#1
Myth: Eating gelatin will strengthen weak
nails.
While it’s true
that nails are made of a protein called keratin and that gelatin
too is a protein, there’s never been any scientific proof that
gelatin does anything to strengthen nails.
(Image of nails with pink polish - Alexandro - All Rights
Reserved)
By
the same token, despite the fact that there are trace amounts of
calcium in the nail, downing more milk or other calcium-rich
products won’t do anything to strengthen nails either. Overall good
nutrition, including adequate protein, is the way to go for strong
nails.
#2 Myth: Enhancements should be soaked
off every so often to “give nails a break”.
As long as your nail tech is using high-quality
products and correctly applying them, there’s no reason to remove
your enhancements. In fact, this should be avoided, as removing
artificial nails can be potentially damaging.
Ask your tech how to properly maintain your
enhancements between visits, so you don’t get any cracks or other
signs of service breakdown. If you decide to take a break from
polish or enhancements (which can be removed safely if need be),
try a month of regular buffing and applying cuticle oil to
add moisture and seal the
nail.
#3 Myth: Avoid nail products that have
chemicals in them.
This would be literally impossible to do,
because virtually everything you see and touch is a chemical (even
purified water). There is no such thing as a “chemical-free” nail
product (or as an “all-natural” artificial nail product). That
said, improperly used chemicals can cause harm, so seek to
understand the ingredients in the products your nail tech is using,
but don’t avoid them altogether.
#4 Myth: Enhancements ruin natural
nails.
Today’s nail products are dramatically advanced
and don’t require your nail tech to damage your natural nails
during application or removal. If you experience pain, discomfort,
or thinned or damaged nails, it’s most likely due to a nail tech
misstep.
(Look at your natural nails after your nail tech
files them, they should NOT be noticeably thinner.) Also, don’t
pick, chew, or mistreat your enhancements, because that could lead
to natural nail damage.
#5 Myth: Store nail polish in the fridge
to make it last longer.
If you constantly remove the polish from
the fridge, use it, and put it back,
it makes no difference to the polish’s shelf life. However, it
is true that if you leave polish in the fridge for at least a
few weeks at a time it will slow the over-thickening of the
polish’s thickening agents, thereby making it last longer. (Just
make sure you bring the polish back to room temperature before
opening, or water condensation will affect its quality.) The
best way to increase the shelf life of polish is to make sure
it’s resealed properly after use to prevent the solvents from
evaporating - this means closing it tightly as soon as you’re
done using it, making sure all polish is removed from the
bottle’s neck, and tightly sealing the cap.
#6 Myth: That green stuff on some
people’s nails is mold.
Mold is not a normal nail pathogen. It very
rarely can appear on nails, but it will appear brown or black, not
green. The vast majority of nail infections are actually caused by
bacteria, including pseudomonas, which show up as green
discoloration of the nail. It’s illegal for your nail tech to make
a diagnosis of what’s causing the discoloration (and she must
refuse to service you - at least until you bring her a
doctor’s note), but she may be
able to recommend a doctor for you to get the greenie checked
out.
#7 Myth: Plunging wet nails into ice
water will make them dry faster.
Your nail tech doesn’t do this for you in the
salon because it wouldn’t work. To get polish to dry requires the
evaporation of solvents. This is why your tech puts you in front of
a warm fan.
#8 Myth: Never file backand-forth on a
natural nail.
Filing back and forth won’t harm the natural
nail plate if the proper abrasives and the correct downward
pressure are used, meaning a 180-grit or higher file and a light
touch. Don’t use a file with a grit below 180 on your natural nail
because it can cause excessive damage no matter what type of filing
motion is used.
#9 Myth: Cutting cuticles is good for
nail health.
What you’re calling “cuticle” is actually the
“eponychium” (cuticle is the dead skin that’s on the nail plate,
whereas the eponychium is living skin). Cutting eponychium isn’t
recommended, and is actually illegal in some states, because too
often the living skin that protects the matrix is cut and
infections occur. Plus, over time cutting eponychium can lead to
thickened scar-like tissue. Instead, soak your nails in warm
water for 10 minutes and push back with something soft (like a
towel) or just use a liquid cuticle remover to dissolve the dead
skin on top of the nail.
#10 Myth: I should bring my own
implements to a salon to keep myself from contracting an
infection.
Let’s face it, the
environment in your purse (where
you’re probably storing your nail implements) is much less
sanitary than the environment of a nail salon that complies with
your state’s rules and regulations for salon sanitation. Instead
of bringing your own implements (which your nail tech would be
required to disinfect herself before using, wasting your
valuable time), ask the tech questions about her sanitation
practices and if she’s compliant with all state board
requirements. If you feel uncomfortable about the salon’s
cleanliness, then leave without getting a
service.