In order to halt the spread of the coronavirus, places like hair and nail salons are closed for the foreseeable future. Taking proper nail care is important at home, especially long ones, as they can play host to germs and bacteria, including those associated with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Best Practices for Nail Care at Home
Go Short
The best and safest way to keep nails is short, smooth and clean. With COVID-19 around, all are ideally advised to keep short nails and free from germs. Trim them short, with about 1-2 millimetres of white showing and shaped like the natural end of your nail bed. Smooth them gently with a file, so rough edges and corners are gone as this will make them the strong and also easy to clean and use with protective gloves.
Germs can live underneath all nail lengths, but especially long nails. The most effective defense is making sure you’re washing and drying your hands consistently and properly. To make sure you’re getting underneath the nail, you can use a nail brush with antibacterial soap. But make sure you’re keeping that brush clean, as well.
Don’t Get too Clipper-Happy
Do not cut all of the white part off. That risks injury to the seal against the nail bed and opens your finger up to infections getting inside.
Take your Time Soaking Off Gel
Thick gel polishes can create crevices in your nails that host germs and bacteria, so it’s time to get rid of them. Losing access to our opposable thumbs while soaking gels off can be a challenge, but think of it this way ― there’s no reason to rush to do anything, especially something like a manicure, right now.
Proper removal of gels at home requires time or else you will damage your nails by rushing.
- You’ll need a file, acetone, tin foil and a hot towel as a bonus.
- First, file a bit to break the top coat seal.
- Then, place cotton balls soaked in acetone on your nails and wrap your fingertip in tin foil.
- Ideally, soak until the gels are lifting off entirely, which will take around 10-15 minutes.
- Wrap a hot towel around as well to expedite the soaking process. And the most important piece is having the patience to allow the gels to lift before removing the cotton.
If you Have Acrylics, Be More Patient.
The removal process for acrylics is similar to gel, but much longer. First clip the edge of the acrylic nail down before you file to properly break the seal. Then follow the same steps for gel removal. You’ll also need to let your nails soak for close to an hour until the acrylics are removing easily on their own.
In case you get sick and need medical support, it might be best to take your polish off completely.