Nail care is an important aspect of beauty where some people prefer to have short natural nails, and others put long artificial nails. Nails should be short, especially if you work a lot with your hands, because the longer the nails are, the more they are easily damaged, and according to experts, it’s better to file your nails than cut them. Filing your nails strengthens nails and keeps them healthy while giving you your desired shape and desired length.
According to a celebrity manicurist, Erica Marton, it is better to file your nails, but filing your nails without reducing the length can cause a health problem to your nails. This is because reducing the length of a nail using only a nail file will put a lot of pressure on the nail, which causes your nails to split or break, especially for people with long nails.
How to File your Nails Properly
According to experts and professional manicurists, filing your nails correctly helps you achieve your desired shape and length and keep them healthy by preventing splitting or breakage. When your nails grow, use nail files to file your toenails or fingernails in one direction and only when they are dry.
Additionally, choose to use an emery board with a fine grit, avoid metal files, and opt for glass files since they offer the softest grit. Follow the nail’s natural shape and file your nails starting from the outside edge heading towards the middle and avoid sawing in snack and forth motion to ensure you maintain the nail’s strength.
How Often Should you Cut or File your nails?
Anyone looking to have and maintain healthy nails should file their nails every week because it makes them more resistant and stronger. If you have longer nails, it’s advisable to cut them or reduce their length before you file them to avoid stressing your own nails. Additionally, it would be suitable to file after soaking them in water or after taking a shower to file your nails properly.
Nail Aftercare
To take care of your nails after filing, you should soak your hand for about five minutes in warm water that contains lemon slices, olive oil, or a few drops of fortifying oil. Lemon is known to strengthen your nails and clear any stained nails. After soaking your nails, rinse and dry them, then follow by applying fortifying cream and olive oil to promote growth. To further protect your nails and boost their resistance, you can apply a coat of high-quality polish.
Which is the Ideal Nail File?
Generally, how low the grit number determines how rough the file will be, and if you are looking to file a nail fast, you should opt for more grit. To achieve the desired finishing shape, get a lighter grit, and to ensure you have done a good job, there should be no rough edges, and your nails should be in their natural shapes and uniform length.
Are Nail Clippers Better than Nail Files?
This depends on the type being used. If you are nail clipping with the right size and shaped nail clipper, such as the Tweezer Guru Nail Clipper Set, it will offer you healthy results, same as if you use a nail file made of the right materials like the ClassyLady Glass Nail File. However, fingernail clippers are ideal if you have very long nails and want to cut them back because files work better after trimming and helps to get rid of the uneven edges. Notably, you will still need to file your nails after clipping them since nail clippers usually leave a sharp edge.
Conclusion
All these tips also work for your toenails, even though toenails grow at a slightly slower rate than fingernails. If you lose a nail, it will take about six months to grow back, while toenails will take about a year. Also, be aware of how your nails grow because stained, discolored, brittle, or soft nails could be signs of a dietary deficiency or a health problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does filing your nails weaken or strengthen your nail bed?
Yes, they weaken especially if you file your nails in a sawing motion meaning back and forth. To avoid weakening your nail bed, you should file in only one direction and be extra careful with the sides because filing your nail too much on the sides generally weakens the nail. Using this method guarantees you don’t get a ragged tip, and also, the fluid filing movement does not cause trauma t your nail bed.
2. Is it bad to use a nail file on the top of your nails?
Yes, it is. Some manicurists usually file on top of the nail, claiming to prepare the nails to have a better grip polish, but professional manicurists have said there is no truth to that. According to the, it does not help polish stay on longer, but instead, it damaged your fin
