Did you know? Nails don't breathe

Did you know that nails don't breathe? It's a beauty myth that nails need to have a 'break' from polish. 

The nail plate (the part you paint) is made of "dead" keratin cells, just like your hair, and this is why it doesn't hurt when you file your nails. You can paint them as often as you like without any side effects.

The matrix is alive, this is the part under the skin at the base of your nail where the nail grows from, and so is the nail bed, the part of your finger that lies underneath the nail plate where your nail is attached to. Your nails receive nutrients and oxygen via the blood steam, and not via the air around you. You can help to keep your nails nourished and flexible by using cuticle oil. When used daily, cuticle oil can help prevent nails from splitting and cracking, as it enhances nail flexibility and helps prevent brittleness. It's also a great moisturiser for the skin around the nails.  

When applying cuticle oil, a drop should be applied to the skin at the base of the nail and then massaged into the skin around the nail, over the cuticle and onto the nail plate itself. Massage gently until the oil is absorbed, even if you're wearing nail polish, gels or acrylics, as the oil will help keep your polish flexible too, and will help prevent it chipping and cracking.

White patches that form on the nails after wearing polish for long periods of time is not due to oxygen depravation, but rather from picking off chipped polish or enhancements, which peels off layers of the nail plate with it, leaving nails feeling thin and soft. Ideally, traditional polish should be changed as soon as it starts to chip and gel polish should be changed every 2 weeks, even though you might get 3 weeks wear out of it. 

No damage should happen to your nails if you treat them right, whether you wear traditional polish, gel polish, hard gel extensions, or acrylics. Damage only happens when the nails are improperly prepped (filed for too long with an electric file, or buffed with a grit that's too heavy. It should be a 180 grit file or buffer). Damage is also only done when polish or enhancements are improperly removed, by being picked off, peeled off or popped off, instead of being soaked in foil for the recommended length of time. 

So, paint away, ladies. Your nails don't need breaks between manicures or pedicures.

thanks for the helpful info silvene!!

Good to know.

Oh interesting! I've never tried rubbing the cuticle oil onto my actual polish area before because I've always thought it's just for the skin around it. Will give it a go, hopefully it'll help with keeping my manicure for longer!

Some handy tips. I used to wear nail polish for up to 3 weeks but now I'm changing my colour weekly .

This is also why nail strengthing polishes are a waste of money as well, as the nail itself is already dead, applying something onto it that is designed to promote longer, stronger nails in a set amount of days are gimmicks.  The only thing you need for longer, stronger nails is oil on the cuticle and protecting the nail from water especially when using detergents such as washing up liquid as the nail can absorb water making it brittle and more vulnerable to breaking/peeling.

Thanks for explaining that Silvene. 

I didn't know that but it kind of makes sense.  Just like makeup I guess, needing a break from all the products we put on our face.  On the weekends, if I'm not going anywhere, I usually just go makeup and nail polish free.

Thanks for the info hun