Many people yearn for long, beautiful nails that are healthy and perhaps even colorful and stylish too. But an often-overlooked aspect of nail health are the cuticles, which are right along the bottom edge of the nail bed.
Here are some tips for taking good care of your cuticles with natural hygiene and beauty strategies.
What Are Cuticles?
Cuticles are a clear layer of skin along the bottom of your fingernails and toenails. Their purpose is to provide protection from bacteria as new nails grow. This is a delicate part of the body that is prone to dryness, damage, and infection.
Issues That Affect Cuticles
It is common for cuticles to crack and peel because your hands and feet are dry or overworked. Cuticles can also be affected by paronychia, which is an infection of the skin around the cuticles. Symptoms of this condition are tenderness, blisters, redness, and detachment of the nail.
Caring for Cuticles
To keep cuticles moisturized, use a hydrating moisturizer during the day and at night before bed. To make this easier and more convenient while on-the-go, try Seagate’s Smooth Skin Day Use Tubes that are perfect for travel and absorb quickly into the skin without leaving a greasy residue behind. To retain moisture even more overnight, you can wear light gloves to bed.
Cutting cuticles can cause infections because of openings where bacteria can get inside the area. However, many nail salons still cut cuticles to help nail polish go on smoothly and stay on for longer. As an alternative, you can just push back your cuticles rather than cutting them after soaking your nails in warm water or taking a bath.
Preventing Cuticle Problems
If you notice a cuticle beginning to peel, don’t pull it off or pick at it. Not only can this be painful, but it can take a long time for the area to recover from the damage and properly heal. Choose acetone-free nail polish removers to limit harsh ingredients on your nails. You can also choose natural nail polishes that are non-toxic and reduce your exposure to chemical ingredients.
If you decide to get a professional manicure or pedicure, do your research about the salon and only choose one that is properly certified and employs technicians who are licensed. Check to see if the nail tools being used appear clean and are sterilized between customers, or consider bringing your own tools along for the technician to use just to be safe.
Cuticle care is an important part of nail health, but a relatively easy part of the body to take care of at home on your own with natural methods.