Is it Bad to Get Manicures?

Regular manicures will strengthen and condition your nails, yet you should be aware of potential health concerns associated with this beauty treatment.

Manicures utilize caustic acetone to remove polish, and this can over time weaken your nails by drying out keratin proteins that form their structure. Furthermore, regular manicures increase your risk of hangnails and nail infections.

Infections

Nails are porous, making them a prime target for bacteria, viruses and other germs to hide out in. Going to a salon puts you at greater risk for contracting these infections if the technician doesn’t wear gloves or sterilize tools between clients.

Unscrupulous nail techs may harm your cuticles by trimming off too much living skin around your nails, leaving behind uneven and wavy looking nails. Acetone used to remove polish can also weaken nails leading to dryness and discoloration of the surface of nails.

Those who regularly get their nails manicured should consider switching salons or switching to at-home kits with less harmful chemicals, and remember to moisturize! Doing so will keep your hands soft, prevent dry and flaky skin, as well as help counter signs of ageing such as cracking and wrinkles.

Damage to the cuticles

Cuticles provide a protective barrier around nails to ward off infections. If they become damaged, this can lead to paronychia: an uncomfortable pus-filled bump around each nail that may require medication in order to heal properly. Regular manicures and proper nail care will keep your cuticles healthy and help avoid paronychia altogether.

Make sure that your manicurist uses sterilized and disinfected tools after each client visit. Never allow her to cut or clip your cuticles as this could lead to infection; use a rich, moisturizing cuticle cream instead to keep nails and hands hydrated!

Apart from providing an enjoyable massage experience, basic manicure treatments can also provide significant health benefits. They improve circulation to both hands and arms, relieving pain while decreasing stiffness; furthermore they prevent skin dryness or cracking by improving blood flow to these parts of the body.

Damage to the nails

Be it gel manicure or traditional polish, it’s essential to remember the chemicals contained within most nail polishes can damage your nails. They may cause thinned, peeling, cracking and breakage as well as contain harmful toxins like DBP, toluene and formaldehyde which have been linked with cancer and asthma.

Nail polish removal can be damaging if done incorrectly, especially when done for too long with too much acetone use. Acetone can strip away natural oils that contribute to keeping nails strong and healthy, leaving behind dry, brittle nails prone to breakage and infection.

Another way of damaging nails is through biting them. Not only can this lead to unsightly nails, but it may also damage cuticles and tissue surrounding your nails.

Chemicals

Many nail salon products contain chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin and into the body, including methacrylic acid found in nail primers which has been linked with skin burns; methyl meacrylate (MMA), found in polish and fingernail glue can contribute to asthma attacks; toluene found in both polish and fingernail glue can lead to dry or cracked skin, dizziness, headaches, irritated eyes, nose and mouth as well as even harm an unborn baby.

Nail salon workers may also be exposed to chemicals in the salon itself via dust particles which can be inhaled and fumes or vapors from polishes and acrylics stored in open jars that provide an incubator for bacteria and fungi growth.

There are ways to mitigate these risks, however. Look for salons that use 3-free polishes (free from toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate), as they’re less hazardous than traditional nail polish. Or give natural-wax manicures a try using waxes which are safe to use on both nails and skin.