Nail Care

Hangnails: Why They Happen, How to Treat and Prevent Them

Hangnails come from dry skin, biting or over-cutting. Treating them without pain, signs of infection and prevention.

VESSCA · · 1 min read

Hangnails are small strips of skin that split at the sides of the nail. Not dangerous, but they catch and hurt, and pulling them can cause bleeding or swelling.

Causes

Dry skin (frequent washing, sanitiser, air-con, cleaning products), biting, cutting cuticles too deep, and dry weather.

Dry cuticles prone to hangnails
Dry cuticles prone to hangnails · Photo: Sunriseforever / Pixabay

Dealing with one

  1. Do not pull.
  2. Soften with warm water or oil.
  3. Snip close to the base with clean nippers — only the loose skin.
  4. Moisturise straight after.

Red, hot, throbbing or pus-filled skin may be an infection: see a doctor and skip manicures until healed.

Prevention

Cuticle oil nightly, hand cream after washing, gloves for chores, no biting, and correct cuticle care at the salon.

Korean-style pushing back without deep cutting
Korean-style pushing back without deep cutting · Photo: papazachariasa / Pixabay

Why Korean cuticle care helps

Cutting into live skin makes cuticles grow back thicker and rougher — and more prone to hangnails. Korean technique softens and pushes back, removing only dead and loose skin. Hand cuticle care at VESSCA is 60,000₫; the 30-minute Hand Ritual (250,000₫) adds deeper hydration.

VESSCA is at 251/30 Le Quang Dinh, Gia Dinh ward (Binh Thanh), Ho Chi Minh City, open 9:00–20:30 daily.

Frequently asked questions

What is a hangnail?

A small strip of skin split at the side of the nail.

Should I pull it?

No — snip it close to the base with clean nippers.

How do I prevent them?

Nightly cuticle oil, hand cream and gloves for chores.

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