Fingernail care: Don'ts

To prevent nail damage, don't:

• Bite your fingernails or pick at your cuticles. These habits can damage the nail bed. Even a minor cut next to your fingernail can allow germs to enter and cause an infection.
• Pull off hangnails. You might rip live tissue along with the hangnail. Instead, gently clip hangnails off.
• Use harsh nail care products. Limit your use of nail polish remover. When using nail polish remover, choose one without acetone.
• Ignore problems. If you have a nail problem that doesn't seem to go away on its own or is linked to other symptoms, contact your primary healthcare professional or dermatologist.