I need some help

[steve94]

Hello everyone, new here. I stumbled across this place while browsing google, looking for a solution to my problem, which is overgrown cuticles. At least that's what I thought. But the more I researched, the more I was convinced my problem was unique.

https://www.salongeek.com/threads/excessive-skin-growth-from-my-nail-bed.31401/

Until I stumbled that thread. But since there are no pictures, it's hard for me to imagine what's going on, and if it's identical to my problem or not. I am a guy BTW, so all this talk about nail attachments or however they are called is not valid in my case. Anyway here's some pics of what I'm talking about










Anyway I decided this is the best place on the internet to ask my question. What can I do about my problem? I work outdoors so my hands see a lot of action, and as you can see my nails are screwed. There's a ton of excess skin growing around my nails, which may not be just cuticles at this point. I had poor manicure habits as a child so am not surprised it came back to bite me in the ass. But what can I do about it tho? Like I said since I work outdoors a lot my fingertips get all sorts of injuries and my nails do a bad job at protecting, since they are 'trapped' by the excess skin growth around them, so they cover a smaller surface than normal, and that skin is super tender and easy to injure, infect etc. I tried pushing it back but it is really painful and comes back

I contemplated seeing a professional, which I might, but you never know, I might find someone online who can help. What I am looking for is to get rid of that excess skin(it might not look like much on pics, but trust me it is bad, I even compared it to other people's nails and it is clear mine have a deformed growth) around the nail, and 'grow out' my nails, mostly in width so I get more 'protection', since that's the role of the nail. Any advice, suggestion, helpful thought is welcome.

Thanks all

 

[Thebesttech]

You don't have excess cuticles. And cuticles help protect your nails from germs. So its ok to keep if if you don't wear enhancements. Try to wear nitrile gloves if you work with your hands a lot.

 

[steve94]

You don't have excess cuticles. And cuticles help protect your nails from germs. So its ok to keep if if you don't wear enhancements. Try to wear nitrile gloves if you work with your hands a lot.

Wh
Thanks for the response! A third party's perspective always helps. Gloves aren't an option due to the nature of my job.

I'll try to illustrate my problem better with a picture. Red is the actual width of my nail plate, black is the width of my finger and blue is all the skin around the nail, which I want to get rid of somehow because 1. it doesn't look good and makes my nails narrower than normal, and 2. it is tender. So it is both an aesthetic and functional problem. Any thougths?

 

[Trinity]

The 'blue' bits are supposed to be there, nails don't go all the way from side to side, they are framed by skin. I think you're seeing something no-one else is. Fingers, finger nails, cuticle shape, growth shape, colour, etc are all individual, a bit like ears, no two people are the same.

Your fingers and nails are battered, clearly you do manual work, that can only be minimised by regular use of hand cream, cuticle oil and protecting them as much as possible.

 

[Beautiful-you]

I agree with what Trinity has said. Considering you work outside (presumably using your hands?) and are unable to wear gloves, they don't actually look too bad, I've seen worse! Have you been comparing your nails to others in a similar line of work as yourself? If you're comparing them with "white collar workers" nails, then that could explain why yours look in worse condition than theirs.

Why not book yourself in for a male manicure and see if you like the results? I will warn you though, it's not just a one trip fixes all! Keeping nails in good shape and looking nice will need regular visits! ;-)

 

[TheDuchess]

When I was in the army my cuticles would get very sore when I was working outside in all weathers.

You need a pot of fairly greasy hand cream. You need to apply it before and after work. There are lots of barrier creams - you might find these too greasy, (these are better if you work with paint or grease or water.). At home you want to use a treatment product last thing at night.

It's a bit of trial and error to find out what suits your skin best. Some skins like an aloe Vera lotion which absorbs and others prefer an oil. Almond oil is very good but olive oil will also do. Just use a little bit of oil.

If you book in for a treatment ask for a manicure plus a warm almond oil soak or a paraffin wax dip. If they don't offer at least one of these options go elsewhere.