As an advocate of the at-home mani, I have
decided to share some common myths and corresponding truths about nails. First
and foremost, it is important to keep your hands and nails moisturized. If
possible, use a lotion with sun protection, especially if you plan on spending
time outside. Hands show age very quickly and can develop skin cancer sooner
than other parts of the body. For the best results, apply moisturizer to your
hands and nails immediately after washing and right before bed.
Where nail painting is concerned, wearing nail polish is not dangerous. The dangerous part is inhaling the toxic solvents,
which keep the paint in liquid state. To avoid inhaling these solvents, be sure
to use nail polish indoors with a window open, or outdoors in the shade. I
would also recommend wearing a surgical mask if you are exposed to these fumes
for an extended period of time. Yes, this may sound silly, but studies have shown that the inhalation of solvent vapours when
pregnant can lead to birth defects. Now you aren't going to be coming into
contact with mass amounts of harmful chemicals when you paint your nails every
so often, but just keep in mind that most lacquer, paint and glue fumes are not
meant to be inhaled.
On to the myths!
1. Wearing nail polish often makes your
nails turn yellow.
Nails are porous, and will absorb the
pigment in polishes. The darker the polish, the more pigment it contains. This
means that applying a very dark coloured polish, with no base coat, will most
likely cause your nails to become discoloured. Simple solution? Apply a clear
base coat to your nails before polishing to prevent the absorption of pigment
and future discolouration.
2. You shouldn't suffocate your nails by
painting them all the time, nails need to breathe.
Actually, they don't need to breathe
because they are not alive. The blood stream provides nails with all the
required nutrients they need to grow and be healthy.
3. Dunking your nails into cold water will
make them dry faster.
Nail polish will be completely dry when all
solvents within the paint have evaporated. Putting the wet paint into water
won't speed anything up. Try applying thinner coats and leaving more time between
the coats, to allow for a faster dry time overall. On the other hand (ha ha),
exposure to heat will cause the polish to thicken and dry slower, so don't be
manicuring out in the sun. Using a fast-drying top coat (Sally Hansen has some great ones) will be your best bet to speed up dry time.
4. You should cut your cuticles off to keep
your nails looking pristine.
Cuticles are present to keep germs out of
the nail beds. When you clip cuticles, you could potentially be exposing your
nails to infection. Instead, apply a cuticle removing gel
5. Artificial nails and gel polish ruin one's natural nails.
The effects of nail enhancements
truly depend on the technique used when both applying and removing.
Neither acrylics nor gels should damage the nails if done correctly, so choose
a very good salon with trained professionals. Any nail damage
experienced from these manicures is typically the result of aggressive filing,
picking, biting, or prying off the coating. If you notice some damage after
removal, simply apply a nail strengthener and some cuticle oil to repair.
6. File nails in a back and forth motion.
This method of filing
will weaken nails and can cause peeling. Make sure to only file your nails
when they are completely dry and don't use a very rough, bumpy file. Try
using a glass nail file instead. Start filing from the edge of the nail, moving
towards the center of the nail in one smooth motion. Continue filing in the
same direction to the opposite corner. Only use a file to dull sharp edges
and clip the nails for more major changes.
Note: Clipping can be done when the nails are
soft after a bath or shower. Use good quality, sharp clippers or scissors
to help prevent peeling and splitting.
7. Vitamins and
nutrients can be absorbed into the nails when applied topically.
Like stated before,
the hard nails themselves are dead and will not absorb vitamins. Nutrients
can only reach your nails through the blood stream. Keep your nails strong
by eating healthy and moisturizing. Hand cream ingredients such as vitamin E
will protect your nails from damage, but won't necessarily make them more
healthy.
8. Avoid
nail products with chemicals in them and use
natural nail polish.
As far as I am aware,
there is no such thing as natural and “chemical-free” nail products. But do let
me know if you happen to find a "natural" nail polish/base coat/top coat that
actually works well.
9. White spots
nails are a sign that you have a calcium deficiency.
Although I did believe
this one for a long time, it is also false. White marks can appear after slight
injury to the nails, but will not tell you anything about calcium
levels.
If you are interested in reading a bit more on this topic, The Globe and Mail posted an interesting article, linked here.
10. Nail polish
will last longer in the fridge.
No, and more
importantly, you probably won't want your food absorbing the fumes that can
leak out from the bottles. Store nail polishes upright, at room temperature.
Keep the bottles tightly sealed to avoid having them dry out and invest in a
nail polish thinner to keep the polish from getting gloopy. Also, don't use
nail polish remover to thin out a polish. It will ruin the polish over time and
make it less long-wearing (judging from my personal experience). Nail polish
doesn't expire or "go bad" since microbes definitely don't
survive in that kind of environment.
For a final thought,
do not, I repeat, DO NOT bite your nails. Not only will
you be ingesting dirt and bacteria, but even a minor cut alongside
the nail can allow bacteria and fungi to enter the skin and cause
infection.
Keep those nails happy
and healthy,
Madeline
xx
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