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.
1. 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.
2. 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.
Tip: 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.
3. 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.
