What is the best way to get rid of a hangnail?
Q: I get hangnails regularly – and they hurt. Can I do anything to speed up the healing process?
A bad hangnail can ruin your day. Swelling, throbbing, tenderness: that small break in the skin can cause significant pain.
“There are a lot of nerve endings in the fingers, so the skin is very sensitive,” says Dr. Amanda Zubek, assistant professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine.
Hangnails usually go away on their own, but experts say there are ways to speed up the healing process and protect your fingers from them.
What is a hangnail?
A hangnail is not actually a hanging nail, or even a nail at all.
“Hangnail is a funny term,” says Dr. Ida Orengo, chairman of the department of dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “It’s actually a small patch of skin next to the nail.”
When that piece of skin separates from the cuticle, it can feel hard because the skin is usually dry and brittle, Dr. Zubek said. The drier your skin, the more vulnerable your cuticles are to tears and snags, she said.
Indoor heating combined with colder weather can cause dry, flaky skin, said Dr. Zubek. Because of this, hangnails are more common during dry winter months and in dry climates.
Harsh chemicals from cleaning products or nail polish remover can also increase the risk of a hangnail, said Dr. Shehla Admani, a dermatologist at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.
People who bite or pick at their cuticles tend to be prone to hangnails, as do people with skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, said Dr. Admani.
And while manicures can make your nails look nice, Dr. Note that they can sometimes give you hangnails. “Often the manicure technician will try to push back the cuticles, which can weaken the connection between the skin and the nail,” she said.
Our cuticles help protect against infections, according to the Center for Disease Control and Preventionso it’s best to leave them alone.
Can I make a hangnail disappear?
If you notice that you have a hangnail, Dr. Orengo to soften the skin around your nail by soaking your fingertips in warm water or a solution of warm water and white vinegar, which can help ward off bacteria. The ratio of warm water to vinegar should be about three to one, said Dr. Orengo – so if you are making a cup of solution, add a quarter cup of white vinegar to three quarters of a cup of water.
Once your skin feels soft, she said, you can trim the hangnail with sterile cuticle scissors (or nail clippers, Dr. Admani said). To ensure your tools are clean, wipe them with rubbing alcohol.
After cutting the hangnail, Dr. Zubek recommends applying an ointment such as Aquaphor or Vaseline to the resulting wound. This will help keep your skin hydrated and protected as it heals, she said. Ointments tend to retain moisture better than lotions or creams, and they are less likely to cause allergic reactions than over-the-counter antibiotic ointments such as Neosporin, said Dr. Zubek.
If you don’t have a tool to cut your hangnail, Dr. Zubek recommends covering it with ointment and a bandage until it heals – usually within three to five days – to prevent it from tearing further if you use your hand.
“Every time it gets stuck on something, it becomes more traumatized and becomes a bigger wound than what you started with,” she said.
A neat trim can help, but all experts warned against tearing or biting off your hangnail instead. “This could cause your hangnail to be torn off further than you intended, which will cause more injury,” said Dr. Zubek. And using your teeth to bite it off can introduce infection-causing bacteria, she said.
Can I prevent hangnails?
Keeping your hands moisturized can go a long way toward preventing them, said Dr. Admani. She recommended applying cream or lotion throughout the day, especially after washing your hands.
“Every time you wash your hands, even with very mild soap, you’re stripping your skin of its natural moisture,” she said. Reapplying moisturizer after a hand wash and choosing a mild soap without strong fragrances, which can irritate your skin, can help.
Dr. Zubek recommended using a more intensive moisturizing regimen before going to bed, including applying a thick moisturizer or ointment and wearing cotton gloves while you sleep. This will help the skin of your hands absorb the moisturizer, said Dr. Zubek.
When should I consult a doctor?
If you notice redness, swelling, or pus around the hangnail, said Dr. Orengo, you may have an infection and should see a doctor to find out if you need antibiotics.
“A hangnail alone is not a sign of infection,” added Dr. Admani added. But if you’re not sure, a doctor can usually tell.
From there, your doctor can determine what type of infection you have and the best way to treat it, whether that’s with oral or topical antibiotics or with a special antiseptic bath.