answersLogoWhite

0

How do you avoid hangnails?

Updated: 9/6/2023
User Avatar

Jkmyoung

Lvl 1
13y ago

Best Answer

A tiny sliver of skin splits off from your fingernail. And there it hangs, a little skin-thick piece of pain just waiting to happen. The trouble is, when a hangnail catches on something, this most minor of injuries can cause major-league pain. The best way to avoid hangnails (which have nothing to do with the nails themselves) is by keeping your hands well moisturized. The splits usually occur when the skin around the nails dries up and dies; nail biting is another common cause. Here are some of the best ways to cure them. Soften before clipping. "A lot of people make the mistake of clipping a hangnail when it's still hard and dry and end up ripping the skin more," says Trisha Webster, a hand model with the Wilhelmina Modeling Agency in New York City whose livelihood depends on perfectly groomed hands. "So before you clip a hangnail, soak it in a little water--or a water-and-oil solution--to soften it." To make the solution, just add two capfuls of mild bath oil or two tablespoons of olive oil to a bowl of warm water. Clip and cover. "The best thing to do with a hangnail is clip the little piece of skin with a pair of nail scissors--but be sure to wipe the scissors with rubbing alcohol before using them," advises Karen E. Burke, M.D., Ph.D., a dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in New York City. "Then put on an antibacterial ointment to prevent infection, and cover your finger with a bandage." Go for soaks. Soaking your nails in a mixture of oil and water on a regular basis is a good way to make sure you don't get future hangnails. Regular water-and-oil soaks replenish lost moisture. "I tell my patients to mix four capfuls of bath oil such as Alpha Keri with one pint of warm water and to soak their fingertips in it for maybe 10 or 15 minutes," says Rodney Basler, M.D., a dermatologist and assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Wrap it up. It's a good idea to bandage your finger after removing a hangnail, but if the bandage falls off (because of the moisturizing soak), wrap your finger in a piece of plastic wrap and secure the wrap with some tape, advises Dr. Basler. "The plastic will keep the moisture in overnight. Just be sure to remove the plastic in the morning, because you don't want to keep it on too long."

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

A hangnail is a small piece of skin next to a fingernail or toenail. It can be painful at times. To treat a hangnail you can use a nail clippers or small nail scissors to cut down on the hangnail as close to the skin as possible.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

Surgically remove ur toe or suffer it falling off.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

You can avoid hangnails by not picking at them or biting them.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

The worst way is to just plain rip it off.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

Clip it with nail clippers

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

Using Nail Clippers is the best solution.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: How do you avoid hangnails?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

How do you get rid of hangnails?

throw it in the bin


What is the result of not keeping your hands moisturized?

HANGNAILS


What do hangnails look?

This is one example: Not so pretty!


Is nail biting dangerous?

No. Though it may create hangnails.


What do hangnails look like?

This is one example: Not so pretty!


What prevent hangnails?

drinking water using lotion around the cuticle


What will prevent hangnails?

drinking water using lotion around the cuticle


What are hangnails?

Hangnails are strips of skin separate from the cuticle. Have you ever noticed the white strips in between your nail folds and nails? That's what they are. they have a misleading name since they're not even part of your nail. -Kim Chewey


Does rubbing lip balm on your nails make them grow longer?

No, but if you rub it just below the nail then it will sooth any cuts or hangnails.


What is one thing that you would change about yourself physically?

Nothing. I was made in God's own perfect image and so are you. Deal with it. BUT, if I really, really had to choose, I'd say I'd like to change my horrible fingernails. They have so many hangnails!


Why is Hangnail called Stepmothers Blessing?

There is no actual single origin as to why hangnails are called "Stepmother's Blessings," but the negative connotation with stepmothers may have lead to it. It has long been a stereotype that stepmothers were "a pain" and were cracks in families, so it may have be linked to the pain of having a nail crack and form a hangnail.


What should you avoid while driving?

Avoid distractions; avoid speeding; avoid going slower than the average traffic speed; avoid going through red lights