Fingertip hangnails are a common nuisance, causing redness, pain, and potential infection if not properly handled. There’s a common belief that frequent hangnails indicate a vitamin deficiency, while others suggest it’s due to poor hand habits. So, what causes hangnails, and should you supplement vitamins? Here’s what doctors have to say.

How Hangnails Form

Medically known as “paronychia,” hangnails occur around the edge of the nail. Studies show that hangnails are related to the keratin layer at the end of the nail. The skin’s moisture nourishment mainly focuses on the epidermis and dermis layers, leaving the keratin layer relatively dry. As the keratin layer continuously accumulates and thickens without proper care, the skin’s edge becomes prone to drying and cracking. These tiny cracks enlarge with friction, leading to the appearance of bothersome hangnails and peeling.

Several factors exacerbate this condition:

  1. Dry Weather: Dry weather leads to excessive moisture loss, making the local epidermal keratin layer more prone to cracking and losing elasticity.
  2. Lack of Skin Oils: Insufficient care and long-term friction can cause cracks in the keratin layer, leading to hangnails.
  3. Contact with Irritants: Frequent exposure to alkaline and irritating chemicals, such as hand sanitizers and detergents, can dehydrate and dry the keratin layer, forming hangnails.
  4. Poor Habits: Habits like nail-biting or picking at rough objects can also cause hangnails.

Vitamins Beneficial for Skin Health

In addition to external factors, internal factors like vitamin and trace element deficiencies may be linked to hangnails. While there’s no definitive medical evidence connecting vitamin supplementation to hangnail prevention, research has shown that B vitamins play a crucial role in overall metabolism.

Consuming foods rich in B vitamins can help improve hangnail conditions. Vitamin A is also essential for the skin’s keratinization process, so it’s recommended to eat foods rich in vitamin A, such as eggs, carrots, and liver, to maintain normal skin keratinization.

For children, hangnails might result from an unbalanced diet, picky eating, or nutritional deficiencies.

Don’t Pull Hangnails

When a hangnail appears, the instinct to pull it off can lead to regretful pain. Fingertips are rich in nerve endings, and hangnails are closely connected to muscles. Pulling hangnails can easily tear the epidermis, causing severe pain and possibly damaging surrounding skin, leading to bleeding and infection. Improper handling can result in paronychia, localized pus, pain, swelling, and even fever. If severe, oral vitamin B12, vitamin A, and compound glycyrrhizin tablets under a doctor’s guidance are recommended. Topically, apply vitamin A acid ointment or adapalene gel at night and a skin cream in the morning. Avoid spicy, irritating foods.

Instead of pulling, disinfect scissors with iodine and carefully cut off the hangnail. Avoid excessive nail trimming and protect the surrounding skin. After cutting, disinfect with iodine again.

Preventing Hangnails

To avoid hangnails, adopt these preventive measures:

  1. Hand Care: Regularly moisturize hands with effective hand creams and avoid strong alkaline detergents. Regular hand exfoliation is also important.
  2. Suitable Skincare Products: If your skin is prone to dryness, use skincare products with more oils, such as collagen-containing products, to moisturize and lock in water, reducing excessive keratin growth.
  3. Balanced Nutrition: Maintain a balanced diet and avoid picky eating. Drink plenty of water and eat fresh vegetables and fruits. Green leafy vegetables like garlic sprouts, spinach, celery, and oilseed rape, rich in minerals and vitamins, should be consumed more. Fresh fruits rich in vitamins C and B, such as apples, pears, kiwi, dragon fruit, and bananas, are also good choices.

Additionally, increase intake of foods rich in trace elements like calcium and zinc, such as egg yolks, lean meat, animal offal, seafood, and nuts. In winter, supplementing with animal fats and collagen-rich foods like pig skin and pig trotters can protect the skin. Particularly for women with low meat intake, it’s essential to consume these nutrients.

By adopting these preventive measures, you can better protect your hands and reduce the occurrence of hangnails.