How To Heal Cuticles Overnight

Dry and cracked skin is extremely irritating, especially if it’s on your hands, and especially if it’s on your fingers. These can be caused by cold winter weather, excess hand sanitizer use, neglecting gloves while using cleaning products, and more. 

Dry hands can cause problems with your cuticles (especially if you pick at them), which will make any manicure that you’re wearing not only hurt but also look horrible.

There is an easy way to avoid this scenario if you have a dedicated practice of looking after your cuticles, though. So, if you’re suffering from a cuticle nightmare now, in this article we’ll show you how to heal cuticles overnight.

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How To Heal Cuticles Overnight

The small layer of skin that lies along the bottom edges of your finger and toenails is known as the cuticle. Its main function is to protect the new growth of your nails from becoming infected with bacteria.

However, this area of skin is quite delicate. It can easily become dry, damaged, and/or infected, especially during the colder months of winter, when we spend a lot of time in dry artificial heat that extracts moisture from our bodies.

Therefore, it’s very important that you not only clean and take care of your nails between manicures, but that you also keep your cuticles in tip-top shape, so that your nails remain both happy and healthy.

It’s very important that you not only clean and take care of your nails between manicures, but that you also keep your cuticles in tip-top shape, so that your nails remain both happy and healthy.

If you allow your cuticles to become dry and damaged, even by accident, then this is an easy way for them to become infected.

Also known as Paronychia, an infected cuticle will develop symptoms that range from painful redness and swelling of the surrounding skin to pus and blisters, and from the texture of the nail bed changing to even its complete detachment in severe cases.

So, what if you already have damaged cuticles? Should you remove them? Push them back? Cut them?

Is there anything you can do to return them back to their healthy glory before the infection gets too far? Well, yes there is, so read on to find out how to heal cuticles overnight.

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Speedy Business

If left to their own devices, your cuticles will generally take a week or two to fully heal properly. However, there are a few steps you can take to speed along this process, so that when you wake up in the morning, it’ll appear that you have healed your cuticles overnight.

And you may think that removing your cuticles altogether might solve the problems you have with dry cuticles. Research about whether or not it is safe to do so is mixed, but the American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you leave them be.

Even though many nail technicians will cut them away when you’re having a manicure done at a salon, this provides the ideal condition for bacteria to get in, which can lead to you contracting Paronychia.

Therefore, we don’t suggest cutting away your cuticles. Pushing your cuticles is important, especially before applying a nail tip or form. But it’s generally best to avoid cutting them.

Use the following steps to heal your cuticles overnight instead.

Step 1: Soak It Up

When was the last time you had a good soak in the bath? If you don’t have the luxury of having a bath in your living space, then you can also give your hands a soaking — and you can do this for your feet too! You have probably been neglecting the cuticles on your toenails, after all.

This is also the easiest way to add some moisture to your cuticles, because you simply have to soak your hands and/or feet, and relax in the warm, soapy water for 10 minutes to allow them to soften. This will clean your nails in the process.

As an alternative to soapy water, you could also use baking soda as a skin enhancer for your cuticles. Simply add 1/4 cup of baking soda to some lukewarm water in a bowl, which will work to soothe any inflamed skin that you have, as well as eliminate any itching and irritation.

As an alternative to soapy water, you could also use baking soda as a skin enhancer for your cuticles. Simply add 1/4 cup of baking soda to some lukewarm water in a bowl, which will work to soothe any inflamed skin that you have, as well as eliminate any itching and irritation.

Step 2: Oil Change

Now it’s time to radically moisturize your cuticle skin with some oil dedicated to helping this delicate skin heal. If you like DIY, check out our cuticle oil recipes.

If not, Karma Organic's Coconut Cuticle Nail Oil  is a delicate moisturizing oil that has been especially formulated to work on dry and damaged cuticles. This oil is easy to use, absorbs fast, without leaving behind a greasy residue.

The delightful fragrance comes from its unique blend of moisturizing oils that will nourish your cuticles, and include vitamin E, argan, borage, coconut, almond, grape seed, and evening primrose oils, which also work to build up the strength of your natural nail bed.

Many have found that cuticle oil pens are super convenient and easy to work with. And you can refill them with whatever oil you want.

Step 3: Hand In Glove

No products found.

No products found. are durable and lightweight gloves that are free from dyes, and will protect your skin by allowing the cuticle cream or oil to do its work while you sleep.

These gloves, which have been designed for those who suffer from eczema, are made from eco-friendly biodegradable bamboo, which is extremely soft (even more so than cotton). They won’t cause any further irritation, because the bamboo allows your skin to breathe and calms any itchiness or burning from cracked skin.

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Low Maintenance

Once you’ve healed your cuticles, you can stop the daily routine. However, you should factor in doing the above treatment around once a week so that you can maintain healthy cuticles without too much fuss. Your future manicures will thank you for it!

And to prevent any further cuticle damage from occurring, never pick at them if you have a hangnail. Instead, you should use clean tweezers or a nail clipper to gently remove it, rather than biting it off or picking at it, which can eventually lead to a skin infection.

If you find that you need some help in pushing your cuticles back, then make sure that they are first well moisturized first, so as not to cause any tearing of the skin.

And you’ll need to use a gentle pusher like this one from, Cattombeeg  which has a rubberized end that won’t hurt, and provides the easiest and safest way to push back your cuticles without causing even more damage to the area.

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Conclusion

All it takes to heal your cuticles overnight is some warm water, soap, and cuticle oil. Oh, and the will to actually spend the time and give your cuticles some love.

Just by following the few simple steps that we’ve shared here, you will ensure that you won’t have to endure another cuticle catastrophe.