skin gets pushed against/under the sharp edge of the fingernail. This constant friction causes the skin to lose moisture, and, by becoming overly dry, it becomes vulnerable.
Our bodys natural response is to protect this vulnerable area by piling up dead skin cells, making the area thicker, harder, and more resilient.
You see, our skin is only trying to protect us, but these calluses are not aesthetically appealing, so we frown upon them and want to get rid of them as soon as possible. How do we do that? Well discuss it in the following paragraphs.