Cuticles: what they are and how to take care of them
The cuticles, also called by the name of "pellicine", are a natural protection of the skin that serves to preserve the growing nail. It is a portion of thicker skin that sometimes tends to rise, ruining the manicure of hands Furthermore, if the cuticles are not properly treated, they can lead to painful infections. Once removed, however, the nails will be much more beautiful and it will be possible to apply the nail polish as in the video below.
What are cuticles and why it is important to keep them hydrated
The cuticles, that is the common name of the cuticles, play an "important protective function" of the nail against germs and bacteria. The cuticles are, in fact, a real barrier that protects the base of the nail and prevents it from coming into contact with external agents. This explains why you should never tear them with your mouth (our mothers were right to scold us!) but it must be taken care of by using special tools.
Completely eliminating the cuticles by cutting them is very harmful because in this way we deprive our skin of a natural barrier, risking to encounter micro-wounds and infections that are difficult to heal. However, sometimes the cuticles thicken and lift, creating an anti-aesthetic effect that ruins our manicure.
To have flawless nails, therefore, you need to take care of your hands and feet starting right from the cuticles, treating them with special tools and trying to keep the area well hydrated.
The object of desire, the first to be placed immediately in the shopping cart if we do not already have it, is an orange wooden stick. This will serve, once your hands are softened, to push back the cuticles. However, before proceeding to eliminate the cuticles, it is necessary to perform a fundamental step, which is to moisturize the skin and nails. In this regard, you can use a hand cream but the best results are obtained by applying a specific oil for the care of the cuticles.
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Moisturize the cuticles before removing them
Before treating the cuticles, it is always necessary to remove all traces of previous enamel very well in order to work on the nail as clean as possible. Then, a fundamental step is to prepare the skin for the treatment trying to soften it as much as possible.
First you need to immerse your hands in a basin filled with water (strictly lukewarm) and about 15ml of moisturizing oil. We recommend using almond oil which is famous for its moisturizing and emollient properties but, if we don't already have it at home, even the very common olive oil can perform this function.
We leave the hands (or feet, if we are doing the pedicure) immersed for about 5-10 minutes, and, once this time has elapsed, we proceed with a deep hydration of the nails.
In this regard, using a specific oil for cuticles guarantees the best results because it softens the skin and makes the removal of cuticles a much easier operation. Cuticle oil can be found in perfumery and there are many brands specialized in nail care that offer it. One of the most famous oils, for example, is that of Sally Hansen, rich in nutrients for the skin.
Once the oil has been applied, the area around the nails can be massaged well, insisting in particular on the base, in order to absorb the nourishing and moisturizing substances into the skin.
How to get rid of cuticles
Once the nail area is well softened, the cuticles can be removed. The stick of orange wood will be your most precious ally because, thanks to its oblique and flat tip, it is able to gently push the cuticles backwards, that is towards the base of the nail. To do this it is advisable to place the hand on a flat surface and hold it firmly so as not to accidentally injure yourself.
In fact, it is important not to press too hard to avoid damaging the skin. There are also steel cuticle pushers on the market which have the advantage of being very resistant, however care must be taken not to exert too much pressure on the fingers.
Once the cuticles have been pushed towards the base, you can begin to remove them using the tip of the wooden stick, always very gently so as not to cause small lesions to the skin. If, once this operation is completed, some pieces of skin remain, it is advisable to cut them with a specific cutter in order to complete the removal of the cuticles.
Eliminating cuticles and taking care of your nails while keeping them hydrated is an important part of any beauty routine dedicated to nails: in this way the manicure will always be perfect.
Unfortunately, however, cuticles, being in effect part of the nails, tend to grow back. To try to slow down the lengthening, you can use specific products designed specifically to keep the area hydrated. The oil is certainly a precious tool because, thanks to the nutrients it contains, it helps to strengthen the nail and make it grow strong and In addition to almond oil, jojoba and castor oil are particularly recommended. In addition to oils, it is also possible to find supplements on the market, which just like those used to stimulate hair growth, help the nails to strengthen and limit the presence of cuticles.
Is it really necessary to cut the cuticles?
There is no unambiguous and definitive answer to this question because cutting cuticles or not depends from case to case. In the presence of very evident and thick cuticles you can consider cutting them, while if they are not very visible it is preferable to simply push them back with the stick. On the market there are also sets for skin care around the nails which generally also include the cuticle cutter.
However, this tool must be used with extreme delicacy and precision so as not to cause wounds on the skin. It should be remembered, in fact, that with the clippers only the excess cuticles must be eliminated: overdoing the cleaning is never good because you risk eliminating also a natural barrier of our nails against dirt and bacteria.
In recent years, a new trend in nail care has emerged, the so-called "Russian manicure". It is a practice of nail care that involves a wide use of the cutter. Initially viewed with a bit of suspicion, it is a technique that is now widespread, however it is a professional treatment that, although it gives excellent results, should only be performed by expert operators.
Once clean and well hydrated, our nails are ready to be decorated with the latest fashion nail art.
