5 Reasons Why You Need To Push Back Your Cuticles - Easy Nail Tech (2024)

FAQs

Why do you need to push cuticles back? ›

Nail roots can easily become infected if they're exposed. Pushing back the cuticles rather than trimming them keeps them sealed to the nail root and prevents the onset of bacteria and germs. Trimming your cuticles can be painful, particularly if you cut too far into your skin or the area becomes infected.

"Sometimes, trimming cuticles really is necessary during a manicure to ensure proper adhesion of nail enhancements," says Kandalec. Plus, when cuticles are super overgrown, they can take up valuable real estate on your nail bed, shrinking the amount of room available for polish.

These tiny pieces of the the skin keep your nails healthy and strong, so it's important to keep them pampered. They act like a sealant, preventing bacteria and fungus from slipping between the skin and your nail. When they're compromised, whether it's from biting, picking, or cutting, you run the risk of an infection.

A cuticle pusher is a simple nail tool used to perform manicures and pedicures. It pushes the skin from your cuticles back and away from your nails to help your nails grow stronger.

#3— “The Cuticle Creep” This is what happens when your Epos get hard, and you don't push them back often enough. They will start to 'creep' across the nail bed and stretch as they go, which is the main cause of hangnails.

When you get a manicure—or give yourself one—should you cut your cuticles? "Some people like the way trimmed cuticles look, but cutting this protective layer of skin increases your risk for infection," says Erika Summers, MD, a dermatologist at University of Utah Health.

Some people may have no cuticle on their fingernails due to a condition called cuticle dystrophy. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, injury, infection, or certain skin disorders. Additionally, excessive or improper cuticle trimming can also cause the cuticle to be lost.

Manicurist Nicole Wong swears by soaking nails in soapy water. "First, push your cuticles with a wooden stick or use a cuticle pusher to loosen up the cuticles on your nail, then soak them in soapy, warm water for a couple of minutes," she advises. "Soaking your cuticles will make it easier to see and trim dead skin."

A cuticle is a non-cellular waxy layer secreted by epidermal cells. Its water-resistant nature helps in reducing the loss of water. Cuticle is very beneficial for desert plants as they require to conserve water and not loose it during transpiration.

Why is it important to moisturize cuticles? ›

By maintaining the moisture balance in the cuticles, cuticle oil can support stronger and less brittle nails. Promotes Nail Growth: Well-moisturized cuticles may create a more favorable environment for nail growth. When the cuticles are dry and damaged, it can impede the growth of nails.

The cuticle is actually dead tissue that sheds from the eponychium and rides the nail plate. It cannot grow back thicker. However, the proximal nail fold, which is the living skin at the base of the fingernail, may appear thicker due to the cold weather.

In addition to its function as a permeability barrier for water and other molecules (prevent water loss), the micro and nano-structure of the cuticle have specialised surface properties that prevent contamination of plant tissues with external water, dirt and microorganisms.

Over time, your cuticles won't need to be pushed back as much, but it's still a good idea to keep them touched up. Keep an orange stick near your hand cream and take a few minutes to moisturize and push back your cuticles about once a week after you take a shower. Don't bite your nails or the skin around your nails.

Most nail salons may cut cuticles. They claim that doing so helps the polish go on better. Besides, it also helps the polish to stay longer. On your next visit to the salon, ensure to tell your technician to pull the cuticles back and trim loose skin and hangnails.

Here's why: When the skin around the nails is traumatized by biting or trimming cuticles, or picking at hangnails, bacteria or fungi can enter into the wound. This can cause an infection of the skin around the nail.

Lack of nail maintenance

Neglecting proper nail care is a top reason for cuticles to overgrow. It's important to take care of your nails, as well as your skin around your nails. Poor nail care often causes your cuticles to grow beyond your proximal fold. You should never cut or remove your cuticles.

The main cause of hangnails is routinely dry skin. The best way to prevent this is to exercise skin care and nail care and use a moisturizer. Use daily hand cream or cuticle oils to keep the area around your fingernails from getting dry. This is especially useful in drier and colder geographic areas.

A separation between a cuticle and nail bed can have numerous causes, but is most often a result of a bacterial or yeast infection called acute paronychia. This often happens when your cuticle gets damaged, as it acts as a barrier against infectious organisms.