My three year old gets the worst hangnails, not just on the sides of her nails, but all along the cuticle. Sometimes the skin gets a little red and puffy along the cuticle also (not like an infection, though).
Is this because she has dry skin, because she bites her nails, because I don't push her cuticles down often enough? Can anyone suggest how to prevent it and how to treat it?
I have always believed that hangnails were a result of not enough vitamin C and green vegetables.
Hi A.!
Sometimes hangnails is a sign of nutritional issues. I'm curious...does you daughter have digestive difficulties?
In the meantime you massaging lotion into her cuticles could make for some excellent mommy time but that probably won't fix it. From experience, please don't let this become an irritation between the two of you.
warmly,
M.
I'm not sure what causes hangnails, but I used to get them. I was told to use Iodine, and it worked for me.
My 6 year old son also has a lot of hang nails. He has good nutrition, so I highly doubt that it is related to anything but his persistent nail biting. I wish I had a solution, but I suspect the ultimate solution is to get her fingers out of her mouth. I was a nail biter too and my mother used something called "Thum" on me which I found in the drug store. I DO NOT recommend it because it contains some of the same ingredients found in nail polish remover!!! I would think soaking her fingers in vinegar or something equally distasteful might help. I look forward to seeing what other responses you get.
