Dry and hard skin around fingernails and toenails: causes

The skin around the nails can dry out, peel and crack under the influence of external adverse factors. It becomes more vulnerable to subsequent influences and spoils the well-groomed appearance of hands. Velvet Handles experts will tell you how to remove peeling, moisturize dry skin around your nails and properly care for your hands at home.

Why is the skin around the nails very dry and rough on the hands and feet: the reason

Are your hands dry? Is the skin around the nail plate rough? These are all the reasons for lack of moisture in the skin! In addition, you have too many dead cells around your nails.

What causes excessively rough and dry skin to appear?

There are several factors for this:

Aggressive household chemicals
Not very high quality soap
Skin diseases
Excess sun
Pregnancy
Natural aging processes

Dryness can be of varying intensity and, depending on what caused the problem, treatment should be planned.

IMPORTANT: Depending on your health status, age and lifestyle, the treatment method may vary.

If you want to get rid of discomfort, tenacious hangnails, unkempt-looking hands and dry skin around your nails, you should first consult a dermatologist to diagnose the cause.

The reasons may be:

PRESENCE OF BAD HABITS. First of all, we are talking about the habit of biting off pieces of hard skin around the nails and the nails themselves.
WEATHER. For example, climate change or too much exposure to the sun.
DISEASES. Such as yeast that attacks the fingers (hands and toes), as well as diseases akin to psoriasis and eczema.
AVITAMINOSIS. Those. lack of certain vitamins in the body. As a result, the skin dries, flakes, cracks and becomes rough.
ABUNDANCE OF MOISTURE. Extremely long stay in water, plus exposure to soap, detergents, and aggressive chemicals.

How to deal with dry skin around nails?

Oils are the best moisturizers

Various oils are considered a universal care product, for example, sesame, almond or olive. As a rule, two drops of essential oils are used together with the vegetable oil (usually a teaspoon). Apply the mixture using a regular brush. Oils help prevent and eliminate many problems. These include cracked, dehydrated skin and the appearance of hangnails. It should be understood that the consequences of vitamin deficiency, frequent contact with water or chemicals - all this can also be the causes of their occurrence.

Oils should be used regularly. For example, after getting out of the shower, you can apply a little of any oil to the cuticle. It is recommended to use massage oil at least twice a day. Only in this case will they eliminate all microbes and bacteria, and will also protect, nourish the cuticle, and heal wounds. Oils do not leave behind unpleasant traces. The result when used independently is quite noticeable - the cuticle becomes soft and smooth.

Essential oils can strengthen and restore elasticity to the cuticle, as well as give it a healthy shine (thyme or pine oil) and a pleasant aroma (citrus oils). Very often, homemade cosmetics prepared independently are many times superior in their effect to store-bought ones.

When taking care at home, cosmetologists advise adopting some simple tips for the correct use of products. It is advisable to clean your nails with a liquid that does not contain acetone. Conditioner can be used as a moisturizer. And before you push back the cuticle, you must first put your hands in warm water. After this, after a few minutes you need to wipe the damp skin with any towel, then carefully push the cuticle to the side with a terry towel.

Dry skin around nails: what vitamins are missing?

Lack of vitamins is the most common problem causing dry skin around fingernails. Not only children, but also adults can face this problem.

How do you know if you have this particular problem?

According to these signs:

Thinning of the skin
Skin peeling
Significant blurred vision at dusk
Frequent allergies
Frequent respiratory diseases
Weak immunity

Treatment consists of consulting a general practitioner and replenishing the vitamin deficiency by correcting nutrition and taking medications.

Dry skin on fingers and nails

What to do?

We use medicines

If the use of softening and moisturizing creams does not give the desired result, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist. After passing tests and establishing a diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe special medications in the form of ointments, tablets (and even injections).

For example, Radevit ointment not only eliminates flaking, but also fights cracks. The drug contains glycerin, vitamin A, oil (vaseline and sunflower), fatty acids. Tablet and injection forms of treatment are prescribed only by a doctor. This may be the drug Actovegin if the problem is severely advanced.

Nutrition, vitamins

If the body experiences a deficiency of vitamins that come with food in insufficient quantities, then it is necessary to reconsider your diet. In this case, it is recommended to eat foods that are rich in vitamin E (cheese, eggs, corn) and A (tomatoes, raspberries, apricots, peas). If this is not enough, the doctor will prescribe vitamin and mineral complexes.

Dry skin around fingernails and toenails: causes

Yes, if the skin dries around the nails, this causes physical discomfort and aesthetic disturbances. But, you must understand that this sign is simply a SIGNAL from your body. You must accept it and fix the problem.

In addition to your skin, you should also examine the health of your nails. You should only worry when you notice nails:

Out of shape
With growths and “humps”
With stripes
Too thin
Too thick
Yellowed
Turned blue
Brittle

In many cases, nails do not “speak” about diseases affecting the fingers, but signal problems within the body:

THYROID PROBLEMS. Characteristic features: nails are very fragile and often peel.
DRY OR LOOSE MUSHROOM. The appearance of growths, hardening of the skin, change in color of the plate.
DEHYDRATION OF THE BODY. It's not just the skin around the nail that dries out. It may peel all over the body. Nails turn white and become streaky.

Dry cuticle, oiled

Preventive measures

Preventing dry skin near the nails is much easier than having to deal with long-term treatment later. To ensure that your hands always look well-groomed, you should follow simple rules.

Cleaning should only be done with gloves. Choose dishwashing detergents with glycerin, which moisturizes the skin and neutralizes the negative effects of bleach.
Wash your hands with liquid moisturizing cream soap. To improve blood supply and train blood vessels, start the procedure with warm water and end with cold water. Dry your hands thoroughly with a towel.
During the cold season, wear mittens or gloves and keep your hands warm.
Watch your diet: add to your diet foods containing vitamins A (tomatoes, carrots, apricots, pumpkin, peas) and E (corn, eggs, cheese, potatoes).
Do an unedged European manicure. Its essence lies in the fact that the dry cuticle is not cut off, but is softened and gently pushed aside. Before the procedure, be sure to take a bath with special cuticle oil. Treat your toenails in the same way.

Avoid rough scrubs and massage your fingers with olive oil from time to time.
Try to avoid stressful situations, overwork and overexertion - all this negatively affects both your general well-being and the condition of the skin of your hands.

Dry and peeling skin around nails: diseases

If you notice that the skin around your nails is drying out and flaking appears on your body and hands, which is sometimes even accompanied by unpleasant itching, this may indicate:

Climate change
Lifestyle change
Age-related changes
Dry skin
Excessive sun exposure
Exposure to chemicals
Dermatitis

What to do about it:

Change habits
Use moisturizers more
Drink more fluids
Eliminate potential sources of negative effects on the skin
Contact a dermatologist

Dry, rough, cracked skin on the cuticle and around the nail may indicate dermatitis.

Dermatitis on the hands:

Due to allergies . It is characterized by itching, redness of the skin, and unpleasant sensations.
Seborrhea. Same as psoriasis.
Atopy. Skin inflammation. Often leads to the appearance of painful cracks, which worsens the course of the disease.

Dry skin and cuticles on fingers

Homemade oil recipes

There are many recipes that you can use to make your own effective cuticle care product. At the same time, ready-made natural products in their pure form are used. Various oils are considered very popular and effective. The most commonly used are the following common options for using oils, as well as homemade recipes for care products based on them.

Olive oil is rubbed separately in small portions into the cuticle, nails, and the area around them.
Vitamin C oil is applied to the cuticle, left for up to 10 minutes, then washed off.
Grapefruit peel has a good moisturizing and healing effect, thanks to the oil it contains.
When dealing with dryness, castor or apricot oil is useful. Directions for use: rubbing a small amount. Apricot is recommended to be preheated before use to enhance the effect. With constant rubbing, both oils will make the cuticle skin soft and tender.
Read also: What are lipolytics and what effect do they have?
Healing oil is prepared by mixing melted tea tree oil (5 drops) and hemp oil (a couple of tablespoons). Apply the prepared mixture to the nails, the skin around them and the cuticle, without subsequently rinsing off. The composition moisturizes, heals, treats inflammation.
To make massage oil, take a drop of myrrh and peppermint essential oils. Add a couple of drops of lavender and one and a half tablespoons of almond to them. It is recommended to rub the resulting mixture at night once every day. This method stimulates nail growth.
An anti-aging recipe can be prepared by mixing only two oils: jojoba (a couple of tablespoons) and carrot seeds (up to 10 drops). The prepared composition is stored in a small jar and used warmed up for massage without being washed off.
A strengthening composition for cuticles, nails, and the area around them can be prepared from a mixture of essential oils of frankincense, lemon, myrrh (10 drops of each), as well as a couple of tablespoons of vitamin E. The finished composition is used twice a week.
Convenient to store and easiest to prepare, reusable oil is the most convenient. To make it, mix lemon juice, olive oil with any essential oil. It is also stored in a small container and applied, after shaking, directly to the cuticle skin before going to bed.

The cuticle and skin around the nails are very dry: methods of treatment, moisturizing

Dry and rough skin around the plates should be treated based on the causes of the problem and the doctor’s diagnosis.

General recommendations for action if the skin around the nails is dry:

Don't soar your fingers
Try to keep your fingers in a hot environment (bath, shower, sink) as little as possible.
Drink enough water per day
Humidify the room you are in
Do not injure dry skin even more (biting off hangnails, etc.)
Moisturize your hands more often with creams, lotions, oils
Take a multivitamin

Dry skin - aesthetic discomfort

Do I need to cut the cuticle?

Many people ask this question. It must be said right away that dry or inflamed skin around the nail plates is divided into “living” and “non-living”. The main thing in caring for such skin is to remove the dead part, i.e. non-living cuticle.

Removing cuticles with nail clippers

The procedure should be carried out very carefully, using special tweezers, so that wounds or scratches do not cause infection or cause damage to the surface of the nails. It is advisable to use a special softener to treat the skin, which in advanced cases sometimes has to be applied twice. There is no need to rush during the procedure so as not to injure the “living” skin.

Some experts do not recommend cutting cuticles at all. An alternative is a European manicure, performed dry, i.e. unedged method, the essence of which is to push back the cuticle with a special spatula. It is worth noting that the vast majority of women switch to this manicure, but if the cuticle has a neglected appearance, then in this case you cannot do without scissors.

The skin around the nails dries, the cuticles on the hands and feet become rough - how to get rid of it: tips

The main thing you should do if your skin around your nails is dry is to try to solve the problem by changing your lifestyle and instilling good habits:

Wash dishes with gloves
After water procedures, apply creams and oils to your hands
In winter, be sure to wear warm gloves and socks (do not let your hands freeze)
Buy a special humidifier for your home, or place containers of water throughout the house
Do not use cheap cosmetics, give preference to natural or pharmacy ones
Make hand oil at home (olive, flaxseed, pumpkin – it doesn’t matter)

Types of cracks

Nail cracking can occur in the middle, along the edges, along or across. There are multiple and single cracks. Assessing their location, length and depth helps determine the reason why nails are cracking. For example, a plate on the hands with a split along its length speaks of psoriasis and blood diseases. Fungal infection causes splitting of the plate along the legs.

Why do nails crack across the middle? As a rule, this is what the consequences of an injury look like due to the inversion of a long nail, improper extension, or excessive filing of the surface of the stratum corneum of the plate.

The skin around the fingernails and toenails hardens and dries: reasons - what to do, how to soften the skin?

Dry skin on the fingers, cuticles and around the nail is very often a cosmetic problem. The treatment must be safe so as not to give you even greater unpleasant consequences.

The best thing to do is turn to “home medicine”. These are the same tips that have been passed down from generation to generation and give effect when the skin mercilessly dries around the nails.

Is the skin around your fingernails and toenails hard and dry? You can also soften the skin using special ointments that are purchased in pharmacies. As a rule, they have a Vaseline base. Cosmetic gloves also have a good effect.

If you are not ready to eliminate dryness with medication, folk methods will help you.

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What to do if the skin around your nails is dry: home remedies and methods

What remedies will help you avoid cases where the skin around your nails dries out:

A damp towel. Definitely warm. You can wet your fingers with it, relieving unpleasant symptoms. If the problem of dryness is not global, the softened cuticle skin can be cut off with nail scissors.
Honey. Can relieve inflammation and relieve itching. You should apply masks to your hands for 20 minutes, completely exposing the “problem areas” with honey.
Aloe. This plant has the natural property of relieving inflammation and softening the skin, as well as fighting infections. Good to use on affected areas or completely all over.
Bleaching. Oddly enough, a weak bleach solution can have a very positive effect on your hands if there is fungus in them or the nail plates.
Olive oil. Qualitatively eliminates dryness and gives a pleasant feeling to the skin.
Nail and skin care. An important component of your health, so try to always keep them clean and beautiful.

Hydration from the inside

Equally important is moisturizing the skin from the inside. Cosmetics and procedures act locally, and internal enrichment with water will enhance their effect and maintain it even after stopping use.

First of all, you need to drink enough clean drinking water. On average, women need to drink about 1.5 liters of water, men about 1.5 - 2.5 liters. It is important to note that you can moisturize the cuticle by drinking only clean, still water. Juices, sugary carbonated drinks, tea and coffee reduce water levels in the body, leading to dryness of the periungual ridges.

If you need to moisturize your cuticles, you should include more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. It is important to use them unprocessed, since when exposed to high temperatures, most of the moisture they contain is lost. All vegetables and fruits will benefit, but be sure to include in your diet:

cucumber,
tomato,
watermelon,
apple,
kiwi,
citrus,
coconut milk,
green leafy vegetables.

It would also be a good idea to use olive oil internally. It contains components that moisturize and soften the skin, and especially the cuticle from the inside. It is enough to use a small amount of oil for salad dressing or 1 teaspoon on an empty stomach.

What to do if the skin around your nails is dry: reviews

Dry skin around nails: reviews

Daria: “I have a stupid habit of cutting the skin with my fingernail and picking out a piece of dried skin. As a result, the “dry” case ends with wounds that heal for a long time and painfully. I will listen to the advice of the article and regularly anoint my hands with oil!”

Tatyana: “A very good remedy is aloe concentrate. It helps not only heal wounds, but also soften the skin. You can buy it ready-made or simply tear off an aloe leaf from a living plant. Remember that aloe can only be stored in the refrigerator! Plus, the cool liquid is very pleasant to the skin!”

Valeria: “After I started going to the master for a manicure, I noticed that the skin grows around the nail much more intensely and faster than it was before. The master said that this is quite natural, because the cuticle essentially protects the nail, and therefore clearly fulfills its purpose! To prevent this from causing you discomfort, simply lubricate your skin regularly with cuticle oil!”

About other care products

When caring for cuticles, store-bought or homemade exfoliating scrubs are often used. They have a softening effect on the cuticle and help completely get rid of dead skin cells. To prepare a homemade version, mix olive oil with sugar. The composition is rubbed into the cuticle with gentle movements, then washed off. It would be appropriate to use a homemade emollient cream here.

It is made from half a glass of calendula and 10 g of petroleum jelly. The mixture is kept in a water bath over low heat until the petroleum jelly is completely melted. After this, the composition is removed from the heat and kept for up to 12 hours. After the specified period, the resulting moisture is drained, and the almost finished cream is again placed in a water bath to dissolve completely. At the end, the mixture is filtered through cheesecloth, and the already prepared cream is poured into a jar.

A series of care products that can be made at home include ointments. For example, a recipe based on apricot oil and lanolin makes it possible to independently prepare a universal cuticle care product, which not only perfectly softens and moisturizes the sensitive skin of the cuticle on the nails, but also has a noticeable healing and healing effect. It is made by mixing a teaspoon of apricot oil and lanolin in the amount of 4 teaspoons. The mixture is kept in a water bath until the lanolin dissolves. The finished ointment is stored for a long time in a closed jar at room temperature.

The standard minimum for cuticle care includes daily rubbing of any oil in combination with massage. This comprehensive care has a pronounced restorative effect in case of damage, so it is especially recommended to use it after a trim manicure or other similar types of cosmetic procedures. It allows you not only to strengthen the cuticle, but also has a positive effect on brittle nails and their structure. To keep your cuticles, nails, and the area around them in healthy, good condition, you need to do the described care procedures at home regularly.