Looking for ways on how to get rid of dry cuticles? Check out this guide on helpful manicure tips to treat dry cuticles and keep your nails glowing and healthy even in colder months.
A finely maintained cuticle enhances the beauty and appearance of your nails, but what happens when this delicate area of the skin becomes dry? Our cuticles are often neglected, especially in the colder months, and they manifest in the form of flakey skins.
Dry cuticles and chipped nails may make people question your manicure routine and even make the most beautiful manicure appear disastrous. However, it’s not just the people’s opinions that you should worry about.
Dry cuticles introduce bacteria and fungus to the nails, causing skin infections. That’s why you shouldn’t only focus on caring for the nail’s surface; your cuticles are just as essential.
So, how can you prevent dry cuticles and chipped nails? Below is how to get rid of dry cuticles and chipped nails.
What Are Cuticles?
Cuticles are the strips of hardened skin at the base of a fingernail or toenail. This layer of clear skin protects the nails by acting as a barrier for bacteria. You can call this skin area “a security sealant,” defending the skin against bacteria invasion.
The cuticle is delicate and sensitive and can get dry quickly, primarily in the colder months of the year. This may be due to a lack of moisture and exposure to indoor heat.
You can tell if you have a dry cuticle by its flaking or peeling appearance. A flaked or cracked cuticle may introduce bacteria into your nails and cause infection. Therefore, you should treat it as soon as possible to avoid dryness.
Why Is My Cuticle Skin So Dry?
We have asked that common question because we have experienced dry cuticles on many occasions. There are several reasons why this is so.
- The first reason is the cold weather. Your Nails and cuticles comprise the same protein that constitutes the skin, which loses moisture in cold weather environments. Less moisture creates dry skin.The cold weather can cause havoc on the skin, particularly the hand areas. We most likely feel the extreme temperature on the face and seek solutions to minimize the effects, but the hand skins are equally vulnerable.
- Gel nail gone wrong is the second reason. Gel nail polishes typically last longer than regular nail polishes, but can have immense repercussions if the removal process is wrongly done. Your natural nails could break in the process. Also, using the wrong tools and methods can cause damage to the tips.
- The third and perhaps contrasting reason is the hot weather. Constant exposure to the hot weather will leave sunburns on the hand’s back and around the cuticles, which can be itchy.
- Furthermore, using hand sanitizers to clean your hands frequently can weaken the cuticles and cause dryness. We understand how important it is to protect the body from germs and bacteria, but doing that with hand sanitizers frequently and excessively will leave cracks.
- Other reasons include less secretion from the sebaceous glands, which is also attributed to the cold weather season, washing hands too often with soaps with insufficient lotion, not moisturizing the skin, using nail polish removers with acetone, which contains drying ingredients, malnutrition, some medications, and nail-biting.
- Dry cuticles may also emerge due to pre-existing conditions like eczema. If you’re already managing this condition and experiencing dry cuticles, visit a doctor for recommendations. The medications used, or treatment may have dryness as a side effect.
Dry cuticles can be itchy and irritating and expose the skin to infections if not correctly and effectively addressed. Knowing why they’re developing is the first step to treating and managing their effects, including preventing the dryness from returning.
How To Get Rid Of Dry Cuticles?
How to Get Rid of Dry Cuticles?
Stay Hydrated
The cold weather can be enough reason not to drink sufficient water. However, there are several side effects, including headaches, tiredness, and flakey skin.
As mentioned, your nail beds are delicate and vulnerable. Since the skin is exposed to several elements throughout the day, your cuticles are also affected. Drinking sufficient water can be beneficial to the health. It can help to reduce the cracky appearance of your cuticles, preventing irritation.
Eat Rightly
The proper nutrients can help the cuticles and nails stay more vigorous and healthy. The right balance of vitamins and proteins can keep the cuticles from drying out, leaving the nail beds fresh and good-looking.
Use Cuticle Creams/Moisturizers
Cuticle creams moisturize dry cuticles. When searching for cuticle creams, ensure they contain vitamins A, C, E and almonds, aloe vera, or sunflower oil. Any of these natural oils is excellent for soothing.
Shea butter and vitamin E oil are an excellent combination that can do wonders for the nails. Vitamin E oil is super rich in antioxidants and helps to soften the cuticles to prevent dryness and future cracking. E, alongside other vitamins like A and C, provides essential nourishment.
Applying cuticle creams is no different from using a lotion or body cream. Please wash your hands and massage a small amount into delicate areas until it absorbs into the nail beds. We recommend Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream and Deborah Lippman’s The Cure.
Use Cuticle Oils
Moisturizers and lotions are great for the nail beds, but you can take it a step higher by using cuticle oils. Many prefer standalone oils to lotions for some reasons best known to them. When it comes to putting dry cuticles at bay, keeping cuticle oil is vital.
Cuticle oils, such as Jojoba Oil and Argan Oil, hydrate the nail beds, rejuvenating the skin and keeping it supple. It can minimize peeling and cracking, making the nails less likely to suffer damage.
To achieve the desired result, use them consistently, say daily. They prevent the cuticles from tearing.
Abide By Safe Manicure Practices
Many try to get rid of their cuticles when they crack or flake, but doctors advise against such an act. Doing that increases the risk of nail and skin infections. Therefore, you shouldn’t try removing them.
You can decide to trim them but under the supervision of a nail technician. Still, it’s essential to inspect the equipment the nail salon will use. Ensure it’s appropriately sterilized to prevent infections.
You’d also want to confirm that the cuticle clippers or trimmers are sharp. Blunt ones may cause peeling along the nail beds. Best of all, bring your equipment to get a manicure.
If you love gel nails because of their longevity, then try doing at home gel manicure which is way less invasive.
Stay Protected
The winter period can be harsh on the skin, especially the hands. If your skin is prone to dryness, the cold period will cause even more damage.
While moisturizing your hands throughout the period is essential, you also want to protect yourself against the extreme temperature with gloves.
Allow the Nails to Breathe
Manicures are often dip and long-lasting, and consistently applying the next one may be unhealthy for your nails. The nail plate has microscopic pores that allow water to evaporate under the nail. However, a coat of polish can block the pore to prevent evaporation, lifting the nail plate and exposing it to fungus.
The nail polish removers may dry out the plate due to acetone, weakening the nail and causing dryness. Regardless of the manicure, always give your nails time to heal before the next one. This will give your fingers time to strengthen and reduce the need for nail polish removers.
While you’d want to ensure you leave enough time between manicures, getting regular manicures is crucial to keep your nails healthy and nourished. This could be once weekly. In between, you can moisturize the nails to ensure smoothness until the next manicure.
Consider Short Nails
Keeping short nails has several benefits. Firstly, it requires less maintenance than other types. Secondly, it minimizes the risks of germs. Furthermore, you’re less likely to irritate the dry cuticles.
Picking at your cuticles is a difficult habit to break, especially in winter when humidity levels are low. It’s more familiar with long nails.
That’s why keeping the nails short is essential. If you struggle with cuticle-picking, having short nails is an excellent way to go. It will minimize fidgeting and keep the nails healthy.
Besides keeping nails short, hydrating the area is essential. Exercising can also help curtail the habit of nail biting. If your hands are busy, the chances of nail-biting are reduced.
Checkout some pink short nail color ideas that still look cute.
Invest in Sunscreen
Remember, the sun’s rays can damage the skin and the nail beds. It’s essential to indulge in practices to protect the skin from excess damage.
Applying sunscreen, such as the Unsun Protect & Smooth Emollient Rich Hand Cream and ReVive Fermitif Hand Renewal Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Sunscreen, to the hands before you step out can reduce the effects of the sun rays. Ensure you pick the right product for your skin.
Smooth Out Cuticles
Dry cuticles can be irritating, and we may be tempted to cut them off instead of having them around. However, that would worsen matters, leaving the fingers vulnerable to infections.
Instead of cutting off the dry cuticles, smoothing them out is a better alternative. Snagging dry cuticles can cause them to tear more. However, using light pressure is fundamental. Use files as a buffer to smoothen them out.
How Do You Moisten Cuticles?
There are straightforward and affordable ways to moisten cuticles to keep them healthy. You can use lotion, cuticle oils, aloe vera gel, shea butter, and coconut oils to hydrate the nail beds.
If your nighttime routine involves applying foot cream, you’ll love applying hand creams to your hands. With lotions, apply a thick layer on your hands before bedtime every night and massage a small scoop of coconut oil. To retain the moisture, slip on a pair of rubber or spa gloves.
Alternatively, you can put a drop of cuticle oil on each nail bed to soften them. Remember, look for oils with ingredients like coconut oil and Vitamin E. Coconut oil is a natural lubricant with antibacterial properties for cuticles. Adding a drop or two to each nail bed and massaging it will moisten the cuticles.
Is Putting Vaseline On Your Cuticles Good?
Absolutely! Vaselines are excellent alternatives to nail removers. Like shea butter, vaselines help in keeping the nail beds moisturized and soft. The best part is they are readily available and affordable. Apply twice a day for maximum results.
Conclusion
Cuticles prevent the nails from being infected. That explains why you need to care for them to avoid dryness and cracks, as these are ways bacteria and germs may enter the nail beds.
Moisturize your cuticles with hand creams, moisturizers, and oils. Indulge in safe manicure practices, and you’ll never have to complain of dry or flakey cuticles and chipped nails in the winter.
