Hangnails and Cuticles

Updated on August 04, 2011
B.O. asks from Walkerville, MI
5 answers

My 6 year old son has horrible hang nails and cuticles. He is always complaining of his hang nails and his cuticles. I try to keep them pushed back but they are thick and tend to grow down his nail, which then hurts when I push them back (typically after the shower). I never thought you were suppose to cut your cuticles so I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what to do for a 6 year old.

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J.K.

answers from Kansas City on

rub some hand cream on his hands and nails after bath!! Find some good smelling boy stuff and I'm sure he'd go for it. Do his feet too and just explain to him that will keep his cuticles soft so they won't turn into hangnails and hurt!!

1 mom found this helpful

C.D.

answers from Detroit on

My almos4-year-old sucks his thumb and sometimes his cuticles get a little crazy. I do trim his cuticles every now and then when it gets thick and unmanageable (like literally three or four times a year). I second the Bag Balm suggestion, but it's difficult to find (I've only seen it at Meijer, and even then it's hardly ever in stock). My son also has eczema and we use Aquaphor on his skin, it seems to help keep his cuticles hydrated and manageable. We just apply it like regular lotion whenever his skin is dry. We're working on helping him to stop sucking his thumb now; there is progress! Anyway, hope this helps you!

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K.K.

answers from Saginaw on

go to a local beauty supply and purchase "solar oil" or something similar. a cuticle oil. apply and rub to his cuticles in the morning and at night.

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C.M.

answers from Detroit on

Not sure about the large cuticles, but constant hangnails can be a sign of a lack of vitamin C. You might try a vitamin C supplement or more food that contains vitamin C.

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Trim the hang nails to prevent them tearing and bleeding.
What happens if you just leave his cuticles alone (no pushing them back)?
Just rub a lotion/vitamin E oil/olive oil/Bag Balm into his cuticles, then let them be.
My son use to get hang nails when he was sucking his thumb (it would dry out his skin if it was out of his mouth long enough) but once he was over that I've never fussed with his nails/cuticles except to trim his nails to keep them from becoming claws.

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