Because cuticles are there to protect the nail as it grows out, picking at cuticles can lead to unsightly consequences. NYC nail tech Jin Soon tells Cosmopolitan, "If you pick at your cuticles a lot, you'll eventrually undermine the protetive barrier between the nail and the skin, which results in hangnails, uneven growth, and dryness." To treat torn cuticles, apply petroleum jelly nightly or get a paraffin wax treatment.