A cuticle is a thin layer of dead peel that grows around the edge of your toenails and fingernails. It provides a barrier to protect your nails from infection.

Without cuticles, bacteria, clay, and fungus could seep beneath your boom and cause an infection. So, yous shouldn't remove or cut your cuticles — although you might be tempted to if your cuticles overgrow.

Cuticle overgrowth is generally unsightly and doesn't usually cause bug. Sometimes, though, unmanaged overgrowth can lead to other issues.

Proceed reading to learn about what causes overgrown cuticles and how to treat them.

When your cuticle grows beyond your proximal fold and covers some of your nail, it'south considered to exist overgrown. The proximal fold is your skin located at the base of your nail plate.

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Cuticles that extend beyond the proximal fold are considered to be overgrown. Goncharov_Artem/Shutterstock

Although overgrown cuticles are a minor nuisance, they shouldn't be ignored. If left unmanaged, cuticles can continue to overgrow, putting you at risk of other issues.

The overgrowth can cause your cuticles to split, which means bacteria and clay tin can enter your nail bed and trigger an infection. A boom infection may include non simply pain, merely likewise blast redness or discoloration and swelling.

Addressing a cuticle overgrowth starts with understanding possible causes of this effect. These include:

Lack of nail maintenance

Neglecting proper boom care is a top reason for cuticles to overgrow. It's important to take care of your nails, too every bit your skin around your nails.

Poor nail care often causes your cuticles to grow across your proximal fold.

Yous should never cut or remove your cuticles. This tin cause them to grow dorsum quickly, contributing to overgrowth. Instead, gently push back your cuticles. This tin can stop and forbid cuticles from growing on meridian of your nail bed.

Systemic issues

Although less common, systemic issues in your body might cause cuticles to overgrow too.

Chronic stress causes your torso to release more than cortisol, and too much of this stress hormone can bear on different parts of your body. This includes your peel, hair, and yes, even your nails.

The verbal link betwixt systemic issues and overgrown cuticles isn't known, just long-term stress or strain is one possible culprit of unusual growth.

Lack of maintenance and stress aren't the but causes of overgrowth. Some health atmospheric condition might also cause cuticles to overgrow or grow too quickly. These conditions include:

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin condition when peel cells multiply rapidly, causing a buildup of expressionless pare cells.

Although it commonly affects pare, it tin can too affect nails and develop in your nail root. When psoriasis affects your nails, rapid growth of cuticles can occur. This results in an overgrowth.

If left untreated, cuticles tin can gradually cover parts of your nail.

Eczema

Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition that might trigger overgrown cuticles. It typically causes a range of symptoms such equally itching and dry, scaly pare.

Sometimes eczema can develop near your cuticle and trigger nail changes. When eczema forms nearly your cuticles, backlog scratching or rubbing can cause this peel to overgrow.

To treat and avoid cuticle overgrowth, you lot'll demand to do proficient cuticle care. Never cutting your cuticles. Instead, use a cuticle stick to gently button back cuticle overgrowth. Here are the instructions.

How to trim back cuticle overgrowth

  1. Before starting, soak your nails in warm, soapy h2o to soften your cuticles. Soak for well-nigh ten minutes and so dry with a make clean towel.
  2. Next, apply a few drops of olive oil, cuticle oil, or essential oil to your nails and cuticles. Massage the oil into your skin and let it sit for xv minutes.
  3. Using a cuticle stick, gently push back your cuticles starting at the base of your nail. Be gentle to avert lifting your nail or damaging your cuticles. Y'all tin use nail scissors to remove any loose skin, but don't use the pair of scissors on your cuticles.

Additionally, y'all can take other steps to keep your cuticles good for you. This not just prevents splitting, but as well helps forbid farther overgrowth.

Proceed your hands and cuticles moisturized with lotion or oils to forbid dryness. Nail polish remover, hand sanitizer, and even washing your hands tin can dry out your cuticles.

In most cases, you don't need to contact a physician for cuticle overgrowth. You tin can treat your toenails or fingernails at home.

But you should contact a dr. if yous develop signs of a nail infection. This can happen if your cuticles split. Signs of an infection around your nails include non only pain, but also:

  • swelling
  • redness or discoloration
  • abscess

Cuticles serve a valuable purpose which is to protect your nail from bacteria, clay, and mucus. It's important to accept care of your nails and cuticles, as fail tin cause cuticle overgrowth.

Practice good nail hygiene, which includes soaking and moisturizing your cuticles, and gently pushing them back from time to fourth dimension. This can keep your cuticles salubrious and forbid farther overgrowth.