Q. I get nasty hangnails, and my cuticles split. Help!

A. Don’t snip your cuticles, no matter how annoying those hangnails are. Cuticles act as a barrier to protect the nail bed from bacterial and fungal infections, says Leigh Toselli, author of A Complete Guide to Manicure and Pedicure (New Holland, 2006). Instead, follow Toselli’s tips to get rid of dryness, the No. 1 cause of hangnails:

1. Apply lotion after you wash your hands.
2. Wear cotton-lined rubber gloves when washing dishes to absorb perspiration.
3. Massage your cuticles with cod liver oil, vitamin E oil, or sweet almond oil to nourish your nails and stimulate growth.
4. Gently push cuticles back with a rubber-tipped cuticle pusher right after a shower or bath, when they are soft from the warm water.

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