Cracked Skin Around Nails: At-Home Remedies & Solutions

Learn how to heal the dry, cracked, and calloused skin around your nails (and keep it in great shape!)

Co-authored by Kristin Pulaski and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: January 23, 2023 References Approved

Repairing Your Cuticles

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Preventing Dry Cuticles

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Video

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Expert Q&A

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Warnings

ARTICLE

VIDEO

Many people suffer from dry, cracked skin surrounding their nails due to things like cold, dry weather and biting their nails. Along with biting their nails, sometimes people even bite the skin surrounding their nail. This can lead to painful rips and bleeding tears that have the potential to become infected. Thankfully, dry, cracked, and ripped skin around the nail can be repaired by following a few easy steps to ensure your hands stay groomed and moisturized.

Things You Should Know

Soak your hands in warm water for around 5 minutes. While your skin is still soft, push back your cuticles and carefully trim away any excess skin on your fingers.
Rub moisturizer around your nails and slip into a set of cotton gloves for the night to lock the product into your skin.
Moisturize your hands each day to prevent them from drying out, and avoid products that dry out your skin (like acetone).
Stop picking at your skin and biting your nails so your fingers stay in great shape.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Repairing Your Cuticles

1
Soak your hands. Take a medium-sized bowl and fill it approximately 4 inches deep with warm water. Dip your hands in the water, making sure to submerge your nails and cuticles. Soak your hands for about 5 minutes.
- Warm water helps to soften the skin around the nail for easy and pain-free grooming.
2
Dry your hands. Pat dry your hands with a towel. Make sure that your cuticles are free of water drops, but still moist. Your skin needs to stay moist and soft while you manicure your cuticles, so it’s easier and less painful to remove dead skin.

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3
Push back your cuticles. Using a wooden cuticle pusher or an orange stick (a manicuring stick with a pointed end and a flat end) can help keep your cuticles from growing out onto your nail. Use the flat end of the orange stick to push the cuticle back, and the pointy end to run along the underside of your fingernail and remove any built up dirt.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Kristin Pulaski
Salon Owner & Nail Specialist
Expert Interview. 19 May 2020.}
- Soak metal and plastic cuticle pushers in isopropyl alcohol for 30 minutes before and after each use.^{[2]
  X
  Research source} Throw away wooden orange sticks after every use.
- If you don't have an orange stick or a cuticle pusher, use a cotton swab to push back your cuticles.^{[3]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Laura Martin
  Licensed Cosmetologist
  Expert Interview. 29 May 2019.}
4
Cut the extra skin around your nails. Using manicure nippers and manicure scissors, cut away extra, dead skin around your nails. This could include skin near your cuticle that you pushed back with the manicuring sticks, but be very careful to only cut away skin that is loose, soft and translucent, not your actual cuticles. Only cut the skin that has grown out over your nail and is now loose.
- Never cut the skin that surrounds and protects your nail, which is your upper cuticle. Your cuticles serve a function; they keep germs and bacteria from getting into your body through the area around your nails. Clipping that area is going to make you extra susceptible to infections.^{[4]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Kristin Pulaski
  Salon Owner & Nail Specialist
  Expert Interview. 19 May 2020.}
- Loose, extra skin will be white in color compared to the actually attached skin on your fingers. You only want to nip away skin that can snag on things and cause skin tears.
5
Apply moisturizer. Use lotions, moisturizing oils, or store bought moisturizers specifically made for cuticles to moisturize the dry areas around your nails. Rub a generous amount of moisturizer on the entire area surrounding your nail, paying special attention to your cuticles.
- You can also try applying moisturizer underneath your nails as well.
- Alcohol and fragrance free moisturizers usually hydrate skin better.
- If your cuticles are dry and prone to splitting, make sure you keep them pushed back and moisturized. If there are loose or dry pieces, trim them away as soon as you notice them.^{[5]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Laura Martin
  Licensed Cosmetologist
  Expert Interview. 29 May 2019.}
6
Wear moisture-locking gloves. Put on cotton gloves and wear them overnight. The gloves seal in the moisturizer and help heal your nails and cuticles. Remove the gloves in the morning.
- If you want to improve the absorption of your moisturizer, cover it with petroleum jelly or paraffin wax to seal in the moisture. Then, put your gloves over your hands.
- For better, longer lasting results, repeat this procedure every night.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Preventing Dry Cuticles

1
Moisturize often. For smoother, hydrated skin around your nails, moisturize everyday, multiple times a day. You always want your cuticles and nails to be hydrated, because hangnails, rips, and breaks happen when your nails and cuticles are dry.^{[6]
X
Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Keeping your hands moisturized is especially important in the dry, winter months.
2
Avoid drying agents. Dry hands are prone to cracking and peeling, so protect your hands from unnecessary exposure to activities that can dry out your skin. Avoid things like:
- Washing dishes in hot water without gloves. The hot water and soap pull out moisture from your hands. Wear gloves while you wash the dishes to protect your nails and hands.^{[7]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source} After you wash dishes, make sure your hands are fully dry.
- Acetone-based nail polish remover. Acetone removes important natural oils from your skin and nails.
- Not wearing gloves in the winter months. The cold, dry air during the winter dries out your skin, so protect your hands by wearing gloves.
3
Avoid picking your skin. Rather than picking at loose skin around your nails, soak and moisturize your hands. Picking can lead to open cuts, which can breed infections.
- Some people pick the skin around their nails as a nervous habit. Looking into better ways to curb nervous habits, and practicing self-control can break this habit.
4
Keep your hands out of your mouth. Try to refrain from biting your nails or nibbling on the pieces of loose skin around the nail. Bacteria in the mouth can lead to an infection if you rip your skin around your nail, or bite your nail too low.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Try using a special foul-tasting ointment to keep you from putting your fingers near your mouth.
- If you struggle with a nail-biting habit, start by painting your nails a bright color so they're more noticeable. The color will grab your attention, making you more aware of what you're doing so you can stop chewing. You might also create a negative association with biting your nails by snapping a rubber band on your wrist every time you catch yourself chewing them.^{[9]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Laura Martin
  Licensed Cosmetologist
  Expert Interview. 29 May 2019.}
5
Stay hydrated by drinking at least 8 glasses of fluids daily. Keeping yourself hydrated helps keep your skin, including your cuticles, soft and moist.^{[10]
X
Research source} Water is your best option, and you can add flavor to your water using orange, lemon, lime, or cucumber slices. You can also increase your hydration with other fluids, such as tea or juice. Eating water-based foods such as soup and watery fruits also helps boost hydration.
- If you sweat a lot, increase your fluid consumption.
6
Eat a healthy, balanced diet. If your body is deficient on nutrients, your skin, hair, and nails all suffer. Eat plenty of lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits. To make sure your body properly absorbs nutrients, eat healthy fats.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- You can also take a vitamin supplement to support healthy nails. However, talk to your doctor before you take any supplements.
7
File your nails. Keep your nails at a length that prevents them from getting caught and snagged on things. Pay special attention to the corners of your nails and keep them smooth, so the edges don’t injure the skin around your nail.
- When you do file your nails, pull the file across your nail in one, steady direction. This helps prevent splits and tears in nails that "sawing" (pulling the nail file back and forth) creates.

Expert Q&A

Question

Is cuticle pushing bad for the skin around your nails?

Kristin Pulaski
Salon Owner & Nail Specialist
Kristin Pulaski is a Professional Nail Artist and the Founder of Paintbucket, a self-owned and operated nail salon based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She has over five years of experience running Paintbucket and is licensed as a nail technician. Paintbucket offers nail art manicures, pedicures, and soft gel extensions along with customized packages for wedding and bridal parties. She holds a BA in Managerial Science from Manhattan College.

Kristin Pulaski

Salon Owner & Nail Specialist

Expert Answer

No, not necessarily. You don't want to do it too often, go too hard, or push the skin back too far, but it's not intrinsically bad for your skin.
Question

What is the hyponychium of the nail?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

The hyponychium is the skin that sits under the free edge of the nail. The free edge is the detached white part of the nail.
Question

What is good for dry cuticles?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

You can buy cuticle oil that is specially designed for this area. Olive and coconut oil are also good choices.

Warnings

Never completely remove the cuticles around your nail. Any loose, dead (white) skin can be snipped at, but never remove the whole cuticle.

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