Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

The epidermis is the skin surrounding the nail. Dry, flaky cuticles (scratching the bamboo shoots) can be painful and look unsightly. Fortunately, you can solve this problem without spending too much time or effort. Instead, just take a little care and love gently for your hands.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Moisturize the cuticles

1. 

   Use a cuticle cream at home. If you have time, you can make an effective cuticle moisturizer at home with a little hand cream and oil according to the instructions below:
   • In the microwave, place in a bowl containing 1/3 cup of hand lotion, a few drops of olive oil (or grape seed oil if available), 3-4 drops of lavender essential oil (available at physical stores. microwaves to a warm level, not too hot to the touch.
   • Apply a generous amount of lotion to each nail and gently massage for 1-2 minutes into each nail, cuticle, and surrounding skin. This cream is especially good for the skin on your hands (and feet) and helps to soften the cuticles.
   • You can store this homemade cream in a dark glass bottle, place it in the refrigerator and reheat it for up to 3 days.

2. 

   
   
   Treat with hot wax. If you can afford it, you can go to a nail salon for a hot wax treatment, which helps to treat hands, nails and cuticles in a great way.
   • During the hot wax treatment, a special oil wax is melted and applied to the hands and fingertips. Then, your nail technician will ask you to put on a pair of plastic gloves and put your hand on another pair of finger gloves.
   • After 10-15 minutes, the mittens are removed and the hot wax is removed, leaving you with your hands and soft, moist cuticles.
   • You can buy paraffin wax kits online and treat yourself with hot wax at home.

3. 

   
   
   Use a moisturizing wax. If you are looking for an inexpensive yet effective way to moisturize your cuticles, you can buy a tube of moisturizing wax to apply to your cuticles every night, before bed. Moisturizing wax helps to soften cuticles and prevents them from peeling, but can be a bit greasy if used during the day.

4. 

   
   
   Try essential oils. Essential oils can be helpful in moisturizing the cuticles and also have a wonderful scent. Some of the most effective oils include jojoba and orange essential oils, while tea tree oil is great for getting rid of mild infections.

5. 

   If necessary, you can use some lip balm. If you are working outdoors and your cuticles are a concern, you can find a lip balm in the bag to apply some to the cuticles. The lip balm will temporarily soothe the cuticles until you find the hand lotion. advertisement

Part 2 of 3: Cuticle Care

1. 

   Soak your fingertips in hot water. Soaking your hands in hot (not boiling) water or soaking in a hot tub will help soften cuticles and excess skin (if present). If you like, you can add a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice or vinegar to the water to exfoliate dead skin cells (if available).

2. 

   Use the Orange Stick nail toothpick to push the cuticles in. Once softened, the cuticles should be easily pushed in with an Orange Stick.
   • Orange Stick is a wooden or metal toothpick that pushes the cuticles in and cleans under the nail. You can buy an Orange Stick toothpick in pharmacies or online for a cheap price.
   • Use the flat end of the Orange Stick to push the cuticles. Attempting to push with light as hard as pushing can cause injury and seriously damage the cuff.
   • Push in the cuticles until you see a white crescent (nail sickle) under each nail. Do not push the cuticles more than 1-2 times per month as the cuticles are quite sensitive.
   • Disinfect the metal Orange Stick toothpick and dispose of the wooden toothpick after each use.

3. 

   Absolutely not cut cuticles. The cuticle is important because it protects the nail germ (the part where the nail begins to grow) by preventing dirt and bacteria from getting in. Therefore, you should not cut the cuticles and instead push the cuticles inward.
   • Cutting the cuticles removes the protective layer and makes the nail more susceptible to infection. Not only that, cutting the cuticles also makes the skin of the epidermis harder, easy to flake and crack.
   • Don't worry that the cuticles grow back faster when you stop cutting as this is not true. Cuticle growth remains the same even if you stop cutting.

4. 

   Regularly moisturize the cuticles. Moisturizing regularly is one of the most important steps in preventing cuticles. Moisturize the cuticles at least 2 times daily in the morning and at night.
   • Keep in mind that the epidermis is made up of skin (albeit with a thicker texture) and all parts of the skin need to be moisturized to stay soft and not flake off.
   • You can use a hand moisturizer during the day, as it absorbs quickly and does not leave your hands greasy. Conversely, at night, you should use a thicker cream or cuticle ointment to increase the moisturizing effect.
   • After applying moisturizer to your hands and cuticles in the evening, wear cotton or wool gloves to sleep. This will prevent the cream or ointment from sticking to the bed sheet and also increase the temperature so that the skin can absorb the moisturizer better. Wake up tomorrow morning, and you will find your hands and cuticles soft.

5. 

   If the cuticles crack and cause pain, you should apply an antibacterial ointment. The skin around the nail feels cracked and irritated, which could be a sign of a mild infection. In that case, you need to cure the infection before the epidermis can begin to heal.
   • Treat the infection by applying a thick layer of an antibacterial ointment (for example, Neosporin) to the epidermis.
   • After applying an antibacterial ointment (which is more effective than an antibacterial cream), you should wrap a band-aid around each infected nail.
   • Put the bandage on overnight and the next morning you should see a lot of improvement in your epidermal condition.

6. 

   Know when to see a doctor. Painful, pus or swollen epidermis with red spots that may indicate an infection called perinitis (inflammation of the nail plate). If you suspect an infection, you should see your doctor as soon as possible as you will need antibiotics to treat the infection. advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Prevent the epidermis from drying out

1. 

   Protect hands from cold weather. Cold weather can cause dry hands and cracked and flaky cuticles.
   • Therefore, you need to pay special attention to protect your hands in winter or whenever it is cold.
   • Always wear gloves when going out and carry a small tube of hand lotion in your wallet (squeeze) to apply the cream occasionally.

2. 

   Keep finger away from mouth. The habit of biting your nails or chewing the cuticles will increase the risk of dry, flaky skin around your fingers.
   • This habit also increases the risk of infection because the mouth contains bacteria that are easily transmitted to the nails. Saliva also contains enzymes that break down skin, making it drier.
   • So, one of the most effective ways to prevent the dry, flaky cuticles is to stop biting your nails and keep your hands away from your mouth.
   • One way is to apply smelly ointment on the nail. The ointment will make your finger taste terrible and you won't want to bite your nails anymore.

3. 

   Avoid substances that cause dry skin. Dry hands will speed up cracking and peeling of the epidermis. So, protect your hands and avoid exposing your hands to substances that cause dry skin.
   • Washing dishes frequently with hot soapy water can cause serious dry skin, so wear rubber gloves when washing dishes to protect your hands.
   • If you don't like wearing gloves, at least buy a moisturizing dish soap to moisturize your hands when washing dishes.
   • Avoid using nail polish removers that contain acetone as these quickly remove the moisture from your nails. In addition, you should limit washing your hands because washing too often will remove the necessary natural oil from the surface of the skin and nails.

4. 

   Choose a nail specialist carefully. Be careful when choosing a nail therapist (both a nail and a pedicure, as taking care the wrong way will do more harm than good.
   • Some nail care professionals can be very rough with manicures and cuticles, causing the cuticles to flake, crack and become painful.
   • If a nail therapist tries to cut the cuticles or push them too deeply, politely ask them to stop. It is up to you to decide what to do with your nails.
   • If the therapist removes your cuticles and causes you pain or infection, it could be that the instrument was improperly disinfected. In that case, you should consider switching to another nail salon.
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Advice

• Watch for changes in nail condition. Swollen nails, white streaks, and sudden thickening are all signs of a health problem, even a serious problem.
• Many people don't know the importance of nail care. Not only appearance, nails are also factors that indicate health problems. See your doctor if you are unsure whether the nail condition is normal or is a sign of other problems.
• No smoking. Tobacco "dries" the entire body, which is most evident in the skin.
• Be especially careful and keep the cuticles clean.
• Absolutely do not bite your nails or cuticles to avoid leading to serious problems.
• Coconut oil moisturizes the cuticles very well.

Warning

• Absolutely not intentionally or let another person remove the cuticles completely. There are still many nail salon professionals at the salon who use cutters or scissors to cut cuticles. This is a bad habit. A good specialist won't do that, and you can't let anyone remove the cuticles. Instead, the cuticles should only be pushed back in after 5 minutes of soaking in hot water. You can then cut off excess (white) dead skin, but not all of the cuticles. Completely remove the cuticles and feel a swollen, red, or painful nail that could be a sign of an infection caused by a dirty tool. Cuticle removal is also an unhygienic habit and the primary reason for cracked cuticles.
• Make sure to do a little research about the salon you plan to go to for nail care. Be a service-savvy customer and ask how well the salon equipment is cleaned.