The skin that's closest to your nails is called the cuticle. An unhealthy, ungroomed cuticle can look ragged and cause discomfort. Hangnails occur in the skin around the nails, but can be avoided if you pay attention to regular maintenance. Fix the cuticle and the skin around your nails by spending a few minutes grooming your hands every week or more often if needed.
Soak your fingers in a small bowl of warm water. This softens the nails, allowing you to trim them easier. It also softens the cuticle so that it's easier to groom.
Use cuticle clippers to trim any excess dead skin or hangnails around your nails. Keep the healthy cuticle intact because it protects your nail from infection.
Trim your nails straight across the nail bed using a pair of nail clippers. Keep them short to avoid snagging them and tearing them, which injures the skin around your nails.
File your nails carefully using a nail file. Pay attention to the corners of your nails, smoothing them out so that they don't injure the skin around your nails.
Push back the skin around your nails with an orange stick. An orange stick is a small wooden stick that gently moves your cuticle back off of your nail bed and helps fix the skin around your nails.
Moisturize the skin around your nails. Use a special cuticle oil or olive oil on the dry skin around your nails. Apply lotion to your hands to lock in the moisture.