The benefits of a manicure pedicure and how to do it at home

The dream of having beautiful and healthy nails must be accompanied by good care. Good nail care prevents the appearance of nail problems which can also interfere with the health of the body. Have you ever done manicure and pedicure ?

Benefits

Manicure (manicure) and pedicure (Pedicure) is a popular nail care method. This nail treatment can be done at home or with the help of a therapist at a salon. This treatment is also known as meni pedi .

While manicure is the treatment of fingernails, pedicure refers to the treatment of toenails. Both include skin care, nail care, and add artificial nails which can be customized depending on your taste.

Besides beautifying your nails, meni pedi turns out to have health benefits, such as the following.

1. Maintain healthy skin

Hands are the part of the body that is most exposed to bacteria, germs, and dust than any other part of the body. When bacteria and germs accumulate in the same place, they will make new skin cells and slough off.

By doing manicure and pedicure , the skin will be thoroughly cleaned with a lotion designed to exfoliate your skin. This aims to remove dead skin cells and bacteria and germs, so that the skin becomes smoother.

Apart from caring for nails, doing manicure and pedicure also means caring for healthy skin.

2. Increase blood flow

Apart from caring for the skin, manicure and pedicure it also helps increase blood flow. The reason is, one of the processes of this nail treatment is massaging the skin around the nails so that you are more relaxed.

The gentle massage also helps improve blood circulation to the parts of the body that are in need.

3. Relieve symptoms of nail fungus infection

Fungal infections often occur in toenails, especially when the area has high humidity. The symptoms of a toenail fungus infection often take a while to become visible.

The good news, some therapists manicure and pedicure sometimes can see the early symptoms of this one nail disease. Apart from that, regular pedicures are also good for keeping your toes healthy.

4. Make relax

By pampering your feet and hands through "meni pedi" certainly makes the body and mind much more relaxed. After a long day at the office, manicure and pedicure can be a way to manage your stress.

In fact, this nail treatment can also increase self-confidence because you have beautiful nails for the next few weeks.

How to care for nails with

Basically, manicures and pedicures performed at home and in the salon are not that different. It's just that, the tools in a beauty salon are much more complete and have experienced therapists.

So that you don't get confused, here are some steps you usually take during this time manicure and pedicure .

1. Clean your nails first

Before manicure and pedicure done, you have to clean the cake first by:

• soak a cotton swab in acetone, and
• scrub all nails gently.

You should also wash your feet thoroughly with soap and water. If you use nail polish, don't forget to remove the nail polish using a cotton ball and cleaning fluid.

2. Relax the nails and surrounding skin

After cleaning, soak the nails, both the fingernails and toes, in a basin or bucket of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes to make them softer and more malleable. Don't forget to use a special brush to clean your toenails.

In addition, you can also massage your feet with a natural pumice stone to remove dead cells, especially on the heels. When the water is cold or reaching room temperature, pull your finger out and dry it with a towel.

3. Cut the nails

The next step from manicure and pedicure namely cutting nails. This stage is usually done, either when the mani pedi is alone at home or with a therapist at a salon.

Nails that have been moistened with water make the surface and edges softer, making them easy to cut and clean.

Make sure you cut your nails in a straight direction and don't cut the corners of the nails too short, as this can cause hooks. After that, file the nails with a file according to the desired shape.

4. Massage the fingers

Once your nails have been trimmed, you can continue with the manicure and pedicure by rubbing cuticle oil on your fingers. You can replace cuticle oil with olive or jojoba oil.

Try to gently massage the cuticles in a circular or counter-clockwise motion. Keep in mind that you are advised not to cut your cuticles to prevent them from becoming infected by fungi.

5. Clean the nails again

After various ways manicure and pedicure above, clean your fingers and toes again. Then, pat it dry gently with a towel. Don't forget to use a moisturizer so that your skin and nails are properly hydrated.

To make your nails look more beautiful, you can paint your nails with nail polish. However, make sure to choose nail polish that does not contain harmful ingredients, such as formaldehyde, toluene, or phthalates.

Danger

Even though it makes nails look beautiful, manicure and pedicure turns out to have hidden dangers, especially when done in beauty salons. Here are some of the risks that lurk when doing manicures and pedicures.

Injury to the nails

One of the dangers of manicure and pedicure is an injury to the nail. This can occur due to the tools and materials used in the nail care process.

For example, the wrong way to cut your nails can cause ingrown nails (hooks). Meanwhile, cutting the cuticles can remove the protective skin around the nails that can become a gateway for bacteria and fungi.

In addition, painting your nails after doing meni pedi also runs the risk of making your nails more brittle and thinning. In fact, the material from nail polish can also cause yellowing of nails due to repeated use of nail polish.

Nail fungus infection

Nail fungus infection is a condition that quite often occurs after doing manicure and pedicure . This condition can occur when water gets under the scratched nail when it is cut or filed, causing an infection.

Not only that, manicures and pedicures that are not sterile can also be the cause. The reason is, the fungus left on the tool can move to the nails and the skin around it.

Meanwhile, water that gets under the scratched nails when cut or filed can cause nail fungus infection.

Tips for safe doing

If you still want to do manicures and pedicures at the salon, you should pay attention to these tips to reduce the risk of nail infection or injury.

• Do not shave before doing manicures and pedicures.
• Make sure the salon employees really clean the tools used.
• Choose a salon that has a license or uses a new tool from a closed package.
• Skip the soaking process if you want to be safer.

What about pregnant women who want

Some may say that it is best to avoid salon treatments during pregnancy. This is because the chemicals in the salon are at risk of harming the womb.

In fact, nail care during pregnancy is still considered safe today. Manicures and pedicures will not hurt the baby directly. However, the biggest concern is the possibility of skin infection after treatment.

Materials such as toluene and formaldehyde that are used can indeed be absorbed by the skin or accidentally swallowed. However, the greatest danger of these chemicals when inhaled by humans.

Fortunately, these chemicals can easily evaporate in the air, so a room with good air ventilation can prevent complications. To be on the safe side, tell the therapist that you are pregnant.

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