We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.
If you’ve held off on getting your nails done during the pandemic, it’s pretty likely that you’ve been left with overgrown cuticles and dead skin buildup around your nail beds (unless you’re a true DIY mani pro). But getting rid of that isn’t just a matter of snipping the excess skin away — it’s important to know how to remove your cuticles properly for the sake of your nail health.
When that seal gets irritated by removal, water and moisture can enter the nail unit, causing redness and swelling at the skin behind the cuticle due to yeast, she tells Bustle. So how can you avoid this? Syreeta Aaron, educator at LeChat Nails, says pushing back cuticles is the best tactic; you should never cut off any living tissue, aka eponychium, she says. From start to finish, the removal process actually doesn’t require much equipment. If you have cuticle nippers, a warm towel, and cuticle remover, you should be good to go. Plus, if you moisturize your nail beds with cuticle oil daily, Stern says it’ll keep your nails healthy.
To make your nails look as fresh as possible, here’s a comprehensive guide on how to remove cuticles.
We only include products that have been independently selected by Bustle's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.