FingerNailFixer

True or False? Find Out if These Nail Myths Are Real

by Holly Schippers | May 20, 2011 | Bookmark +

I’ve enjoyed reading your messages and have some answers for your myth questions that you can share with clients!

 

Gel nails are better for your nails then liquid and powder.

False. To quote Greg Salo from Young Nails, “It’s not the tools, it’s the fools.” Improperly applied and removed product of any type will damage the nails. Education is the key to busting this myth!

 

UV lamps in the salon will cause cancer.

False. There is a great report on UV lamps that you can print and share with clients on this issue.

 

Storing polish in the fridge will make it last longer.

True AND False. If you constantly remove the polish from the fridge, use it, and put it back, it makes no difference to the polish’s shelf life. However, it is true that if you leave polish in the fridge for at least a few weeks at a time it will slow the over-thickening of the thickening agents, thereby making it last longer. (Just make sure you bring the polish back to room temperature before opening, or water condensation will affect its quality.) The best way to increase the shelf life of polish is to make sure it’s resealed properly after use to prevent the solvents from evaporating — this means closing it tightly as soon as you’re done using it, making sure all polish is removed from the bottle’s neck, and tightly sealing the cap. Via Doug Schoon 

 

Eating gelatin will make your nails stronger.

False. While it’s true that nails are made of a protein called keratin and that gelatin too is a protein, there’s never been any scientific proof that gelatin does anything to strengthen nails. By the same token, despite the fact that there are trace amounts of calcium in the nail, downing more milk or other calcium-rich products won’t do anything to strengthen nails either. Overall good nutrition, including adequate protein, is the way to go for strong nails. Via Doug Schoon

 

If you can’t see the lunula on your nails you are lacking vitamins.

False. The lunula is a reflection of the matrix so its size is determined by the size of the matrix. As everyone has different sizes and shapes of matrix their lunulas will also vary.

 

You can get worms from biting your nails.

True. It is possible to get Pinworms from biting your nails, yet another great reason to keep them out of your mouth!

 

The little white splotches on your nails are from telling lies or lack of calcium.

False. The white spots are small spots of nail cells that are not fully compressed due to some sort of trauma. “There are only trace amounts of calcium in the nail so increasing your calcium intake by drinking more milk will add nothing to the strength of your nails. And since nail cells are formed in the matrix, they cannot be affected by calcium that is applied topically.” See more here.  

 

Mineral oil and lanolin will cause enhancements to lift or fall off.

False. While some oils can exaggerate a lift that is already present, they are not going to be the cause of lifting on properly applied enhancements. For help with lifting issues check out the blog on Cuticle Work as that tends to be one of the top culprits!

 

Enhancements need to be removed and replaced regularly so the nails can breathe.

False. The natural nail actually endures more damage from constant removal than it ever would from proper application and maintenance. Yellowing, chipping, and cracking are issues that need to be addressed and learned from with good troubleshooting so that the enhancements can be worn without issue, looking new and clean for months or even years of successful rebalancing (filling).

 

Hope you enjoy these bits of truth and pass them out with abandon!

 

— Holly

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