Is nail polish bad for your nails?
nails polished, but worry that they may need a ‘breather’?
The idea that your nails need to “breathe” is a myth, said Dr Chris Adigun, a dermatologist in North Carolina, US, who specialises in nail disorders. “Your nails don’t have lungs.”
However, there are some signs that your nail polish, or the way you remove it, may be causing changes to your nails that should prompt a break, experts said.
Here’s what to watch for.
DOES POLISH HARM YOUR NAILS?
In short, no, said Dr Adam Rubin, a dermatologist and nail specialist at NYU Langone Health, US.
There’s nothing in traditional nail polish that will directly harm your fingernails or toenails, he said. But some dark nail polishes can stain the surface of your nails, Rubin said.
Leaving polish on for too long may also dry out your nails, causing chalky, white patches to form on their surface, said Dr Anisha Patel, a dermatologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, US.
Those patches, called keratin granulations, are benign and more commonly found on toenails.
It can help to apply a clear base coat before you paint your nails. Massaging moisturiser onto your nails and cuticles between polishes might also help keep keratin granulations from forming, Rubin said.
WHAT WILL ACTUALLY DAMAGE YOUR NAILS?
The way you remove nail polish, on the other hand, can damage nails, Rubin said. Scraping or picking at nail polish can strip the top layers of the nail and lead to thinning. And acetone-containing nail polish removers can dehydrate and damage nails.
This is one reason
