Stop Picking At Your Nail Polish, Experts Explain The Dangers To Your Nails

Let’s put you in context: your manicure doesn’t look like much anymore and you want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Since you don’t have any nail polish remover on hand, you start picking at your nails one by one. If you recognize yourself in this situation (and you’re far from being the only one), you should know that this action is very bad for your nails! Experts interviewed by Huffpost explained how this practice represents a considerable risk for the well-being of your nails. Here’s everything you need to know about it!

Picking off your nail polish, a practice with serious consequences for your nails

First, a quick look at the structure of the nail. “The nail plate is composed of several layers of nail cells, which make it a hard, keratinized plate.”explains Dr. Dana Stern, a dermatologist. At the base of the nail are the cuticles, which serve as a protective seal, preventing moisture and possible infections from penetrating the layers of the nail, the expert continues.

Now, let’s get to the point: removing your nail polish by scraping it off. A common practice for many people, this is actually a very bad idea! Nail technician McCullough tells HuffPost that this habit is the best way to damage your nails. In fact, “If you think you’re only removing your nail polish, you’re actually exposing your nail to serious damage.”she explains. “When you apply nail polish, it adheres to the top layers of cells in your nail. When it’s time to remove it, these cells can come off with the polish, leaving your nail with an uneven surface and white spots called keratin granulations.”adds the expert. The worst part is that you enter a vicious circle because damaged nails become thin and more vulnerable to environmental conditions. They are then more likely to suffer further damage.

“I ripped off my nail polish, what can I do to save my nails?”

If this is a rare case, don’t panic! It’s unlikely that you’ve ruined your nails in one go. Peeling off your polish becomes a problem if you do it on a regular basis. Dr. Dana Stern, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of the nail care brand Dr. Dana, explains “Every time you scrape your nail, you remove layers of your nail plate, except there are only so many layers to work with!”

So how do you save your nails? Well, first of all, you have to give them time to recover. The time needed varies depending on the severity of the damage. The dermatologist explains that “Fingernails usually grow back in a few weeks. This is not the case for toenails which take several months to rebuild.”. During this time, you can also apply care products to boost their reconstruction. Among them, exfoliating products or moisturizing oils to repair the nail in depth.

Another tip is to let the nail breathe without polish. Indeed, “It’s always a good idea to let your nails recover before diving back into nail cosmetics.”says the expert. She also recommends wearing gloves when using household cleaners or washing dishes to avoid further damage.

To help you, here are some products to take care of your nails:

1) Pro Expert Repair Care (Vitry)

2) Pro Diamond Repair Treatment (Vitry)

3) ACM Novophane Nail Cream

4) Nourishing Nail and Cuticle Care Brush Tube (Alvadiem)