June 24, 2025

Stop Hangnails for Good: Here's How - AI Podcast

6 minutes

Story at-a-glance

Biting or picking at your nails and cuticles creates small tears in your skin that often lead to hangnails — tiny but painful skin flaps that could become infected
Hangnails hurt because the skin near your nails contains dense nerve endings and blood vessels, making this area especially sensitive to trauma, inflammation, or infection
Common triggers for hangnails include dry air, frequent handwashing, harsh soaps, chemical exposure, and chlorinated water — factors that damage and dry out the nail bed
Habits like thumb-sucking, cuticle cutting, and soaking your hands in water often increase the risk of skin tearing, especially if your skin is already dehydrated or your nails are brittle
Preventing hangnails is simple — Moisturize regularly, avoid biting or tearing skin, use safe grooming practices, and protect your hands with gloves when exposed to water or chemicals

...more

By Dr. Mercola

4.6

14871,487 ratings

June 24, 2025

6 minutes

Story at-a-glance

Biting or picking at your nails and cuticles creates small tears in your skin that often lead to hangnails — tiny but painful skin flaps that could become infected
Hangnails hurt because the skin near your nails contains dense nerve endings and blood vessels, making this area especially sensitive to trauma, inflammation, or infection
Common triggers for hangnails include dry air, frequent handwashing, harsh soaps, chemical exposure, and chlorinated water — factors that damage and dry out the nail bed
Habits like thumb-sucking, cuticle cutting, and soaking your hands in water often increase the risk of skin tearing, especially if your skin is already dehydrated or your nails are brittle
Preventing hangnails is simple — Moisturize regularly, avoid biting or tearing skin, use safe grooming practices, and protect your hands with gloves when exposed to water or chemicals

...more