Does Nail Care Really Harm Your Nails?
Copyright belongs to the author. For commercial reprints, please contact the author for permission. For non-commercial reprints, please provide proper attribution. Many frequent manicure enthusiasts may have experienced this: after getting a fresh manicure, you admire your nails’ beauty, but as time passes and you remove the polish (or sometimes forcibly pick it off), you notice that your nail surface feels dry, thin, and sometimes even begins to split. Researchers have used confocal microscopy to measure the thickness of nails before and after manicures, revealing that the average thickness decreases by nearly half after removing the manicure. Moreover, some individuals report that their nails become thinner, more brittle, and even develop splitting at the tips. With these rather alarming findings, you might wonder whether it’s still safe to get a manicure. The answer is yes, you can continue to enjoy manicures. But first, let’s understand what happens during a manicure. To achieve the best nail results and long-lasting color, many opt for professional manicures performed at nail salons. There are two primary types of manicures: acrylic nails and gel nails. Both of these contain acrylic acid as their primary component. The difference lies in the preparation method. Acrylic nails require
