This Seemingly Harmless Habit Can Be Even Worse For Your Nails Than Biting

Picture this: Your manicure is on its last legs, and your knee-jerk reaction is to start picking it off. Sure, it may seem like you’re just getting rid of unsightly nail polish, but really, your nails are suffering — perhaps even more than they would from biting.

“Think of your nails as a notepad, and imagine that each time you pick off your polish, you’re tearing pages out of the notepad,” said Los Angeles-based manicurist Vanessa Sanchez McCullough with the nail brand CND.

Here’s what experts want you to know about picking off nail polish.

How Are Nails Structured?

First, let’s look at how nails are structured. The nail plate is the hard, keratinized structure composed of layers of nail cells, or onychocytes — and this is what most people refer to as “the nail,” said Dr. Dana Stern , a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of nail care brand Dr. Dana .

Then there’s the nail bed, a soft-tissue structure under the nail plate that carries a rich supply of nerves and blood. The “root” of the nail is called the nail matrix. It’s known as the nail-producing center and includes the lunula, the partially visible half-moon at the base of the nail plate. Finally, the cuticles are directly over the nail matrix and serve as a protective seal that prevents moisture and infections from entering the nail unit, Stern explained.

Why You Shouldn’t Pick Off Your Nail Polish

It may be difficult to resist the urge to pick off your nail polish, but McCullough said that this habit is one of the easiest ways to damage your nails. “I have experienced clients who think they are peeling just polish, but in fact are peeling chunks of their natural nail, leaving the nail bed exposed,” she explained. Not only can this be painful, but