semi-OT: cuticles and hang-nails

Do you make sure your fingertips have been soaked when you push your cuticles back? Pushing them back when they're dry is harder and causes more tears (tears as in torn skin, as well as tears as in crying! :) Whenever I wash my hands and put cream or lotion on them (they're more effective when the skin is wet), I make sure to push my cuticles back while they're flexible. And I have to do it more carefully now that the cooler weather is setting in.

My sympathies! Those things hurt.

My manicurist taught me to put a little drop of olive oil on each nail each night and rub it in. Also, after washing dishes do the same thing. The olive oil will soften the cuticles and help keep them healthy. You can also buy a product at the beauty supply store (not recall the name, but it comes in a tall white bottle with blue printing) that manicurists use to get rid of dead skin on nails and cuticles. You squirt a bit on each nail (fingers and toes) after soaking and then rub gently to remove dead skin cells.

Probably good also to not be so vigorous about pushing them back until you've done the above for a week or two to get everything soft and healthy again.

Good luck, firefly

Oct 3, 2:45 pm, YarnWright wrote:> I religiously push my cuticles back, yet have been subjected to 4> hangnails this week... any advice? Thoughts?> TIA,