Manicure is not only a fashion statement, but also a fingertip art that needs careful care. Want to have healthy and beautiful nails? This super comprehensive guide to nail care knowledge, from basic care to professional skills, allows you to easily get salon-level care!

🔍 1. How much do you know about the structure of nails?
Only by understanding the composition of nails can you take scientific care:
✅ Nail plate (nail cover): composed of keratin, needs to be moisturized to avoid brittle cracking
✅ Nail bed: The skin under the nail, supports the growth of nails
✅ Nail matrix (methyl): The source of nail growth, fragile and needs protection
✅ Cuticle (dead skin): Protect the nail matrix, excessive trimming can easily cause infection

⚠️ Common misunderstandings:
✖️ Nails don't need to "breathe"? Wrong! Nails don't need oxygen, but the nail bed needs a healthy environment
✖️ Are white spots on nails due to calcium deficiency? It is usually caused by minor trauma and has nothing to do with calcium deficiency

💦 2. Five golden rules for daily care

1. Gentle cleaning, avoid excessive soaking in water
• Wear gloves when washing dishes/laundry. Long-term soaking in water will cause nail delamination
• Use acetone-free hand sanitizer and dry hands immediately

2. Scientific trimming + polishing
• Soften nails with warm water before trimming (especially for people with thick nails)
• Correct trimming method: leave 1-2mm white edge when trimming flatly, avoid trimming too round (easy to cause ingrown nails)
• Grinding direction: Grind from the outside to the center in one direction to avoid cracking caused by back and forth friction

3. Dead skin care is particular
• Soak in warm water for 3 minutes to soften dead skin
• Use a wooden stick to push gently instead of violent cutting (recommended to use nail edge oil containing glycerin)
• Bleeding = care failure! It means that living tissue has been injured

4. Moisturizing is the soul of nails
• Apply hand cream containing urea/shea butter every day
• Focus on strengthening: Apply thick nail edge oil before going to bed + wear cotton gloves overnight (first aid for cracked nails)

5. Diet to strengthen nail constitution
✨ Eat more of these foods:
• Protein: eggs, fish (promote keratin synthesis)
• Biotin: nuts, oats (prevent brittle nails)
• Zinc: oysters, beef (improve white spots on the nail surface)

💅 3. Professional care before and after manicure
[Before manicure]
Stop using nail polish 2 days in advance to let the nail surface breathe naturally

Before phototherapy nails, use alcohol cotton pads to thoroughly remove oil (enhance durability)

[Post-manicure maintenance]
• Avoid soaking in hot water for a long time within 48 hours (to prevent curling)
• When removing nails:

Refuse violent removal! Must use professional nail polish remover/polisher

After removing nail polish, give nails a "free period" (it is recommended to wait 1-2 weeks before doing new nails)

[Special problem handling]

⚠️ Yellowing of nail surface:

• Cause: Dark nail polish penetration/over-polishing

• First aid: Gently rub with lemon juice + baking soda (once a month)

⚠️ Thinning nails:

• Stop manicure for 2 months

• Apply calcium-containing nail polish (such as OPI Nail Envy) every day

🌟 4. Secret tips of professional manicurists
Extended nail care:

• Avoid opening cans/peeling things with nails

Return to the salon every 2-3 weeks to add reinforcing glue (to prevent breakage)

Preventing barbs in autumn and winter:

• Carry a vitamin E-containing oil pen with you to apply at any time

Don't tear off barbs! Use cuticle scissors to cut away the dead skin

Make the manicure last longer:
• Wipe the nail surface with white vinegar before applying the base coat (to remove grease)
• Each layer of nail polish must be completely dry before applying the next layer

📌 5. Please stop doing manicure immediately in these cases!
❌ Vertical black lines appear on the nails (may be a sign of melanoma)
❌ Nail bed separation (partial separation of the nail plate and the nail bed)
❌ Fungal infection (thickening/greening/uneven nail surface)

💡 Tips: Nail health is a mirror of the whole body. Long-term abnormalities are recommended for medical examination!