What nutrient deficiency causes hangnails? This article will give you the answer to what nutrient deficiency causes hangnails!
What nutrient deficiency causes hangnails? This article will give you the answer to what nutrient deficiency causes hangnails !
Most of us don't think much about our nails beyond regularly trimming them or choosing nail polish colors. But beyond protecting your fingertips or enhancing your appearance, your nails say more about your body than you might think.
"The nail matrix, where nails grow a few millimeters beneath the cuticle, is affected by an individual's overall health," says Jessica Weiser, MD, a licensed dermatologist at New York Dermatology Group. "Illness, fever, surgery, injury, life stress, and nutritional deficiencies all have varying impacts on nails and their growth."
Hangnails are a common nail condition. They cause the skin around the nail to peel off. If you try to pull them off, you'll usually experience some bleeding and pain.
This isn't just ordinary dry skin; it could be a warning sign of an underlying health condition. So, what exactly is hangnail and how can you treat it?
What nutrient deficiency causes hangnails? What are the causes of hangnails?
From a nutritional perspective, hangnails are mostly caused by a vitamin C deficiency; in some cases, they are also attributed to calcium or folic acid deficiencies.
However, that's not the only cause of this condition. Here are some possible reasons why you might get hangnails, for example:
- Nail abrasions can also result from household chores such as washing dishes, hand-washing clothes, and cleaning the house, which expose the skin to cleaning chemicals, causing it to dry out and peel easily.
- In some cases, hangnails can even be caused by the habit of biting nails.
- Some people experience nail damage due to conditions such as dermatitis, fungal infections, eczema, etc., which cause damage to the skin around the fingernail, and can even damage the fingernail itself.
- Some girls experience hangnails before their menstrual period due to a sudden increase in ovarian hormones leading to dilated capillaries, sometimes causing skin irritation or acne on the face. In this case, you shouldn't intervene too much; just wait until your period is over or when your ovaries become more stable (after getting married and having children), and the hangnails will disappear.
Hangnails not only make your hands rough and unsightly, but sometimes they can also cause pain, burning, and discomfort. So how can you fix this? Read on to find out.
The most effective way to treat hangnails
Use nail clippers.
The simplest way to deal with hangnails is to use nail clippers. As soon as you notice the hangnails, use nail clippers to trim them close to the base of the skin. Next, avoid touching the hangnail to prevent bacteria from entering and causing swelling or infection. However, this is only a temporary solution. If you frequently experience hangnails, you should try the second method below.
Supplement with vitamin C and folic acid.
If the cause of hangnails is a nutritional deficiency, you need to adjust your daily diet by:
- Supplement with vitamin C or folic acid tablets.
- Regularly eat foods rich in vitamin C such as oranges, tangerines, cantaloupe, strawberries, parsley, etc.
- Supplement your diet with foods rich in folic acid such as broccoli, animal liver, fish, sprouted seeds, etc.
>>> See also: What is Vitamin C? Uses and daily dosage of Vitamin C
Use vitamin E
The essence in vitamin E capsules moisturizes and softens the skin on your hands, while also reducing pain, burning, and discomfort for those with hangnails. Therefore, if you notice hangnails, you can immediately apply a few drops of vitamin E to the affected area.
Other solutions
- If you have a habit of biting your nails, you need to stop it immediately. This habit not only causes hangnails but can also lead to other intestinal problems because nails are a breeding ground for many harmful bacteria.
- Additionally, if you get hangnails due to the effects of detergents, you should use protective gear such as gloves or rubber boots.
- In addition, you should also pay more attention to caring for your hands and feet, or soak your hands and feet in diluted salt water to improve the appearance of unsightly nail scratches.
In short, treating hangnails isn't difficult. Hangnails are a common occurrence that can happen at any age. Hangnails at the edge of the fingernail aren't just caused by vitamin C deficiency; in many cases, they're also due to calcium or folic acid deficiencies, or possibly from work, activities, or exposure to chemicals. Once the cause is identified, things become simpler, and you'll no longer suffer from hangnails.