Filing your nails every day may give you immaculate hands - but the impact may be short lived.
For daily manicures may create conditions which eventually could cause nails to crack, split and bend.
Scientists have analysed the impact of clipping, trimming or filing finger nails.
Their findings reveal that manicuring too often could be at the root of common conditions.
Researchers at the University of Nottingham think the emergence of nail salons on every high street could be part of the problem.
They say that removing new nail growth too often could lead them to become horribly deformed in the long term.
The impact applies to clipping and filing - but also might be seen in those who bit their nails.
In time the nails could bend and crack, a condition called ‘pincer nails’, or develop ridges and splits - called ‘spoon nails’.
And those who clip their toe nails too often could see them become in-grown, a condition which in some cases requires minor surgery.
Lead author Cyril Raunch, whose paper is published today in the journal Physical Biology, said: ‘It is remarkable what some people are willing to do to make their nails look good.’
He said that people who insist on continuing to regularly clip or file their nails should choose a simple shape to minimise the damage.
A slight ‘parabolic’ curve or a straight line should create the smallest stress on the nail, he said.
And he does not recommend extreme curves or long, tapering shapes.
‘Looking at our results, we suggest that nail beauty fanatics who trim their nails on a daily basis opt for straight or parabolic edges, as otherwise they may amplify the imbalance of stresses which could lead to a number of serious conditions,’ he said.
‘For French manicures, for example, they don’t tend to give a very flat edge to your nail. This could be detrimental.’
In their study, the researchers focused on the physics behind the way nails grow.
They focused on the way the nail sticks to the finger through tiny, microscopic structures which allow the nail to slide forward as it grows.
The structures work by continuously binding and unbinding to the nail to allow it to move.
The way the nail is cut, filed or nibbled can promote a change in shape or curvature of the nail over time which, in turn, can lead to serious nail conditions.
The researchers found that when the balance between the growth stress and adhesive stress is broken – if a nail grows too quickly or slowly, or the number of adhesive structures changes – a residual stress across the entire nail can occur.
That stress can result in a number of conditions, including ingrown toe nails, spoon nails and pincer nails, along with more common splitting, splintering or cracking.
Although a residual stress may be brought about by age or a change in diet, the scientists also found that bad or regular trimming of the nails can amplify the impact.
