The cuticle is the protective skin that borders the nails on your hands and feet. Cuticles shield the nail bed from fungus and bacteria by providing a barrier to prevent them from entering. The Mayo clinic advises moisturizing the nails and cuticles several times daily, especially after washing dishes or performing other tasks that require submerging the hands in water. Apply your chosen moisturizer and pull on some cotton gloves before going to bed, to give your hands an overnight cuticle treatment.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is ubiquitous in cosmetics, purporting to deliver smoother, healthier skin, so cuticle repair creams are no exception. Vitamin E oil can be purchased in bottles or in gel caps, which can easily be punctured with a pin and squeezed to dispense the oil.
You can massage vitamin E oil directly into the cuticle, or add it to water and soak your hands in it. According to the Health Promotion Program at Columbia University, after soaking, you can trim any hangnails with sharp, clean cuticle scissors to avoid the temptation to pull or chew them off.
Shea Butter
Derived from the nut of the Shea tree, which is native to Africa, shea butter is a popular ingredient in cosmetics. Nail care companies such as Sally Hansen have used it as an ingredient in creams that are used to treat rough, cracked cuticles.
To make a home remedy for rough cuticles, you can heat shea butter in a double boiler until it melts, then mix it with camellia seed oil and carrot seed oil to create a hand cream. After cooling, store the cream in dark glass jars to protect it from spoiling. Massage it into the hands and cuticles as needed.
Neem
Neem is an oil produced by the neem tree, which is grown in India. Neem has been shown to possess antifungal and antibacterial properties, according to Dr. K. Maudood Elahi, pro-vice chancellor of Stamford University Bangladesh.
Neem oil is an ingredient in nail treatments when combined with honey, beeswax and plant butters. Hands and nails should be cleaned thoroughly before applying the neem oil treatment. Massage it thoroughly into the skin of your cuticles. The treatment will also serve as a softening agent prior to gently pushing back the cuticles with an appropriate manicure tool.
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