Manicured nails will never go out of style, but if you want your nails to look and feel healthy, then you should think twice before you let anyone trim your cuticles.
- The cuticle is the skin around your nail that protects your nail bed. Cutting or removing cuticles exposes your nails to bacterial, fungal and viral nail infections which are painful, take a long time to heal, and are not pretty. The cuticle is your body’s line of defense for your nail bed, so removing it opens the door to infections such as warts or herpes, painful bacterial infections that may cause you to lose your nail, or fungal and yeast infections that take months to years to resolve.Tip: Speak up! Simply ask your nail technician not to cut your cuticles or push them back during your manicures and pedicures.
- Tools used to remove cuticles can transfer infections to your nails. If salons do not properly sterilize the tools they use on your hands, then you could be contracting infections. In addition to skin infections, viral infections such as Hepatitis C, which is transferred by blood, can live in dry blood for up to three days and can be transferred on tools that have not been cleaned properly.If tools are properly sterilized, they will be stored in containers with indicators on the outside packaging that change color when the tools have reached sterilization. Do your research! Ask which tools your salon uses to sterilize their equipment, look up the color that indicates sterilization, and take a peek at the tools before you let your favorite nail tech touch your nails. Dr. Lily has found multiple nail salons that use sterilization bags, which give the illusion that tools are sterilized but are NOT cleaned properly.
- Cutting your cuticles increases the development of hangnails around your nail. Hangnails develop on dry skin, skin that is exposed to chemicals frequently, or skin that is in water frequently. Manipulating the cuticle adds fuel to the fire and increases your chance of uncomfortable and unsightly hangnails.
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