What Is Ingrown Nails and Can I Prevent Them?

I’m not sure if it’s a surprise that I have a crazy nail injury that I’m dealing with, but I also didn’t consider I was one of a handful of people with the same issue. In fact, I had never even heard of it. (I know, it’s crazy, too!) Some people break a nail at an inopportune time, and since most breaking nails are no big deal, it may go unnoticed, but I know how important it is to get that nail — especially the white ones — repaired. That’s where these tips from “Dr. Nails” come in.

If your nails are breaking, it can be because they’re under stress. Once the nail is broken, there are various ways it can get stuck to itself, called ingrown nails.

If you break a nail at an inopportune time, it can be because it’s under stress. Once the nail is broken, there are various ways it can get stuck to itself, called ingrown nails. You can prepare yourself before your treatment by cracking the nail first so there isn’t any trapped blood in the nail bed, but that’s not always necessary. If the pain is too bad to handle, I recommend getting medical help as well.

“The ideal nail refinisher, known in professional circles as the ‘regulars,’ has at least 30 years of experience, works on every nail line in the world and can effectively refinish your nails,” she told POPSUGAR. “They’re the experts of the nails, and therefore have all of the knowledge necessary to render the refinished nail with a newly refinished look.”

I love my Imani salon in Miami, but my main nail addict is one of my best friends. Each time I’m on her radar, she can just tell I need to get the word out to a wider audience about how to avoid this sort of painful situation.

Once you get your nails refinished, you’ll be golden. They will be beautiful, and there won’t be any time wasted fussing over them, which is so nice in my book.

Another way to avoid crackling nails is to refinish regularly — especially after you’ve been using Salon styling or gel-based oils for a while.

“Treat the nails after every three months because this will allow the nail file to get to the nail beds,” she said. “Moisturize each week with salve or a cotton sock and nail polish remover to remove the dry resin and any remaining nail fungus.”

Of course, as you can tell from her before-and-after photos, it’s easy to take care of your nails at home when you know exactly what you’re doing.