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What Causes Hangnails?

Published in Nail Care 2 mins read

Hangnails are tiny, often painful pieces of skin that peel away from the side or base of your fingernails or toenails. They don't technically "grow" like nails or hair; instead, they are pieces of skin that have separated. Understanding why they form can help prevent them.

Hangnails are primarily caused by dryness and trauma to the skin around the nail.

Key Factors Contributing to Hangnail Formation

According to information from December 2021, several factors can lead to the development of hangnails:

  • Dry Air: Environmental conditions where the air lacks moisture can dry out the skin, making it more prone to splitting and forming hangnails.
  • Frequent Hand Washing: While essential for hygiene, constant exposure to water and soap can strip natural oils from the skin, leading to dryness and increased hangnail risk.
  • Use of Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers: These products, also crucial for hygiene, contain alcohol that can severely dry out the skin around the nails, contributing to hangnail formation.
  • Picking or Biting: Individuals who have a habit of picking or biting the skin around their nails are highly likely to get hangnails. This physical trauma damages the delicate skin, causing it to tear away.

How These Factors Lead to Hangnails

The skin around your nails, known as the cuticle and paronychium, is delicate. When it loses moisture due to dry air, frequent washing, or sanitizers, it becomes stiff and less flexible. This dry, stiff skin is more susceptible to splitting or tearing, often initiated by minor snagging or everyday activities.

Trauma from picking or biting directly damages the skin, creating tears or lifting existing dry skin, which then becomes a hangnail.

Preventing Hangnails

While some causes like necessary hand washing and sanitizing are unavoidable, you can take steps to minimize hangnail formation:

  • Moisturize Regularly: Apply hand cream or cuticle oil, especially after washing hands or using hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid Picking or Biting: Break the habit of manipulating the skin around your nails.
  • Protect Your Hands: Wear gloves when doing dishes or using harsh chemicals.
  • Gentle Nail Care: Avoid aggressive pushing or cutting of the cuticles.

By understanding the common causes, you can better protect the skin around your nails and reduce the occurrence of hangnails.