Hangnails are caused primarily by dry, damaged skin around the nails. Common factors that lead to this dryness and damage include cold weather, frequent hand washing, and exposure to harsh chemicals such as hand sanitizers or cleaning products. These conditions deplete the natural oils in the skin, causing the cuticles to become fragile and prone to tearing, which results in hangnails
. Additional causes include:
- Trauma to the skin around the nails, such as paper cuts or excessive finger picking and biting
- Cutting or damaging the cuticles during manicures, especially cutting them instead of pushing them back
- Swimming in chlorinated pools, which can dry out the skin
- Nutritional deficiencies, particularly protein deficiency and lack of vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin B, vitamin C, and keratin, which are essential for healthy skin and nails
Certain habits and conditions can increase the risk of hangnails, including nail-biting, thumb sucking, having diabetes or a compromised immune system, and occupations requiring frequent hand washing (e.g., healthcare workers, food handlers)
. In summary, hangnails result from dry, damaged skin around the nails due to environmental factors, habits that damage the cuticles, and sometimes nutritional deficiencies
