Cuticle Care
keeps your toenails
strong and healthy

Whilst performing your home pedicure, cuticle care is easily overlooked, but it is one of the most important parts of any pedicure.

The pedicure tools used for this operation are a good set of podiatrist scissors, a cuticle pusher and/or orange stick to gently but firmly push back the small area of skin that has covered the lanula.

Once the lanula is cleared of the skin. The skin, or the cuticle, must then be cut clear.

The lanula is the white crescent shape at the base of the toenail.

Pushing this thin film of skin back from over the lanula is probably one of the last things a pedicurist would do during a pedicure.

However, it is arguably the most important part of the

home pedicure as it allows the toenail to take in oxygen, or breathe.

To understand cuticle care and how the cuticle is formed and removed we must first understand the anatomy and functions of the nail or toenail in this area.

The base or root of the toenail.

• The nail matrix is the root of the nail or where the nail grows from.

  The lanula is the part of the nail matrix which is visible.

• Skin naturally forms over the crescent shape of the lanula blocking the passage of air and oxygen to the lanula thereby effectively blocking air and oxygen to the root of the nail.
• With the passage of air or oxygen to the root of the nail blocked, the nail can not grow freely and in the right direction.

  This can be the cause of an

  ingrown toenail or other toenail disorders.

• By using a cuticle pusher this thin but obstructing layer of skin can be pushed back towards the base of the toenail.

  This simple operation frees up the passage of essential air and oxygen to the nail root.

  The toenails can now grow as healthy toenails should, and growing in the right direction.

• The skin that has been pushed back from covering the lanula now forms a hard ridge of dead skin around the base of the nail.

  This skin is called the cuticle.

• To complete this part of the pedicure or complete cuticle care we must now remove this small build up of dead skin around the base of the nail.
• It is not advisable to attempt this from home, one should invite a suitably qualified Podiatrist, Chiropodist or even a Pedicurist trained in cuticle care to perform the removal of the cuticle.

However it is not so difficult to learn, it is important to understand that care must be taken so as not to damage the root of the nail.

Or the skin betond that.

Cuticle removal

To remove the cuticle or cut it off, use a sharp pair of cuticle nippers.

As the skin over the lanula has been pushed back it should just raise a little off the nail.(the cuticle )

Now take the cuticle nippers and just nip off this skin cleanly and neatly.

Be careful with the nippers and try not to damage any other skin.

Once done just take some good cream, preferably a cream rich in vitamin 'D' and massage it gently over the cut nail and lanula.

Your toenails should be taking on a nice healthy look to them now.

A nice foot soak, followed by a pedicure and some good cuticle care once every month or so will go a long way towards healthy toenails.

For Diabetics

If the person having the cuticle removed is a diabetic and has blood circulation problems then it is especially important to use a person or professional who has an education in dealing with footcare for diabetics.

In fact any toenail care for a diabetic is a hugely important subject and should never be taken lightly or done by a novice.

Always, always use a Diabetic trained Chiropodist or Podiatrist and nothing less.

Before performing any work on toenails it may be wise to use one of the foot soak or foot bath recipes that will keep the skin and the toenail in a softer and more easy to work on condition.

A foot soak can be an enjoyable and relaxing way to both cleanse and rejuvenate the skin of your feet.

If you use special additives to the water like Dead sea salt, it is a way to add some essential minerals to your skin and to your toenails.

The toenails will take in the vitamins and minerals through the lanula part of the nail root.

There are various creams and lotions that can be applied to the cuticle that will make it softer and easier to remove.

A cream containing vitamin D is advisable as this will feed the toenail and keep it in a healthy condition.

The pedicue tools available to perform cuticle care should be as much a professional quality as one can afford.

Never use a sharp bladed instrument for this or anything that may have a chance of damaging the skin at the base of the toenail.

To end a good Pedicure it is nice to apply a good quality foot cream that can help keep you skin and toenails in a healthy state.

The best one we have found is Sole solution from an American company called NuSkin.

With repeated use it really can transform hard or even callused skin quickly into lovely soft to the touch moisturised and rejuvenated skin.

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