One of the most annoying things one can experience when nails and cuticles are not properly taken care of is a hangnail. A hangnail is a small piece of skin that has been separated from the side of one’s fingernail or toe-nail. They can easily get torn off and could cause small bleeding wounds. If you are not careful, they can easily get infected. A hangnail can happen due to several causes such as nail biting, cold weather, frequent immersion in water, and more. It could get swollen and painful and sometimes, may emit pus. It is highly advised that you seek treatment as soon as possible when this happens. You can also do a lot of preventive measures such as moisturizing your hands and fingernails regularly.
Here are four tips for treating a hangnail infection.
- Use a moisturizer on your fingernails.
Cold weather can dry our skin including our cuticles. When they are dried out, they are more susceptible to having a hangnail. It would help a lot if you moisturize them daily. One way of doing this is applying cuticle balms, lotions, or essential oils. Some of these oils include tea tree oil, sesame oil, olive oil, or lavender oil. Just massage the affected area for about 15 minutes. Moisturizing your nails is one of the easiest and natural cures for a hangnail. It can also prevent it from happening again in the future. If you are someone who is prone to having hangnails, it is advised that you apply a moisturizer 2-3 times a day.
- Soak the affected fingernails in salty water.
The salinity of the water produced by salt can act as an antibacterial agent that can fight the infection on your fingernails. Dissolve salt in warm water and soak the affected fingernails into the solution for about 20 minutes. If this option is not available, you can also opt to choose vinegar and water solution twice a day. Another option would be a bleaching powder mixed with water.
- Make a garlic paste.
Garlic has many uses and fortunately, one of them is treating an infected hangnail. Garlic has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which can help the swelling and provide relief. To make a garlic paste, crush some cloves of garlic or grind them, and put them around the infected nail. Make sure to tie it with a clean cotton cloth to secure the infected area and so that the garlic paste stays in place. You can let it stay for about an hour and then clean it afterward.
- Consult a dermatologist.
If your hangnail has gone through a terrible state and you can no longer get rid of hangnails with natural treatment, consider going to a dermatologist immediately to have the proper treatment. A dermatologist will be able to determine the underlying causes of your extremely dry skin and provide you the right type of cream to treat your infected hangnail. Do not attempt to make your own treatment that could potentially cause more problems in the future. Consult a dermatologist immediately to solve the issue.
