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The attraction of that set of manicured nails is marred by those hangnails. Those damned tags of skin are not only visually disturbing and distressing, they sometimes can cause pain too. Hangnails are small pieces of dry skin or dead cell that jut out of the nail bed and cause disturbance and pain while wearing sweater or doing your hair. These are actually bits of dry skin that owe their origin to your biting of nails, not moisturizing your hands, or frequent, prolonged and regular contact with water.
These are not serious, but they do cause discomfort and pain. It may appear simple to treat these tags, but no – biting will not do. If you try to bite it out you will be hurt and that may again give rise to some hangnails. So go for herbal treatment. There are a lot of herbal remedies for treating hangnails. Let us look at some of these.
Herbal Remedies For Hangnails
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera has a moisturizing character. As hangnails are caused by dryness of the hand and the nail bed aloe vera can be useful in treating hangnails. Simply apply some fresh aloe vera gel on the affected areas. With regular use the hangnails will disappear slowly and will not recur.
Turmeric
Hangnails are breaches of skin and they have a tendency to get infected. You can use turmeric to reduce chances of infection as well as to mellow the hangnails themselves.
This household spice is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory in nature. So make a paste of turmeric with mustard oil and apply on the edges of the nail bed thoroughly. Mustard oil has a healing property. Together with turmeric it will heal the hanging nails.
Goldenseal
Goldenseal is a good antibiotic herb. When you have decided to clip those harassing hangnails there may be bleeding and chances of infection.
To stop both you can use goldenseal. This herb can stop bleeding and kill chances of bacterial infection. Goldenseal root extract is available over the counter.
Garlic
Garlic is a powerful antibiotic which can be used in a variety of infections or to prevent infections. Combine it with some antiseptic herb like Echinacea and you will get a potent combination that will act as an antiseptic as well as an antibiotic. So mash some garlic and take the juice.
Now mix some tincture of e chinacea into the juice. Deep a scissor into this solution and sanitize it. Now cut the hangnails with the scissors. Be cautious and do not cut them superficially otherwise there may be bleeding.
Oats
You will get relief from hangnails if you can exfoliate them. This can be done quite naturally. There are some herbs that have a scrubbing action on the skin. Upon regular use these herbs can exfoliate the dry or dead cells posing as hangnails. Oats is one such natural agent that has a scrubbing agent on the skin.
Just grind some oats and mix it with some honey. When the mixture has turned smooth just rub the cuticles of affected nails with it. With regular use you will notice that hangnails are falling off.
Caution: Please use Home Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.