We are always using our hands throughout the day, and they often show signs of wear, when we don’t look after them like we should.
When you don’t look after your nails, you’ll notice dryness, edges that catch on fabric, polish that chips quickly, and you might see ridges or surface texture on your nails.
Professional manicures aren’t all about color, they’re designed to treat your hands and nails, to help you keep them in the best condition possible.
When You Keep Getting Snags, Splits, Or Small Cracks
If your nails are constantly snagging, splitting or developing tiny cracks, it means your nail plate (and the surrounding skin) need more than just a DIY nail fix. These issues usually come from dryness, mechanical stress, or habits like using nails as tools.
Your nail technician can assess your nail’s health, identify any issues you might have, and will recommend specific treatments like strengthening nail treatments, like OPI Nail Envy, professional buffing, or protective overlays for the nails.
Look out for patterns, like frequent nail splits on the same finger, deep longitudinal cracks, or nails that peel in layers. These usually mean you’ve got issues with structural weakness, rather than being a one-off injury.
If Your Cuticles Are Dry, Torn, Or Uneven
Dry, torn or uneven cuticles suggest your at-home nail routine might need a little work, and your nails would benefit from a professional manicure.
Try using an intensively moisturizing hand lotion and cuticle oil every day, and if that still doesn’t restore smooth edges, a nail technician can help with diagnosing any issues.
Torn cuticle increase the chance of you getting an infection, or causing painful hangnails or ingrown nails, especially when left treated.
Nail techs use sterile tools, and proper cuticle trimming techniques, to remove dead skin, without damaging the cuticles or nails.
If you have uneven or receding cuticles, you could be over-trimming, using harsh chemicals, or doing frequent hand washing.
If you notice persistent cracking, bleeding or signs of infection, a professional nail technician can recommend a medical referral, if needed.
When Chipping And Peeling Become A Weekly Pattern
If your nail polish peels or chips quickly, it can mean there’s an issue with your nail care routine, or your manicure.
Repeated lifting, after a regular polish manicure or gel polish manicure, means you might have issues with your nail prep, product choices, or how you’re using your hands.
You could be having a manicure appointment too often, as weekly manicures add cost and stress to the nails.
Gel polish and dip powder manicures last longer, when applied to properly prepped nail plates.
If your salon skips out on cuticle care, dehydrating your natural nails, or files improperly, this will lead to premature lifting, and you’ll notice the edges peeling too soon.
When you’re doing chores at home, always use gloves to protect your hands and nails. Avoid heavy scraping, and always apply cuticle oil, whenever you can.
I always use cuticle oil before bed every night, so it can fully absorb overnight, as well as a nourishing hand cream, to intensively hydrate the hands and nails.
If Your Nails Feel Thin, Bend Easily, Or Break Fast
Are you noticing your nails are bendy or are splitting with very little force? Frequent hand soaking, harsh detergents or over-filing your nails will thin the natural nail plate, and make nail breakage more likely.
Long or frequent acrylics, and aggressive buffing, can weaken natural nails over time, so make sure you space out your salon visits, to help your nails recover.
Keep your nails short, always file in one single direction and moisturize your cuticles and nail beds every day. Use a protective base coat before applying any nail polishes, and wear gloves for cleaning or dishwashing, to reduce your water and chemical exposure.
You can also think about dietary and health factors too. If you’re low on biotin, or vitamin deficiencies, thyroid issues, and aging can cause weak nails.
