The main reason for the appearance of hangnails is dry skin, which occurs with frequent contact with water, household chemicals, paper, as well as in the wind and frost. An unbalanced diet, or more precisely, a deficiency of fats and vitamins A and E, may also be to blame for the lack of moisture.

Those who like to bite their nails also suffer from hangnails, as this unsightly habit weakens the nail bed and leads to microtrauma to the skin around the nail plate.

A poorly done manicure can also play a role, especially if the cuticle is cut off.

Finally, the state of health in general and the digestive system in particular plays an important role.

If you watch your diet, take care of the skin of your hands and do not have the habit of biting your nails, but hangnails still do not go away, this is a good reason to consult a doctor.

How to prevent hangnails

The best means of prevention is to protect your hands from anything that dries out the skin, as well as regular use of moisturizers. cosmetics. Therefore, it is advisable to do all housework with rubber gloves and apply cream to your hands as needed, and not just before bed.

Make sure your diet includes foods rich in fats and vitamins: fish, vegetable oils, nuts, vegetables, fruits and herbs.

Get a hygienic manicure regularly, preferably unedged. Instead of cutting the cuticle, rub special oil into it and gently push it with an orange stick to the base of the nail. If you completely abandon trim manicure if it doesn’t work, do it as rarely as possible so that the skin has time to recover.

Not . This not only leads to the formation of hangnails, but also increases the risk of infection of the wound by bacteria living in the oral cavity. And getting bacteria into your mouth from your hands can have very unpleasant consequences.

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Give preference to nail polish remover without acetone. Products with ethyl acetate, isopropyl alcohol and propylene carbonate do not dry the skin as much. It would be nice if the liquid contained glycerin or oil extracts.

Do not overuse quick-drying nail polishes, as they not only quickly harden themselves, but also instantly dry out the skin around the nail.

How to properly remove burrs

If it’s too late to do prevention and unpleasant pieces of dry skin are puffing up on your hands, then there’s nothing left to do but get rid of them. But removing does not mean biting off, tearing off or tearing off. Here's how to do it correctly:

  1. Soak your fingers in a bath of warm water and a few drops of vitamin E or olive oil.
  2. Trim the hangnail flush with the skin using sharp scissors or nail clippers. Do not pull or pull: this may injure the skin. And try not to cut off too much so that a wound does not form.
  3. Lubricate the cut with antibacterial ointment: this will prevent infection and speed up healing.
  4. If you had to remove a large hangnail that had become severely torn from the skin, cover the cut with a band-aid.
  5. If the patch is of no use, moisten the cut. Vitamin E or moisturizer is suitable for this. Apply the product several times throughout the day, especially after contact with water.

What happens if you get hangnails, and how to treat it

A hangnail that is not treated in time can lead to inflammation of the nail fold, also called paronychia or periungual felon. If the skin around the hangnail is red, swollen, or purulent, this indicates a bacterial or fungal infection.

At the initial stage of inflammation, when the area around the hangnail is red and slightly swollen, warm water baths can help. They need to be done 2-3 times a day.

If after 3-4 days the inflammation does not go away or progresses, you should consult a doctor. You will most likely be prescribed a course of antibiotics, and if it does fester, you may need to drain the infected area of ​​skin.

If you are diagnosed with fungal paronychia, you will be prescribed appropriate antifungal medications.

A keratinized skin (hangnail) occurs when the cuticle around the nail extends beyond the nail plate. Under no circumstances should you bite it off or tear it out. For this reason, a bloody streak may form around the fingers and nails, and thus you can quickly become infected, which will have a bad effect on your health.

Hangnails on the fingers, the causes of which are known to many doctors, do not appear on their own - they are provoked by certain factors:

Internal causes of hangnail formation

Hangnails on the fingers (the reasons are described below) can appear for completely different reasons.


Hangnails on fingers. The reasons may lie in mechanical damage.

The most common ones are as follows:

Cause Remedy
Mechanical damageHappens due to negligence during a nail treatment procedure. If the wound was not treated on time, after a while it will become inflamed and remind itself. To prevent this, it is necessary to sterilize all tools and do not forget about moisturizing after each nail procedure.
House cleaningYou should perform household chores wearing rubber gloves. They will protect the skin from dangerous chemicals that cause brittleness of the nail plate and the appearance of hangnails.
The bad habit of biting your nailsTo get rid of it, you should trim your nails, so it will be more difficult to bite them.
Lack of vitamins in the bodyTo get rid of vitamin deficiency, you need to take a multivitamin complex.

Diagnostics

In most cases, this problem does not require diagnosis. But if, with proper care and treatment, hangnails appear again, you should contact a dermatologist and get tested for biochemistry and microelements. The reasons for the frequent appearance of hangnails can lead to a disease called paronychia. They can become inflamed on the fingers and transfer the infection to the nail fold.

In this case, you must immediately contact a surgeon. If you have overcome the last stage of paronychia, baths, compresses and other therapeutic procedures will help. In extreme cases, surgery is performed to remove infections, or the nail plate is removed completely or partially.

To avoid the appearance of hangnails, it is necessary to regularly care for the cuticle through home and salon treatments.

If you want to trim a burr, this should only be done with disinfected tools.

Medicinal ointments for the treatment of inflamed hangnails

At the pharmacy you can find many different useful means from burrs. It is absolutely not necessary to buy the most expensive ointment, since for the first treatment you will only need a product that contains panthenol - this will disinfect the keratinized piece of skin. Zinc ointment is also an excellent replacement. These options are suitable for hangnails on both fingers and toes.

For subsequent treatment you will need medicines having anti-inflammatory properties. This could be an infusion of calendula and hawthorn, iodine, brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide. If this is not done, a wound may appear and bleeding may occur. And in these cases, the infection can easily penetrate, which will cause even more trouble.

Another problem with hangnails is pus. It can also be prevented with products containing alcohol. But if this fails, you will have to use antiseptics.

Vitamin complexes

Very often, the occurrence of hangnails is associated with a lack of certain vitamins in the human body. To prevent the occurrence of these ailments, it is necessary to review your diet so that it contains all the necessary microelements and vitamins. If this cannot be done, you can always resort to vitamin complexes.

So, vitamins that help prevent the appearance of hangnails:


Cosmetic creams

Cosmetic creams are also great for getting rid of hangnails. They can also be purchased in pharmacies, salons, and if the ingredients are natural, you can make it at home.

Cosmetic creams mainly contain:


Salon treatments

Beauty salons often offer hand and cuticle care treatments. This includes deburring. Unlike home procedures, they are done carefully in the salon, without damaging the delicate skin around the fingers. To do this, first steam the skin with hot water, then use pre-treated tools.

This is especially important, since it is necessary not to introduce an infection, but to prevent its occurrence.

Then the skin around the fingers is treated with ointment or cream with antiseptic properties. Use forceps to cut off the hangnail, trying to do it at its root, without touching intact skin. Then the affected area is again treated with a product containing alcohol and a patch is applied or a bandage is made so as not to accidentally touch the inflamed area.

They also do procedures that can prevent the appearance of hangnails, usually these are:


Traditional treatment

Hangnails on the fingers, the causes of which are described in the article, can also be treated with folk remedies. One of the best folk remedies is the use of a chamomile bath. The plant has remarkable antiseptic properties. The procedure is done as follows: first, the plant is infused for 30 minutes in a container, then fingers are immersed in the bath for 15 minutes.

After the procedure, hands are dried and nutritious cream. Cod broth will help solve the problem with hangnails. You need to place your hands in the broth for a while and repeat the procedure several times. Rubbing lemon or cranberry juice into your cuticles will give your nails healthy looking. Mashed milk and potatoes actively contribute to the treatment of hangnails.

Coffee is a great remedy for hangnails. Place your hands in the liquid and keep them there, shaking them occasionally. Soda solution and nourishing oil baths are used in the same way. Can be done different kinds procedures or one as many times as the problem requires. Then you need to cut off the torn piece of skin with nail clippers.

The main thing is to make sure that they are sharp and will do their job well. Otherwise, they can only make the situation worse.

You can check the sharpness of the wire cutters using a napkin or thick sheet of paper. To do this you need to cut the material. If they are sharp, you must first sterilize them, and then the nail fold area. Then carefully cut off the protruding piece of skin and again treat the area with an antiseptic.

In case of severe inflammation, you need to apply tetracycline ointment to the damaged area and wrap it with a bandage. For minor inflammation, it is enough to treat the wound with a nourishing cream and stick a bandage on top.

Recipe for relieving inflammation if the hangnail is inflamed and breaks out

There are times when the hangnail becomes inflamed and pus is visible around the edges. This is not the best outcome, but it is still treatable. In this case, calendula will be a good helper. Both a decoction and an extract of this plant will help. Juice is even better; for this you need to finely chop the calendula. The juice should be applied to the affected area and bandaged with gauze.

Baths with essential oils

Essential oils, like nothing else, will help soften the cuticle before trimming hangnails.

For such purposes, the following oils are excellent options:

  • rapeseed;
  • peach;
  • almond;
  • castor;
  • burdock;
  • argan

It would be a good idea to mix all the listed oils, 2 drops each. They need to be added to hot, but not boiling, water. Let your hands rest for 30 minutes, then lightly pat them dry with a towel and begin removing the hangnail. Elimination instructions are also in the article.

Soda-salt bath

Baking soda is a great help in case of hangnails. It can relieve inflammation and relieve pain. Using soda, they make cuticle baths, and not only for damaged areas. In addition, soda will go well with salt, which will doubly help. To do this you need to take 2 tbsp. sea ​​salt, 2 tbsp. soda and boiling water.

Of course, you should not put your hands into boiling water, but this is only necessary to completely dissolve the ingredients in them.

Place salt and baking soda in water and stir until dissolved. Wait 10-15 minutes until it cools down, then put your hands in the bath. You can use a small bowl or a small saucepan as a container for the ingredients.

Keep your hands in the water for about 17 minutes, then remove and wipe with a towel, rinse saline solution no need. So simple and inexpensive home procedure will be an excellent replacement for a salon one, saving money and time. It will quickly relieve pain and inflammation.

Aloe

Aloe is very well used in the case of abscesses and inflammation of hangnails. You need to apply fresh plant gel. If there is only one hangnail, you don’t need to take a lot, 5 ml is enough. First you need to treat the affected finger with an antiseptic and leave for 3 minutes. Then apply aloe vera gel and make a bandage. In 2-3 procedures you can easily get rid of pus and inflammation at the site of the lesion.

Herbal lotions

Serpentine extract is the best antifungal agent made from plants of the sunflower family.

It should be applied 2-3 times a week to the affected area. At the end of the procedure, wrap the finger with a gauze bandage.

Possible complications

Usually, complications do not appear after the appearance of hangnails. But there are cases of a chronic disease called paronychia, when burrs appear again and again. The most dangerous thing is to get an infection if you do not treat this area around the skin of your fingers properly. There have been cases of staphylococcus and fungi. But even difficult situations can be cured.

Treatment of complications

Hangnails on the fingers, the causes of which have been known for a long time, rarely have serious complications. But any complications from hangnails are rarely incurable, so it is better to consult a doctor. There is no need to do home treatment, but prevention of hangnails can and should be done.

Cuticle and hand skin care

You should take proper care of the skin of your hands and nails.

It is important to consider the following factors and nuances:


Article format: Lozinsky Oleg

Video about hangnails on fingers

Causes and treatment of hangnails on fingers:

Why do hangnails appear on fingers? Every woman wants to look perfect and mesmerizing. For many modern ladies, the beauty of their hands is almost in the first place in creating ideal image. Beautiful manicure and well-groomed skin not only lift your spirits, but are also a woman’s calling card. Men who take good care of their appearance also visit nail salons. They are no strangers to hand care at home. However, troubles such as cuts, scratches and burrs cannot be avoided. And if mechanical injuries heal very quickly, especially when using hand cream, then tearing the skin of the nail fold is a problem that is worth paying attention to.

Hangnails on fingers. Causes

In addition to injuries during the manicure procedure, there are other causes of hangnails on the fingers.

Let's look at them:

  1. Vitamin deficiency, lack of vitamins tocopherol, retinol, as well as any macro- and microelements. This is the most common reason due to which skin nutrition is disrupted and the nail fold is detached.
  2. Dry hand skin and insufficient nutrition are also risk factors. The skin around the nail plate becomes thinner and cracks.
  3. Lack of personal hygiene.
  4. The habit of biting nails is one of the first reasons why hangnails appear on a child’s fingers.
  5. Aggressive effects of household chemicals.
  6. Temperature changes. By the way, being outside without gloves in the cold season dries out and freezes the skin, slowing down the regeneration process, which negatively affects the treatment of hangnails.
  7. Manicure done unprofessionally (with cuts and microtraumas).
  8. Decreased immunity.
  9. Chronic gastrointestinal diseases, diabetes mellitus.

Why do hangnails appear on fingers, what vitamins are missing in this case? Most likely, the body lacks B vitamins.

Advice: when removing a hangnail yourself, follow the rules of hygiene - at least wash your hands and wipe your palms and tools with alcohol. Otherwise, there is a high risk of developing associated problems, such as suppuration.

Treatment methods

How to get rid of hangnails on your fingers? Many eliminate them and forget about the problem immediately after the wound heals. But what to do if hangnails appear constantly and do not go away for a long time? This is a serious issue simply because an open wound is a direct route for infection and an open door for the development of inflammatory processes with various consequences. The success of therapy depends on the correct method and drug chosen.

What should a girl do if a hangnail appears on her finger? Treatment should begin when the cause of your illness and associated factors are determined. Because in case of problems in the gastrointestinal tract, the appearance of hangnails will go away after you adjust your diet and balance your diet.

Removing a hangnail is carried out with nail scissors, which should be used to carefully trim the desired area of ​​skin (do not tear it off!). Alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, essential oils can be used as a disinfectant - tea tree or cedar. If desired, apply a patch and do not expose the affected area of ​​skin to household chemicals. For washing dishes and cleaning, it is best to use gloves or a fingertip.

Antiseptic ointments or aerosols are always useful for further wound care - they will prevent the development of inflammatory processes.

If suppuration does occur, and local medications do not help, you should make an appointment with a surgeon at any clinic so that he can make a prophylactic incision.

All this can be avoided if you provide your hands proper care. To prevent the appearance of hangnails, use manicure baths with a soda solution or herbal decoction.

Oil bath

What to do if hangnails appear on your fingers? How to treat them? If the problem is dry skin, you can use alternative methods to eliminate it.

How to get rid of hangnails on your fingers? Using an oil bath on your hands will have a softening effect, which will prepare the skin for further procedures. The recipe is simple: you need to slightly heat the oil. Anything from apricot kernel, tea tree and others will do. You should dip your fingers in it for 15-20 minutes. The skin will soften and the procedure will proceed correctly and painlessly. Using nail scissors, trim the keratinized tissue without touching the healthy tissue. The procedure should be done for 7 days.

Bath with soda and salt

How to get rid of hangnails on your fingers? A soda bath will not only soften the cuticle, but also cope with inflammatory processes. Place 1 teaspoon of baking soda in 1 liter of warm water. Better procedure spend 10-15 minutes in the evening. If necessary, cut off the burrs and lubricate the wounds with sea buckthorn oil.

Unflavored sea salt is used in different cases, removing burrs and disinfecting the skin is no exception. To do this, you need to dilute 200 grams of salt in 1 liter of water, strain through cheesecloth or a sieve and cool. In a warm bath with sea ​​salt hold your hands for 10 minutes. Dry and disinfect your finger, remove dead skin and spread with peach oil (any oil can be used).

Aloe remedy

Houseplant lovers often grow medicinal plants. If you have aloe or kalanchoe, feel free to take advantage of their healing properties. How to get rid of hangnails on fingers using this plant?

Chop its leaves, apply to the wound and fix it. Leave your finger like this for several hours. This method can be used even in case of an abscess. For treatment, repeat the procedure daily, for prevention - once every 10 days.

Bath with chamomile infusion

If the wounds after hangnails begin to become inflamed, good option will use a bath of chamomile decoction. Although its preparation takes a lot of time, the result exceeds expectations.

Add 3 tablespoons of chamomile to 2 liters of water, boil, let it brew and strain. Keep your hands in the resulting broth for about 15 minutes until completely cooled.

What needs to be done to prevent hangnails from appearing?

We have already found out what to do if hangnails appear on the fingers and how to treat them. But what to do when the problem has already been solved and you want it not to arise again in the future? If you are convinced that you are not deficient in vitamins, are you sure that your diet is correct and your diet is not compromised? Then follow simple rules, which will serve as a good prevention of the appearance of a minor nuisance - burrs:


Conclusion

Now you know why hangnails appear on your fingers. We examined the reasons for their occurrence and methods for solving such a problem.

When the skin on your hands looks flawless, your mood improves and your self-confidence appears, resulting in increased productivity in your life. Allow yourself not to think about unpleasant little things - love yourself and be happy!

Hangnails on fingers are one of the most common troubles in hand care.

Besides the fact that it looks unattractive, the appearance of hangnails is often accompanied by painful sensations, and also exposes you to a number of infections. A hangnail is a crack in the skin of the nail fold followed by redness of this area.

We will tell you in detail how to get rid of hangnails on your fingers at home in the article. Reviews and photos are attached.

What are hangnails?

A hangnail (or “hangnail”, and in Latin: “reduvial”) is a characteristic damage to the top layer of skin on the nail fold. It can occur both on the back cushion and on the side, that is, lateral. In other words, it appears both on the sides of the nail and in the middle, at its very base.

These are relatively small, but very unpleasant, in every sense, scraps of skin around the nail. They very often “cling” to clothes and other objects while performing a particular job. This moment is the most unpleasant, since it can greatly distract attention, and when you get used to this condition and forget about it, the interaction with the external environment occurs even more closely, which contributes to the irritation of wounds and the entry of infection into them.

The appearance of hangnails on the fingers: the main reasons

The appearance of hangnails can be caused by simple and complex reasons. Nail fold rupture occurs as a result of:

  1. Refusal to wear warm gloves in the cold season.
  2. Using materials containing methyl methacrylate for nail extensions. They harm the nail plate and the skin around it, causing hangnails.
  3. A poorly done manicure. If you remove the cuticle carelessly, you can easily damage the skin. Microtraumas and small nicks will appear on it, which can cause the formation of a burr. Other manicure tools, including a nail file, can also injure the skin. If this happens regularly, hangnails will settle on your fingers for a long time.
  4. Contact of hands with various household chemicals, paints and varnishes, etc. harmful substances, hard water. Why not use protective gloves? Obviously, the reason is simple carelessness, which leads to the appearance of not only hangnails, but also more serious damage to the skin on the hands. This fully applies to both women and men.
  5. Habits of nail biting and cuticle biting. This harmful weakness is closely related to the nervous system. It often manifests itself during emotional stress. It is very easy to rip off a piece of nail along with the cuticle. The skin will definitely suffer because it is delicate and sensitive. Its rupture will quickly turn into a painful hangnail.
  6. Lack of quality and regular hand care. Hangnails love dry and chapped skin, because it easily cracks and gets injured. To eliminate this cause, you should constantly use creams and not disdain cosmetic procedures.
  7. Careless handling stationery. It’s easy to cut your hands even with plain paper. Simple ball pen or a pencil can also cause injury. Thanks to them, hangnails can appear on the index or middle finger.
  8. Insufficient water intake. A lack of fluid can lead to dehydration of the skin on your hands.
  9. Using the wrong soap frequent washing hands without subsequently drying them.

These reasons are easy to eliminate. You need to make a little effort and make positive adjustments to your lifestyle and change your attitude towards your body.

Complications and consequences

The main mistake that many people make when a hangnail appears is tearing it off. Such actions are dangerous because this place will become inflamed and cause pain; a secondary infection may occur, which is fraught with serious consequences and complications: paronychia and felon.

Paronychia is a purulent inflammation of the cushion near the nail. In severe cases, inflammation can lead to nail deformation or peeling. If the disease is mild, paronychia can be treated with medication and various procedures, but in advanced cases, surgical treatment cannot be avoided. Paronychia is characterized by infiltration or suppuration, a local increase in temperature. Then the patient may complain of a tugging pain. Pus may ooze from the wound. When the process can be brought under control and the treatment produces results, you may notice the appearance of cavities or a disturbance in the shape of the nail.

Panaritium is a purulent inflammation of the fingers. Typically, staphylococcal infection plays a major role in infection. Complications of this disease are extremely dangerous, including sepsis. With panaritium, severe pain, swelling, and increased temperature appear at the site of inflammation. In the most difficult cases, there is a significant increase in body temperature and severe intoxication. In severe forms, the prognosis may be unfavorable regarding further restoration of the functioning of the fingers.

How to remove hangnails at home

The most common and effective means Various baths are used to combat burrs. By the way, all these baths have a pleasant side effect - intensive care for the skin of your hands.

  1. Steam the skin in a hot bath for 10 minutes. IN hot water add sea salt or soda (1 tbsp per 500 ml).
  2. Dry your hands with a towel, carefully and thoroughly.
  3. Processed medical alcohol Use sharp nail scissors or tweezers to 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 burr - this will lead to rupture healthy skin, i.e. the basis for a new burr will be formed.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

Deburring

If, despite all precautions, the skin is cracked and burrs still appear, it is imperative to remove them. To do this, you should first steam the skin, for which a warm bath is perfect.

You should add a little essential oil to the water, in particular bergamot or lemon oil. If you don’t have such oils, you can use regular vegetable oils. You should keep your hands in this bath for no more than fifteen minutes. Then, using special nail clippers, carefully trim off the burrs. The movements should not be pulling or tearing; you must bite, otherwise injury to healthy skin will occur.

If there is no hangnail, but the skin around the nail plate is very rough, then using a sanding file you can remove the rough layer. At the end of the procedure, the sanded area should be treated with a disinfectant solution, in particular a solution of hydrogen peroxide.

If hangnails cause severe discomfort, it is recommended to moisturize them with cream or lubricate them with medicinal ointment at night. This will help soften the skin and make it easier to remove hangnails.

A hangnail on the finger is inflamed and festering. What to do?

The skin near the nail may appear red, painful when pressed. Then swelling and pus appear under the skin - this means that the hangnail on the finger is inflamed and festering. What to do in this case and how to get rid of the problem?

If a person has weak immunity, the source of infection spreads and then a problem arises that must be dealt with immediately so that blood poisoning does not begin and life is not threatened. You should do the following:

  • remove any remaining loose skin. Cut carefully so as not to touch “living” tissue and not provoke bleeding.
  • rinse the area of ​​suppuration with warm water
  • treat the wound with iodine, brilliant green or any alcohol antiseptic
  • cover the wound with a bactericidal plaster

Treatment can be carried out using potassium permanganate.

Dissolve a few crystals of this substance in warm water and soak your hands in this solution. Do this daily until the abscess disappears completely. Instead of potassium permanganate, you can use salt or soda. Dissolve a teaspoon of salt or soda, or half a teaspoon of salt and soda together in one container with warm water. Lower your hands and hold until the water cools down.

Aloe or Kalanchoe juice helps a lot with this problem. Simply lubricate the area of ​​the abscess with the cut plant. Do this several times a day.

What should I change in my diet?

Diet is one of the most important components in the context of our topic today! Try to regularly consume foods containing large quantities of vitamin A, vitamin E, and retinol (one form of vitamin A). They are found in dairy products, chicken and quail eggs, carrots, raisins, dried apricots, meat and other products.

In general, it is necessary to have good nutrition. That is, if you rely only on carrots and eggs, you will be able to provide the body with the substances contained in them, but will deprive it of many other, also very necessary, elements. Therefore, eat cereals, fruits and vegetables, and meat periodically.

Prevention

To never return to this problem, you should regularly and properly care for your hands. Moisturizing and nourishing creams should become your constant companions. In addition, it is necessary, if possible, to reduce the interaction of the skin of the hands with an aggressive environment, to protect from chemicals; make it a rule to use rubber gloves.

Manicures should be done regularly. When resorting to the help of a professional craftsman, it will not be superfluous to make sure that his instruments are sterile. And their quality plays an important role. Manicure tools must be professional, made of medical steel.

During the cold season, the skin on your hands suffers the most. Therefore, to prevent the appearance of hangnails, before going outside - about half an hour - you should lubricate your hands with a rich, nourishing cream. And gloves or mittens will prevent your skin from freezing.

Almost every one of us has encountered such a small nuisance as a hangnail near a nail. However, not everyone knows that they only seem harmless. In addition to the fact that hangnails on the fingers create discomfort and look unsightly, they can become very inflamed and cause pain, and in the future they can break out. In addition, epidemiological data confirm that even through a small wound a dangerous infection can enter the body.

Causes of hangnails on fingers

The reasons for the appearance of hangnails on the fingers can be very different. Let's look at the most common ones.

When cleaning or washing dishes, it is very rare for anyone to protect their hands with rubber gloves. And in vain. The skin becomes very dry due to the effects of household chemicals. And the main risk factor for the appearance of hangnails is skin with roughened nail folds.

A poorly done manicure can also cause hangnails to appear on your fingers. This happens when a master who does not have sufficient experience injures the skin near the nail. Although if you don’t do a manicure and don’t take care of your nails at all, you can find the same problem.

Very often you can notice hangnails on the fingers of a child who has only recently been born. This is due to postpartum dryness of the epidermis.

Another common cause of this pathology is bad habit bite your nails.

The reason can be much more serious - hangnails arise as a result of a dermatological disease, the focus of which is located near the nail fold.

A significant factor in the pathogenesis of the development of the disease, as a result of which the skin becomes very dry, are atopic dermatitis, eczema and others.

The formation of hangnails can be associated with dysbiosis, disruption of the functioning of any organs, or a deficiency of microelements ( gland and calcium) and vitamins A, E, B2 and nicotinic acid.

Complications and consequences

The main mistake that many people make when a hangnail appears is tearing it off. Such actions are dangerous because this place will become inflamed and cause pain; a secondary infection may occur, which is fraught with serious consequences and complications: paronychia and felon.

Paronychia is a purulent inflammation of the cushion near the nail. In severe cases, inflammation can lead to nail deformation or peeling. If the disease is mild, paronychia can be managed with medication and various procedures, but in advanced cases, surgical treatment cannot be avoided. Paronychia is characterized by infiltration or suppuration, a local increase in temperature. Then the patient may complain of a tugging pain. Pus may ooze from the wound. When the process can be brought under control and the treatment produces results, you may notice the appearance of cavities or a disturbance in the shape of the nail.

Panaritium is a purulent inflammation of the fingers. Typically, staphylococcal infection plays a major role in infection. Complications of this disease are extremely dangerous, including sepsis. With panaritium, severe pain, swelling, and increased temperature appear at the site of inflammation. In the most difficult cases, there is a significant increase in body temperature and severe intoxication. In severe forms, the prognosis may be unfavorable regarding further restoration of the functioning of the fingers.

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Diagnosis of hangnails on fingers

There is usually no need for any specialized diagnostics. When, with proper care, hangnails appear on your hands again and again, you need to consult a specialist. An experienced dermatologist, armed with the results of additional tests (biochemical blood test, microelements analysis, dysbacteriosis analysis), will be able to establish the real reason development of this pathology.

Treatment of hangnails on fingers

In case of vitamin deficiency, complex therapy for hangnails is carried out, which will include physiotherapeutic procedures (most often, local darsonvalization) and taking vitamin preparations.

Treatment of hangnails on fingers at home

If you notice a hangnail on your finger, the best solution is to cover the area with a band-aid and cut it off at home. As a last resort, you can carefully cut off the skin with nail scissors, and then treat the wound with any antiseptic (hydrogen peroxide, chloramphenicol).

Before removing the hangnail, soak your fingers in warm water for a few minutes. Then the skin will have time to steam and it will be easier to remove the hangnail without consequences.

If, after removing a hangnail, the skin begins to become inflamed, you can resort to using deperzolone, oxycort, geocortone, or another similar topical antibiotic.

Traditional treatment

Undoubtedly, the most The best way fight is prevention. If hangnails do appear, folk treatment offers many recipes.

The simplest and most effective means of treating hangnails on the hands are baths. Preparing a bath is very simple, and it also takes excellent care of the skin of your hands and nails. Any warm water is suitable for a bath. vegetable oil, but it is ideal to use olive oil. The bath can be done as often as you like, even every day. If hangnails have already appeared, you need to add regular soda to the bath. For prevention, you can take baths with sea salt and adding essential oils, for example, orange and tea tree. All baths - oil, soda, salt - will help in the fight against hangnails. You can alternate different baths, but do them regularly.

If there is slight inflammation, hot pepper will help. It is cleaned of stems and seeds, and vodka is poured into the pepper itself. A finger with a hangnail is dipped in pepper so that a small amount of vodka remains in the pepper, and a bandage is made. It is better to leave the bandage on all night. If the wound still hurts because of it, then the bandage should be kept on as long as possible.

Heat cocoa butter and honey mixed in equal proportions in a water bath and apply to your hands.

You can make beer compresses: apply cotton wool previously soaked in heated beer.

If you lubricate your fingers with sea buckthorn oil or rosehip oil, then the wounds will heal quickly, and the skin near the nail plate will soften.

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Herbal treatment

To make hangnails on your fingers heal faster, apply a compress of crushed fresh chicory leaves to the wound twice a day. The compress is bandaged and left for a while.

Bandages are also made from shredded wheat. It is applied to the wounds, covered with a cabbage leaf, and then bandaged. This bandage is done twice a day.

Indoor plants can also help deal with hangnails. For example, Kalanchoe juice is famous for its antiseptic properties and ability to relieve inflammation. Thanks to the use of Kalanchoe, hangnails will quickly heal, and your hands will look much more attractive.

Prevention

Women whose skin vessels are located close to the surface and male hormones in excess have rough cuticles. If you cut it deeply, the cuticle will give a torn edge, which can cause hangnails later. Then it is better to cut it off not completely.

Be careful with the tools you use to perform a manicure. If the tool becomes dull, the cuticle will not be cut, but will be torn off - and, as a result, burrs will appear.

The best prevention is careful and regular skin care:

  • Minimize contact with harsh chemicals.
  • take softening herbal baths weekly;
  • regularly lubricate the cuticle with a specialized nourishing agent;
  • if the skin has come into contact with household chemicals, apply nourishing cream;
  • After washing your hands, dry your skin;
  • When cleaning or doing laundry, wear rubber gloves;
  • In winter, pay extra attention to hand care. During this period, the skin dries out and becomes chapped faster, so do not forget about hand cream.

The appearance of a burr not only spoils the impression of appearance hands, but also interferes with the performance of everyday actions, clinging to everything that comes across - gloves, tights and other clothes. And if it tears the adjacent skin, then a big problem is just around the corner. However, to forget about hangnails on your hands forever, you just need to be patient and don’t forget about regular skin care, proper nutrition and protecting your hands from contact with household chemicals.