According to New York City podiatrist William Spielfogel, DPM, people often confuse nail polish damage for a fungal infection and vice versa. "In the beginning stages of a fungal infection, the nail becomes discolored, thickened, or brittle," he says. "It's important not to self-diagnose." If you're concerned, go to the doctor and have him or her take a sample of the nail to figure out the problem -- there are oral medications, topical treatments, and lasers they can prescribe or use. And even if your nail problems are due to polish damage, be careful: A crack can lead to an infection.
Photo 0/8
You're cutting your cuticles
Your cuticles determine how your nails grow -- so if you have significant cuticle damage your nail might become ridged, malformed or even fall off. If you're doing your manicures yourself, be especially careful with scissors. "I like to call it bathroom surgery -- when people start picking," says Spielfogel. "You can create an ingrown nail, which can lead to an infection." Whether you're doing your manicure at home or in a salon, he believes that cuticles should never be cut. Yes, you read that right: never. "Your cuticles are an important barrier that protect you from germs and other organisms -- if you have to do something, you can push them back."
I was never that into manicures. I know that's a taboo thing to say these days, but I genuinely like the look of bare, clean nails -- and how they match every outfit. When nail art (and manicures in general) started to become wildly popular about two years ago, I was resistant. And it wasn't until earlier this year that I finally caved and started painting my nails regularly. The reason? I felt left out. Other editors were sporting "Hunger Games" flames and ombré effects, and my nails looked sad by comparison.
Once I started wearing polish, I couldn't stop. I felt naked without it. Then, just a few weeks ago while I was doing an at-home mani, I took off the old color and was horrified: My nails didn't even look like my nails. They were dry, brittle, and flaking at the edges.
I'd always been lucky enough to have strong, fast-growing nails, but something had changed -- and the only thing different was my manicure addiction. I immediately put away the polish and rubbed some CND SolarOil, $7.99, into my nails. I haven't gotten another manicure since; after three weeks of no polish, my nails are just beginning to look healthy again.
While I may have fixed the problem, I'm not willing to give up manicures forever. (There are so many great summer colors to try!) Besides, plenty of people wear nail polish constantly and have perfectly healthy nails. So I set out to determine what they're doing right and I'm doing wrong. I talked to a spa director, a manicurist, and a doctor, and I learned the biggest manicure mistakes (I was making most of them) -- as well as how to wear nail polish without completely destroying your nails. If you're a manicure addict too, keep reading.
