Dry, peeling cuticles can be painful and distracting. Fortunately, you can solve this problem without too much time or effort. You just need to treat your hands with great care.
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Part 1 of 3: Moisturizing Cuticles
Step 1. Make a cream for the cuticles
If you have time, you can make a very effective cuticle cream at home using hand cream and oil. Here's how:
- Heat 1/3 cup of hand cream mixed with some olive oil (or grape seed oil if you have it), and 3-4 drops of lavender oil (which you can buy at health food stores) in the microwave on a low to low setting. hot to touch.
- Apply a generous amount of this cream to each nail and massage gently into the nails, cuticles and surrounding skin, for about a minute or two on each. This cream is great for your hands (and feet!) and keeps your cuticles soft.
- You can store and reheat this cream for up to 3 days in the refrigerator if you store it in a dark glass bottle.
Step 2. Use olive oil for quick and easy results
Olive oil is a great moisturizer used to treat peeling cuticles. Apply a small amount of olive oil on each nail cuticle. You can apply this oil directly with your fingers or using a damp cotton swab. Massage olive oil into each cuticle for 1-2 minutes. After that, allow the oil to soak in before you wash your hands.
You can use the same olive oil as the oil used for cooking
Step 3. Visit a salon that provides hot wax treatments
If you want, you can go to a salon or nail salon for this treatment. This treatment is great for hands, nails and cuticles.
- In a hot wax treatment, a special oil wax is melted and applied to the hands and fingertips. Then you are asked to put on a pair of plastic gloves and put them in special gloves.
- After 10 to 15 minutes, the special gloves will be removed and the wax removed from your hands. You will find the skin and cuticles of your hands feel soft and supple.
- If possible, try purchasing an online paraffin wax treatment kit that you can use at home.
Step 4. Use petroleum jelly
If you're looking for an inexpensive but effective option for moisturizing your cuticles, try buying a box of petroleum jelly and applying a generous amount of this product to each cuticle every night before going to bed. Petroleum jelly will soften your cuticles and prevent them from peeling, but can feel very greasy if you apply it while you're active.
Although the results are better when used with other products, petroleum jelly is an inexpensive treatment alternative. You can buy a large container at a low price
Step 5. Try essential oils
This product can effectively moisturize cuticles and has a pleasant aroma! Some examples of effective essential oils are jojoba and citrus oils, while tea tree oil is great for treating minor infections.
Because they are too concentrated, most essential oils must be diluted with a carrier oil before being used directly on the skin. Good carrier oils include olive oil, grapeseed oil, or coconut oil
Step 6. When urgent, apply lip balm (lip balm)
If you're out and about and your cuticles are bothering you, try looking in your bag for lip balm and try rubbing a little bit of it into your cuticles. This product should be able to solve the problem for a while until you can use hand cream to deal with it.
Part 2 of 3: Caring for Cuticles
Step 1. Soak your fingertips in hot water
Soak your hands in hot (but not boiling) water or try to soak your whole body for a long time. This will help soften the cuticles and the accumulated skin cells. If you want, you can add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or vinegar to the water. This will help exfoliate dead skin cells.
Step 2. Push the cuticle with the orange stick
Once the cuticles are soft, it should be easy for you to push them with the orange stick.
- Orange sticks are small sticks made of wood or metal that are used to push the cuticles and clean under the nails. These products are inexpensive and can be purchased at beauty supply stores or online.
- Use the flat end of the stick to push the cuticles. Try to be very gentle -- if you push too hard, you could hurt yourself and make your cuticle problem worse!
- Push the cuticles until they reach a crescent shape (commonly called the luna) at the bottom of each nail. Do not do it more than once or twice a month because the cuticles are very sensitive.
- Orange sticks made of metal should be sterilized after use while those made of wood should be discarded.
Step 3. Never cut cuticles
The cuticle is important because it protects the area where the nail grows by preventing dirt or bacteria from entering it. Therefore, you should never cut your cuticles and should just push them away.
- Cutting the cuticle means that this protective layer is lost, leaving the nail at risk of infection. In addition, the cuticle skin becomes harder and more at risk of breaking and peeling.
- Don't be afraid that your cuticles will grow faster when you stop cutting them -- that's just a myth. The growth rate of the cuticle will remain the same even if you stop cutting it.
Step 4. Moisturize cuticles regularly
Moisturizing cuticles regularly is one of the most important steps to prevent cuticles from peeling. You should moisturize twice a day, in the morning and at night.
- Don't forget that cuticles are made of leather (although they are thicker in texture) and the entire skin must be moisturized to keep it hydrated and prevent it from peeling and cracking.
- During the day you can use a hand moisturizer that absorbs quickly and doesn't make your hands greasy. However, at night, it's best to use a heavier hand cream or cuticle ointment to hydrate it more thoroughly.
- After moisturizing your hands and cuticles at night, it's a good idea to put on a pair of cotton or wool gloves before going to bed. This prevents the cream or ointment on the hands from adhering to the sheets. Also, the heat from the gloves will help the skin to really absorb the moisturizer. When you wake up the next morning, your hands and cuticles will feel really soft!
Step 5. If the cuticles are cracked and painful, use an antibacterial ointment
If the skin around the nail feels cracked and irritated, you may have a minor infection. If this is the case, it's a good idea to treat the infection before the cuticles can heal.
- You can do this by applying an adequate amount of an antibacterial ointment (such as Neosporin) to the cuticles.
- Once you've applied an antibacterial ointment (which is more effective than an antibacterial cream), it's a good idea to apply a bandage to each of the affected nails.
- Leave this patch on overnight and in the morning you'll find your cuticles look and feel better!
Step 6. Know when you should see a doctor
If your cuticles are painful, have pus or swelling, or red spots appear, you may have an infection called paronychia. If you think this is the problem you are experiencing, see a doctor as soon as possible because you will need antibiotics to treat this infection problem.
Part 3 of 3: Preventing Cuticles From Getting Dry
Step 1. Protect your hands in cold weather
Cold weather can make hands so dry that the cuticles crack and peel.
- Therefore, it is important that you protect your hands when you are in a country that is experiencing winter or whenever the weather is cold where you are.
- Always wear gloves when going out and remember to carry hand cream in a bag that you can wear regularly.
Step 2. Keep fingers away from mouth
People who like to bite their nails or cuticles tend to have dry, peeling skin on their fingers.
- You can also get an infection if you do this because your mouth contains bacteria that can transfer to your nails. Saliva also contains enzymes that can crack the skin, making it even more dry.
- Therefore, one of the most effective ways you can prevent your cuticles from becoming dry and peeling is to stop biting them and keep your hands away from your mouth.
- To help you deal with this problem, you can buy an ointment that tastes bad to apply to your nails. Your fingers taste so bad you won't even want to bite them again!
Step 3. Avoid products that make your hands dry
Dry hands can accelerate cuticles to crack and peel, so make sure you protect them from substances that dry them out.
- Hands can become very dry if you frequently wash dishes in hot, soapy water. So try to protect it by wearing rubber gloves every time you do it.
- If you don't like wearing gloves, try buying a milder, more moisturizing dish soap.
- Do not use acetone-based nail polish remover as it draws moisture from the nails. You should also not wash your hands too often because if you do it too often, the natural oils from the surface of the skin and nails will disappear.
Step 4. Follow a healthy diet
A healthy and balanced diet will meet the vitamins and minerals your body needs to maintain healthy skin, hair and nails. Your cuticles will become moisturized and your nails will body faster. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Choose organic fruits and vegetables if you can.
To strengthen nails, eat eggs, almonds, strawberries, chicken, flaxseed oil, coconut oil, lentils, watermelon, bell peppers, and more whole grains
Step 5. Meet the body's fluid needs
Adequate body fluids will maintain skin moisture while maintaining healthy cuticles. Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day to help moisturize cuticles and prevent dry skin.
- If you are very active, drink more water!
- Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go so that it is easier for you to drink water while traveling.
Step 6. Choose a good manicure therapist
It's a good idea to choose a good manicure and pedicure therapist because an inexperienced therapist can hurt your hands.
- Some nail therapists can treat nails and cuticles so harshly that they cause them to peel, crack and hurt.
- If the nail therapist tries to cut the cuticles or tries to push the cuticles too far, politely ask them to stop. You have the nails, so you have the right to determine what kind of treatment he receives.
- If the therapist cuts your cuticles so that you feel sore or have an infection, it could be because the equipment was not sterilized properly. If this is the case, you should look for another nail salon.
Tips
- Observe changes in the condition of the nails. If there are lumps, white lines and nails that suddenly become very thick, this could be an indication of a health problem and some of these health problems are quite serious.
- Many people do not know the importance of nail care. In addition to maintaining appearance, nails are an important indicator of health. If you are not sure whether your nails are normal or not or this could be an indication of a health problem, try to see a doctor.
- Do not smoke. Smoking makes the whole body dry and the most visible part is the skin.
- You have to be very careful and keep your cuticles clean.
- Never bite your nails or cuticles as this can cause serious problems.
Warning
- Don't remove the cuticle completely or let someone else do it. Maybe you meet a salon therapist who is willing to do it, don't let that happen! Good therapists know that this should not be done. Never let anyone do it. Cuticles should only be pushed after being immersed in hot water for five minutes. After that, the loose dead skin cells can be excised, but the entire cuticle should not be pulled. If this is done and you notice that your nails are swollen, red or sore, you may have an infection from dirty equipment. Cutting the cuticle is an unhygienic act. This could be what makes your cuticles break.
- Make sure you thoroughly investigate the salon you are going to for nail care. Be a smart consumer. Ask how they clean the equipment used.
