How To Prevent Nail Chips, Lifting And Polish Discoloration

We've all been there when we started on this journey. Shortly after a nail appointment, we look down & wonder "Why are my nails chipping?". We feel like we’ve been mindful and didn't do anything wrong. However, nail products are sensitive to more things than people tend to realize, memorising them all is a learning curve. Saving this article will help you remember what to avoid. Along with good practice to keep your nails looking fresh until your next appointment!

Why Are My Nails Chipping?

Chipping is the most common issue for people who start on their nail journey. From our early years to our adult life, we get used to doing things a certain way. Whether it’s the way we open cans, ziplocs, doors, or the way we grab things like clothes when doing the laundry.

With shellac or nail extensions, the easiest tasks now require to be precisely calculated & performed mindfully. These products are built to last and to adhere to our nail bed. That being said, they aren’t undestructible.

The only way to prevent chipping is mindfulness in everything you perform with your hands. Without it, it becomes very easy to chip a nail or polish. When we notice chipping but can’t recall how it occured, a lack of mindfulness is usually at the root of the issue.

Why Are My Nails Lifting?

The second most common issue beside chipping is lifting, whether it’s the polish or the entire nail. Again, we are used to doing things a certain way. The main cause of lifting is water infiltration. This issue can occur while washing the dishes, swimming, soaking in a bath leaving your hands underwater, or scrubbing your scalp too agressively while in the shower.

The best way to prevent water infiltration under your nails is to wear gloves when cleaning the house or doing dishes, avoid soaking your hands underwater for long periods of time and gently scrubbing your scalp with your fingertips rather than the tips of your nails when washing your hair.

Another potential cause of lifting nails or lifting polish is the way the product was applied. When nails are not curated long enough, or deep enough under the UV light, the product can have difficulty to adhere to your nail bed. However, if the application of the product is at the origin of the lifting, said lifting would occur within only a few hours from the appointment. If the lifting happens days later, water infiltration is more likely the cause. Lastly, a less common possibility is an unbalance PH of the nail bed, in which case the nail bed is too oily for the product to adhere properly. This is difficult to prevent, but usually easy to fix with a PH balancer that goes on the nail prior to the application of other products.

Why Are My Nails Changing Color?

Finally, another disappointing but less common issue is polish discoloration. The reason why this is more rare is because there is usually only 1 cause behind this phenomenon : contact with an acidic substance. Whether it’s acidic food or cleaning agents containing citrus, contact with these can cause nail polish to lose its coloration.

A simple way to avoid this issue is to wear gloves when cooking or cleaning the dishes. If the acidic food is in your plate, simply avoid handling it with your fingers & use utensils. You could also wear gloves to eat, but witnesses might question your sanity.

Recap

Any of these situation can be quite off-putting and dissappointing. The solution to prevent any of these from happening is rather simple : Develop constent mindfulness whenever you use your hands, avoid leaving them underwater for an extended period of time and wear gloves whenever you cook or clean anything. If you can adhere to these few rules of thumb, you will be proudly looking at fresh nails from an appointment to the other!

Samy GalarneauOctober 15, 2022Sway Nails & Spa