It's important that this should be done while the hands are dry, as "the cuticles shrink when they're wet", adds Lippmann.
Don't Cut Your Cuticles.
Dermatologists say there's no good reason to cut the cuticles. Cutting them could open the door to infection or irritation. "If you remove the cuticle, that space is wide open, and anything can get in there," Scher says.
To properly trim your nails, dermatologists recommend the following tips: Soften the nails. The best time to trim your nails is immediately after taking a bath or shower. However, if that isn't possible, soak your nails in lukewarm water for a few minutes to soften them.
-Leave the cuticles alone. Cuticles protect the nail root, so it's best to not cut or push back the cuticles.
Pushing your cuticles back is a great way to prevent them from splitting or getting infected and allows your products to sit much better on the surface of your nail. With the correct prep, tools and manicure routine, it's super easy to keep your cuticles at their best.
You don't have to push your cuticles back. In fact, it's highly discouraged to touch them at all. “They are the only barrier we have to protect germs, water and irritants from getting into the finger,” explains Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Beverly Hills.
Do Push them Back Regularly. Pushing back your cuticles should not only be done when you go once a month or every few weeks to get your nails done. It should be part of your regular self-care. That said, pushing back your cuticles should be done every 4 to 7 days because you can overdo it, too.
The easiest way to care for them is to soak your hand or foot in soapy, warm water for around 10 minutes every few days. This helps soften the cuticle and keeps your nails clean. You can also apply cuticle oil and a massage cream. Moisturize your cuticles regularly to prevent dryness and cracking.
Soften nails and cuticles in a bowl of warm water mixed with cuticle oil, olive oil, or body lotion. After a 10-minute soak, dry off and apply cuticle cream or lotion.
Cuticles are a type of skin layer, believe it or not, and it protects your nails growth matrix, which is what causes your nails to grow and remain strong. Cuticles offer a layer of protection for the matrix, keeping out bacteria, and promoting skin health. So, it is very important to take care of your cuticles.
The cuticle is waterproof, and its purpose is to protect the new nail and the skin around it from bacteria as the nail grows out from the nail root (or nail matrix in technical speak). Although you should never cut your cuticles, you need to keep them clean and moisturised.
A healthy cuticle should look smooth in appearance and easily reflect the light. It should also be able to withstand and limit friction that occurs when hair shafts are rubbed against each other. In general, a healthy hair cuticle will be uniform in texture from the root to the tip of each strand.
You can push your cuticles back gently with a wooden stick, which may help your nails appear longer. However, avoid cutting your cuticles because this can make them hard. Besides, your cuticle tends to split off as you cut it.
If you push your cuticles back incorrectly, pick at or bite them, or cut them too short, you put yourself at risk of infection. You can also get infections if your cuticles become so dry that they crack and result in open cuts.
It's mostly for the looks and less for health. Cuticles are the dead skin dragged out as the nail grows. They make the nail look smaller and sometimes less attractive. The idea behind removing the cuticles is similar to the idea of nail cutting.
In fact, many already apply Vaseline to their cuticles as a soothing, healing medicine when dry or cracked. Turns out, it's also a great help when painting your own nails if applied on your cuticles or any skin surrounding your nail.
“Manicuring or cutting the nail too short, nail biting and picking at or cutting your cuticle can also lead to hangnails and infections,” Kadri said. “This causes a weaker nail bed, which triggers hangnail growth.”
After you hop out of the shower, add a drop of cuticle oil to a nail, massage in really well and then use the orange stick to gently push back the cuticle skin. Repeat on every nail. That's it.