Question
Skin Growth
My whole life I've had long nails I have always had to keep cut. I try to cut them relatively close but I have this one nail (the one next to the pinky finger) that has an extended skin growth under the mid-section of the fingernail. I cannot cut too close, otherwise it will hurt bad and make the skin growth bleed. So, my cut nail ends up having to stay longer than the other nails and it looks silly.
Is there any way to get that nail cut closer without much damage/pain or somehow get the skin underneath the nail pushed inward more to allow more of the nail to be cut closer?
AnswerThat little piece of skin under the nail is called the Hyponichium, and many people have this problem on all or some of their nails-- and it was with a great sense of vindication that upon acquiring this knowledge, I announced to my mother that having my nails clipped as a child really did hurt!
Try filing the nail shorter with a standard nail file after clipping as far as you can. You can also try gently pushing the skin back-- just like a cuticle-- after showering when your skin is already warm and softened. Use a birchwood stick or plastic cuticle pusher that you can pick up pretty much anywhere nail supplies are sold. Just make sure you use very gently pressure. You don't want to dislodge the bond between the skin and the nail. It may take several days of gentle pushing before you get the skin to back down.
Personally, my own fingertips are very tender and I've never been able to push my hyponichiums back. But I also have the advantage of being female, so it's perfectly acceptable for my nails to be longer.
Definitely try filing. And keep the nail short-- if you let it the nail grow, that skin will grow underneath it and you'll have to start all over again with training the skin to stay back.
