Although your cuticles are technically a layer of dead skin, they can make a significant difference to the health of your nails.
Nail cuticle care plays a critical role to play in protecting your nails from germs and infections. They protect your nails by sealing the area and forming a protective barrier around the nail bed. Therefore, cuticles play an important role in nail health and so regular cuticle care is a must!
What are cuticles and what do they do?
A cuticle is a transparent skin layer that surrounds and covers the nail base. It is commonly mistaken for the proximal nail fold of the eponychium.
It’s not the case. To clarify and illustrate:
Cuticles essentially work as a barrier against microorganisms that could infect the nail matrix. The skin around the cuticle is extremely sensitive. It has the potential to become dry, damaged, and diseased. In order to keep your nails healthy, it is important to maintain the complete nail section and keep it clean and healthy.
Follow these five tips for great cuticle care
1. Don’t cut your cuticles
Cuticle cutting is not recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). This includes cutting cuticles at home or at a salon.
Cuticles protect both your nails and the surrounding skin. It’s easy for bacteria and germs to get inside after cutting the cuticle. So how does one maintain one’s cuticles? It’s necessary to soften your cuticles first if you still want to trim them. Soak your nails in warm water to soften them. Apply cuticle remover next. Apply a moisturizer to your cuticles if they are dry.
Then – carefully push the cuticle back along the nail bed using a cuticle pusher. Excess skin and hangnails should be trimmed, but the cuticle should never be completely removed. Only extra skin and hangnails should be removed.
2. How to gently push back your cuticles
Cuticle pushing should only be done as a last resort and in such a way that the natural shape of the nail and future nail development is preserved. Never push cuticles back when dry, else your cuticles will stick to the nail surface, and you will have to use force to push them back. This excessive force will press down on the nail roots, affecting the growth of new nail cells.
If you need to push back overgrown cuticles, soften them until you can gently push or scrape them away from the nails without applying too much effort.
3. Moisturize
After you’ve pushed your cuticles back and trimmed them, liberally apply cuticle oil for further nourishment. This will also help stimulate nail growth by increasing circulation around the nails.
The skin around the nail bed is extremely sensitive. Cuticles are prone to cracking and peeling. You can also maintain your cuticles using cuticle oil or moisturizer. It can also be used to treat damaged cuticles overnight. It is safe to use on a daily basis.
Choose a moisturizer or cuticle oil that contains moisturizing vitamin E oil and antibacterial tea tree oil. It’s also important to use sunscreen on your hands and nails on a daily basis.
4. Importance of certified manicurists
Nail technicians or manicurists have the appropriate education, expertise, and equipment to ensure that your cuticles are managed properly. A majority of us lack the essential skills, experience, and the necessary tools to manicure our nails perfectly. The nail experts undertake a step-by-step professional approach to ensure that our nails are attractive, healthy, and germ-free.
5. Don’t bite your nails
Biting your nails can cause cuticle skin to break. Cuticles that have been inappropriately removed are prone to microbial and viral infections like paronychia. The skin may turn red and infected as a result of the saliva.
Biting your nails is not just harmful to cuticles, it can result in many other issues as well like infection and inflammation.
How can we help?
As part of our manicure services, our certified nail technicians offer cuticle care treatment. Wellness services, including professional manicures, are now available at EliteCare Health Centers! Hence, you can save your time looking for ‘wellness center near me’ on the web. Schedule an appointment to receive the benefits of manicure that include basic polish painting or gel polish painting, nail trimming, buffing, filing, cuticle care, nail cleaning, and hand massages. Call us at 1-888-596-2090 to make an appointment with our licensed and friendly nail technician.
