How to trim cuticles carefully at home?

A well-groomed cuticle is an essential element of a manicure. Even if the shape and design of the nails are ideal, but the cuticle is dry, peeling and protruding in different directions, the manicure can be considered spoiled. The appearance of your fingers and nails will not be at all aesthetic. Therefore, always remember this small detail.

Cuticle trimming in a nail salon, of course, is quick and smooth. You get a beautiful manicure without any effort for a reasonable fee. But you don’t always have time to go to a nail technician, but you still want to have well-groomed nails. In this case, you should think about home treatments. In this article we will write how to trim cuticles at home.

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What is meant by cuticle removal?

Before we describe how to trim the cuticle correctly, we will tell you what this process actually is. First of all, it should be noted that this part of the skin always consists of dead and living cells. The latter do not interfere with anything. To keep them in good condition, hydration is enough. But dead cells need to be removed, as they can cause a lot of trouble. This will be discussed in more detail below. So, it is clear that in the process of removing the cuticle you only cut off everything that is dead and keratinized and do not touch the living things.

How to remove film without cutting

Removing cuticles without cutting is a method that is suitable only for those girls and women who have a very thin film at the base of their nails. In this case, after steaming the skin, it is enough to work with a pusher or an orange stick, pushing the excess skin towards the root of the nail plate. The pressure should not be too strong, otherwise the nails may become lumpy.

Having freed the nail plate from dead skin, you can apply varnish or other decorative coating without fear that it will quickly crack at the base of the nail.

Why trim your cuticles?

You may be wondering why you need to trim your cuticles at all. Well, there are certain keratinized areas on it, but is the danger they pose really that strong?

First of all, the dried parts look ugly. They ruin your manicure. But this is not the biggest problem.

An unkempt cuticle dries out and then cracks. The result is burrs. They may become infected, which will cause even more problems. It is easier to regularly maintain the cuticle in normal condition than to later eliminate hangnails and wounds, which cause a lot of unpleasant troubles.

The cuticle also interferes because it grows on the nail, thereby inhibiting its growth. If you want a long, beautiful manicure, then you can’t avoid trimming the extra layers.

It is important to know how to properly trim cuticles at home. After all, inept actions can often cause harm. Instead of cutting carefully, some beginners chop, leaving uneven spots and even wounds. So be careful. Pruning is not an activity that can be rushed.

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How to remove film with scissors or tweezers

A trimmed manicure is considered not the best option for removing cuticles. Experts justify their opinion with the following arguments:

There is a possibility of a cut.
Violation of tissue integrity is a risk of infection. This sometimes happens to women who get their manicure trimmed in a salon. You can even become infected with very dangerous, incurable diseases - HIV or hepatitis. Therefore, if you intend to remove cuticles in a salon, choose the establishment responsibly and ensure that the instruments are thoroughly sterilized before the cosmetic procedure. Even if you do your own manicure and don't give your tools to other people, don't forget to sterilize them just in case. And after completing the procedures, nails need to be treated with an antiseptic.
After cutting, the skin becomes thicker and rougher. Each time it becomes more and more difficult to remove it.
Accordingly, if you haven’t done a trimmed manicure yet, you shouldn’t start. It is better to use safer methods for removing dead skin.
And yet, if you only have scissors or special tweezers at your disposal, you need to use them to remove the cuticle in this way:
Treat your hands with antiseptic.
Lift the skin on the little finger and move it to the base of the nail using an orange stick. You can use a pusher spoon for the same purpose.
Take scissors or tweezers and place the blades of the tool parallel to the nail plate. Trim off excess skin, moving from the sides to the middle, being careful not to touch living tissue. You should not grab large pieces of skin with blades; it is better to make several small cuts. The main condition for using any cutting tools in manicure is that their blades must be well sharpened. Removing cuticles with blunt instruments is incredibly difficult, painful and dangerous, as the skin stretches and tears.
Perform manipulations on all other fingers.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated about removing the cuticle with cutting tools. The most important thing is to qualitatively lift the skin, separating it from the surface of the nail along the entire length. This is the main problem, since for many women the film is firmly attached to the nails and is separated with difficulty, as if in “pieces,” even after softening.

How to properly trim cuticles with cuticle cutters, video, removal “European way”

In this section we will write about how to properly trim cuticles with cuticle cutters. We will post a video at the end to make the text information more clear.

First of all, it should be noted that there are two removal methods. One is used for classic manicure, the second for European manicure. Both methods are good. Having learned more about everything, you can choose for yourself what is easier and closer to you.

How to properly do a manicure, trim the cuticle: preparation for the procedure

Regardless of how you tidy up the skin around the nail, it is important to prepare your hands for this. This way, all procedures will be easier to carry out. In addition, on trained hands, removal leaves minimal trauma.

What do you have to do? Soften your feet and the skin around them with a warm bath. You should add salt, olive oil or mineral aromatic oils to the water. Each of these ingredients provides a specific effect:

Salt is a good disinfectant. It kills germs, which reduces the possibility of infection during the procedure for removing dried parts of the skin.
How to trim the cuticle to avoid hangnails? Olive oil will help you. It softens the skin, which thus becomes more supple and elastic. A bath with olive oil will prepare your hands well for the procedure.
If you already have hangnails, then in addition to bath salts, you can use tea tree oil. It will relieve inflammation.
For brittle nails, it is good to use a mask with grapefruit. This is important so that the nail plates are less vulnerable and are not damaged during manipulation.

After the bath, dry your hands, wait 10 minutes, and then begin the cuticle trimming procedure.

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How to cut cuticles for the so-called “European” manicure?

With this method, the skin around the nail is removed not physically, but chemically. You have to buy a special product to soften the cuticle. Apply it to clean, prepared hands for approximately five minutes. After this time, the skin around the nail becomes very soft and can be easily cleaned with a wooden stick.

Chemical cuticle removers often come in the form of a gel. On the tube you can see a special brush that will make it easy to apply the product. Be careful when applying, as the product may slightly damage the healthy skin around the nail, which is absolutely not what you want.

After the procedure, wash your hands with warm water and lubricate with moisturizer.

It is worth noting that this method of treating the skin around the nail is suitable only in not advanced cases. If there are a lot of cuticles or they have even grown onto the nail plate, you cannot do without mechanical trimming.

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How to trim cuticles at home, video (classic manicure)

For a classic manicure, cuticle removal occurs differently. Excess skin is simply trimmed off. This method is dangerous, so it is better to entrust it to a specialist. But it can also be used at home. To do this, first disinfect all instruments. Also take care to disinfect your hands.

How to trim cuticles without burrs? To do this, put your hands in a hot soapy bath, which will soften the skin to such an extent that scratches on the skin will not appear.

Use an orange stick to push back the skin around the nail. After the bath, this will not be difficult to do, since the skin will be soft and very pliable.

Next you will have to trim the raised part of the skin. How to cut cuticles correctly? The main thing is not to do it quickly. Start removing from the side areas. Then move on to the periungual arch. This way, you will be able to do everything smoothly and not get hurt.

The cuticle can be trimmed with regular nail scissors or nail clippers. You must choose what is most convenient for you to work with.

If after trimming there are some fragments of skin left, you can remove them with the help of gel, which is used for a “European manicure”.

After the procedure, apply moisturizer to your hands. It is important to know how to trim cuticles carefully. After all, the less you damage your hands, the less pain you will feel after applying the cream.

On the Internet you can find a lot of videos that tell you how to properly trim cuticles with cuticle cutters; the video lessons are quite good. In them you can see with your own eyes how everything is done.

At the end of our article you will also find a video that tells you how to trim the cuticle correctly; the video is of quite high quality.

Proper nail care

If, after a three-week course to combat the cuticle, you stop taking care of it, the problem of rapid skin growth and the formation of hangnails will return again.

What rules should you follow?

1-2 times a week, make hand baths (warm sea salt solution with a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil, keep your hands in the solution for about 10 minutes).
Apply nourishing oil, a special moisturizer, or at least regular hand cream to your cuticles every day.
Once a week after the bath, push back the cuticle with an orange stick and then apply oil or cream.
Do not wash your hands with too hot or too cold water.
Before going outside in winter or in the off-season, apply protective cream to your hands and do not neglect gloves.
Watch your diet so that your body gets enough vitamins, in particular C and E.

So, the cuticle needs to be regularly softened, pushed back and moisturized, but under no circumstances cut, otherwise hangnails will appear again and the cuticle will begin to grow back faster.

Removing cuticles using a file

You may already know or have heard about a special cuticle file. This tool is very convenient and useful. You just have to scrape the cuticle with a file. But for this it must be dry. Living cells of the periungual skin will remain virtually unchanged under the influence of the file. But dry ones will turn into dust. This procedure is very easy and absolutely non-traumatic.

You can use a special cuticle file anywhere. With its help you can touch up your manicure even on the go. Another advantage of this method of treating the cuticle is that after it the skin around the nail begins to grow more slowly. This way, you will forget about it for a while.

It has a cuticle file and one significant drawback. It's very expensive. Not everyone will be able to purchase such an instrument for themselves.

Hand massage

Massage is another pleasant and useful procedure, for which it is not necessary to visit a salon. It is enough to have a little free time, nourishing oil, lotion or cream and the desire to take care of your hands. Just apply a little cosmetic product to your palms and massage them with smooth circular movements until completely absorbed.

Massage enhances the effect of the cosmetics used and has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and nails:

softens the skin of the hands and cuticles;
increases its elasticity;
slows down the growth of leathery ridges around the nails;
improves blood microcirculation;
strengthens nails and stimulates their growth.

Are there ways to remove cuticles as little as possible?

There is an opinion that the cuticle can be removed, if not forever, then for a long time. In a normal situation, the tissue grows back within 2-3 weeks. If a trim manicure is performed, within 10-14 days. But experts shared with the readers of our online publication a method that will help reduce the rate of tissue growth or even stop this process:

The cuticle is trimmed using scissors or nail clippers.
The next day and over the next three weeks, you need to push the skin to the base of the nails using a pusher or an orange stick. You can't miss a single day.
After three weeks, you need to contact a manicurist, who should thoroughly remove small pieces of film if they do appear.
Over the next seven days, you need to continue to push back the tissue, treating the base of the nails with a preparation that helps inhibit cuticle growth or vegetable oil.
As a result of such manipulations, the leathery edge will become thinner and, ultimately, will cease to form. The main thing is to be patient and remember to carry out simple daily procedures.

To remove the cuticle or not - arguments against the procedure

If you are a fan of everything natural and natural, there is no need to remove the film at the base of the nail plate. Arguments in support of this opinion:

If you don't paint your nails or remove your cuticles, they will become completely invisible over time. It is enough just to carefully trim the nail plates and give them the correct shape using a nail file to make your hands look well-groomed and neat.
After all, the cuticle, even its dead edge, protects the health of the nails. It is not in vain that nature made sure that this film is present at the base of the nail plates. So why deprive your nails of this barrier?
No matter how experienced a manicurist is, there is a possibility that he could accidentally injure you. What can we say about situations in which cuticle removal is carried out by a person without relevant experience? And if a remover is used, even with the most gentle composition, this also does not benefit the tissues. If the film dissolves, the nail plate also has a negative effect.

If you consider these arguments valid, you can safely refuse to remove the cuticle; it is permissible to skip this stage of a hygienic manicure.