I have problems painting my nails because the skin grows down them. Also, I get painful splits around the base of my nails.

The cuticle at the base of the nail should always be kept soft and well moulded.  If not, the cuticle adheres to the nail and as the nail grows the cuticle is pulled forward.  The result is the skin splits causing pain and irritating hangnails.  To solve this problem apply cuticle cream or oil every day and use a cuticle remover once a week.  Using a cuticle softener is important before attempting to lift the skin otherwise you will split the skin even more.  The use of a cuticle remover regularly should remove the need to use clippers to cut the skin away, as doing this will result in the skin growing thicker and becoming even more of a problem.

To find out more about which cuticle care products to use click here.