Nail Care: Tips and Hints

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After XX years I have finally managed to stop biting the nails on my hands (first thing I've voluntarily given up in years, hurrah!) Now I need to know what to do about the care and appearance of these shiny new fingernails - is there an acceptable length for male nails? And what do you use to clean gunk out from under them?

All grooming advice is welcome.

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Monday, 21 October 2002 17:21 (twenty-three years ago)

nailpolish on boyz = k-rowr

― geeta, Monday, 21 October 2002 17:22 (twenty-three years ago)

last month i gave up nail biting for quite a long time. long enough for my nails to appear pretty damn long for a guy. so then I bit them to get them back to normal. and things just went downhill from there.

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Monday, 21 October 2002 17:25 (twenty-three years ago)

Buy yourself a decent pair of clippers, don't depend on mini ones unless you have tiny hands .. maybe even get an emery board if you're feeling decadent (just ponce one from a girlfriend).
Emery boards are good for getting rid of those annoying pieces that snag on woolens.

Make sure you cut them more straight across than rounded (know what I mean? don't go crazy making the ends rounded). I've been told cutting into the cuticles makes them ingrown.

Be all that you can be.

― Android (Android Elvis), Monday, 21 October 2002 17:30 (twenty-three years ago)

And what do you use to clean gunk out from under them?

A soapy nailbrush or toothbrush that you don't use on your teeth anymore. A sturdy wooden toothpick (or bamboo skewer) can easily reach what the brush misses.

A tip for keeping them clean is to press your nails into a soft bar of soap before you take on any dirty jobs such as changing the oil or working in the garden.

― ragnfild (ragnfild), Monday, 21 October 2002 17:39 (twenty-three years ago)

I think all the grooming tips I live by come from "American Psycho"

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 21 October 2002 17:51 (twenty-three years ago)

ha, you were always a lightweight at nail-biting, Andrew! Most of mine are down to half a centimetre or less - current best being 3mm. I am world class in this! I should have trophies and fame!

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 21 October 2002 18:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Andrew - I've got pretty long nails, not yet inna Nosferatu-stylee, but they are freakishly long for a male (eg 'are those real?').
However I have no 'regimen of nailcare' answers to your questions - because I have no trouble 'taking care' of them, I just pretty much leave them alone and they grow straight and white and healthy. I hardly ever get 'gunk' under them either - and if I do I can actually use my other nails to clean it out..... but the old toothbrush thing will work fine. Very occasional emery boarding to remove edge snags, or to round off the tips if there's a break. Every few months (or for job interviews) I cut them right back to about 1mm longer than cuticle. No other maintenance necessary.
Of course, it helps that I don't spend time smelting anvils or anything like that.

― Ray M (rdmanston), Monday, 21 October 2002 20:29 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

mr teeny is having major nailbiting issues right now. I've never bitten my nails but my mom has, and I asked her if anything has ever helped her. She said this helped for a while but then she forgot about it and it came back.

http://www.psychresearch.com/nails.html

is this totally mentalist? I listened to the sound file and it's harmless, just a fellow talking about origins of nail biting neurosis and then ringing a buzzer. Any nailbiting ilxors want to try? I changed it in my head to 'your skin will clear up', maybe it will work!

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 27 October 2003 15:41 (twenty-two years ago)

WHEN I RING THE BUZZER YOU WILL GIVE ME NEW ANSWERS.

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 27 October 2003 16:12 (twenty-two years ago)

four months pass...

I'm glad that you finally managed to stop your nailbiting. Alas there are still a lot of people that still do bite their nails. They'd probably all would want to know how you managed to stop biting yours though!

As for length you might want to consider a professional manicure at least once and while you're getting it done you could ask the technician's advice.

Rose
http://members.aol.com/Roseb441702/nailbite.htm
My Nailbiting Message Board!

― Rose, Friday, 12 March 2004 01:00 (twenty-two years ago)

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