Question:
I also take the flax and EFA's, but they haven't worked after years and thus the cod liver oil capsules. This seems so odd. My mother is seventy three and can run circles around me. When I went up to see her, thinking to find a frail little waste of a person, she was out lifting heavy logs to put on the fireplace. It wore me out just watching her.

Answer:
I've started using The Body Shop almond cuticle cream (it's in a small little tub and looks like lipbalm.) It's actually my miracle product and I keep it in my bag. It works.
Flax seed oil sounds like a good idea too.

Answer:
My skin is quite dry, so I have this problem, too. I also spent a good chunk of time researching this, for a manuscript I have in progress.
Results:
Hemp-seed oil has about the best ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (3 teaspoons daily, and not particularly nasty, quite a light oil), without the PCB/heavy metal problem, or the possibility of skewing intake too far in favour of omega-6 fatty acids, as can happen with flax-seed oil alone;
Vaseline is what I use whenever something (lips, feet, cuticles) is kind of raw, and gives the best results, although Lotil, a favourite of mine, is excellent too;
The suggestion of carrying a nail nipper wherever you go is excellent, since it stops a given hang-nail or rough edge in its tracks, instead of aggravating it the way chewing, andf picking do.

Answer:
As a manicurist, my best advice is to purchase these items. 1) Aveda's Beautifying Composition 2) Aveda's Hand Relief cream 3) an empty polish bottle
Pour some of the BC into the polish bottle and keep on your person at all times. That way, whenever those cuticles feel out of control, you can just brush some on and hydrate them in a jiffy. The Hand Relief is great because it lasts through three hand washings.
Also, another great tip is to push back your cuticles on a regular basis. If you are always cutting them it just makes them grow back harder and thicker.
And one last thing I almost forgot is that I would also recommend using a nice scrub maybe a few times a week to exfoliate. After you finish rubbing it all over the hands just rinse it off (not wash off with soap) so that way the oils stay on the hands. I personally like any of the ones from Body Shop or Bath and Body Works.