SEE THROUGH NAILS
See Through Nails – Can I Fix It?
ASK ANA
“I have a bit of a question. I’ve had this transparency in my nails for years. I read your article about what can cause them to be transparent. I’m following your advice, but it doesn’t appear to be improving.
But even when avoiding water, mine never went away.
I used to use metal files to clean under my nails and sometimes was a bit aggressive. Could that have damaged my nails?
I’m including a picture of the transparency (below). I used a pink cuticle stick to show how bad it is.
Photo Used with Stephanie’s Permission
It’s like this on most of my nails and I hate it since at times it makes my nails look dirty and dingy even when they are perfectly clean. Is this something that will correct over time?
I’ve been using nail oil and have seen dramatic results in my nails already. I hope that in time, things will heal. Thanks!” ~Stephanie
ANSWER
Ok, just to warn you…I’m about to get into some very geeky nail terms.
I’m going to throw around some big words that most people wouldn’t bother publishing because they think you’re not smart enough.
But I believe, if you are truly seeking the truth about proper nail care, then you are smart enough to learn the right words.
Just like a toddler can learn that the proper name for a “binkie” is pacifier, I know you can learn the correct definition of the parts of the nail and surrounding skin. It feels empowering to “know” what you’re talking about.
I have done my best to include labeled macro shots to help you understand.
The Guardian Seals
We have four guardian seals which keep bacteria and germs away from sensitive live tissue under and around our nails.
Three guardian seals are easily seen; the two side wall lateral nail folds and the proximal fold of the eponychium (“cuticle” line).
The fourth guardian seal is under your nail where the nail leaves the skin of your pink nail bed and becomes your nail tip. This is also known as the free edge.
Mirror Images
Two of the guardian seals are very similar in structure but are opposites; the Eponychium and Hyponychium (epp-uh-NICK-ee-um and hip-uh-NICK-ee-um)
The Eponychium
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What most people think of as their “cuticle” is actually the “proximal nail fold of the eponychium“.
Proximal is a medical term meaning nearest—since it is the nearest skin to your nail plate.
As you can see in the photo of my nails to the right, the proximal nail fold should be a nice tight band of skin sealed to the nail plate.
The eponychium covers the newly forming natural nail plate with a protective roof of living skin.
The matrix is where new nail cells are created and is located behind the proximal fold.
Depending on the size of your matrix, your eponychium extends to approximately 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch behind your proximal nail fold.
Extreme cuts, nicks, bruises, irritating substances, or other injuries to the eponychium can cause permanently lost or damaged nails plates.
The most common injuries I see to the proximal nail fold are “nipping” or “extreme pushing“.
It is actually possible to push your proximal nail fold so hard that it wraps under itself, causing inflammation and possible infection because it’s no longer attached to the nail plate.
It breaks my heart when I see this red irritation in nail blogger’s photos.
Since the thin skin of the proximal nail fold dries out quickly, it is easily—and incorrectly—assumed to be un-necessary.
There is nothing that is FARTHER from the TRUTH.
When this skin dries out, the best solution is to keep it moisturized with a continuous, thin layer of high quality, jojoba wax ester based nail oil. This might mean that you’re applying the oil every few hours.
The Hyponychium
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Since the Eponychium is the guardian seal on top of the nail plate, the Hyponychium is the guardian seal below the nail plate.
Please refer to the photo to the right, so I don’t completely confuse you.
The hyponychium prevents infectious germs and bacteria from getting underneath your nail. If this seal is broken, the nail plate may lift away from the pink nail bed and dramatically increase the risk of infection. [Source: Nail Structure and Product Chemistry, Doug Schoon]
Healthy VS Cleanliness
To all of my germa-phobe readers—I’m about to turn your world upside down.
In the world of nails—cleanliness is NOT next to Godliness.
Does this mean you should run around with a bunch of “who knows what” under your nails?
NO!
BUT… there is a fine line . . .
Clean VS Dirty
You can have clean nail tips by using a nail brush regularly, yet they can still “look dirty”, especially in the corners.
Personally, I deal with this every week.
The dirt of life continually “settles” into the corners of my nail tips even though I clean them with a nail brush daily.
Does this mean you and I have poor hygiene? NO!!!!!
Some people also have “off-white” nail tips. They may look yellow. Sometimes this can be caused by health issues, age, or simply genetics.
And we can’t forget the most common reason for yellowing nails—wearing nail polish. The pigments stain the top few layers. It’s no big deal, but so many people freak out about it.
Metal and Matter Don’t Mix
Digging out the dirt with metal file points puts too much pressure on the hyponychium skin and WILL cause it to recede. It’s a similar effect that nail biters experience. The more they bite the nail past the hyponychium, the more it’s forced to keep receding to protect the nail bed.
I don’t think it’s necessary to dig out the dirt if the hyponychium is going to pay the price. There are other solutions.
Stephanie, if you just recently stopped using a metal file, then your see through nail tips could be because of aggressive cleaning with the point of a metal file.
The good news is that the hyponychium will return to it’s normal position when given several months to heal by leaving it alone. Make sure you’re applying your nail oil to the hyponychium to keep the skin soft and help it heal.
Are See-Through Nail Tips Bad?
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Like I mentioned in a previous article, I don’t think clear spots in tips is necessarily a bad thing.
As you can see in the image to the right of my nails, I constantly have clear spots in the inside corners of my nail tips.
Although I’m not a doctor or a dermatologist, I’ve spent a lot of time learning and thinking about what happens to our nails as we live our lives.
The inside corners (near the sidewall nail folds) of our nails take A LOT of stress.
They’re constantly getting pulled, pushed, and jammed while we open and close various doors, turn knobs, pull handles, push and pull fabric, open and close boxes, etc.
These forces can cause the nail plate to pull away from the hyponychium.
This is also the same area where we usually get hard skin calluses too.
Like I explained in a previous article, the edge of your nail is continually cutting into that skin. You can see this really clearly in my photo to the right. Any time you put pressure on your finger tips to pick anything up, that nail edge digs into the skin.
The body’s only protection mechanism is to create calluses. Nail oil is also very important in preventing the calluses from drying out.
Drying Out Takes Time
Once the nail tip has pulled away from the hyponychium, it doesn’t turn white right away.
While your nail plate is on the pink nail bed, it is being nourished with a continuous flow of moisture and sebum (body oil). This keeps the nail cells transparent.
When the nail plate leaves the nail bed, it slowly starts to dry out and become white (or off-white). Just as an autumn leaf takes time to lose it’s moisture and become crispy—so does the free edge.
Do You Wick?
The other idea, which I see more in your nails, Stephanie, is that perhaps the moisture and sebum from the nail bed is wicking out into your free edge.
Even though the nail plate has past the hyponychium, it’s possible that they are still receiving the moisture which keeps that portion clear.
This may be especially true if your nails have this clear band all the time.
If see through nail tips is a situation that just started with no apparent cause, then it might be time to visit your doctor.
Solutions
To keep your nail tips clean, use a nail brush when you feel they are dirty. It is not necessary with every hand washing, but should be done at least once a day.
We don’t have to clean our hands and nails excessively like we are a doctor “scrubbing in” for surgery.
It simply dries out your skin and nails more, forcing you to need to constantly apply more nail oil.
Dealing With the Dirt
I usually don’t notice the dirt in my corners until I remove my manicure each week.
I have a similar problem with the corners of some of my nails collecting fine dirt. Try to use only a stiff nail brush to clean under your nails with water.
If I still have dirt in the corners, then I will use a small makeup brush or art brush saturated with water, acetone or rubbing alcohol to get into those corners. You’ll have to see which one works better for you.
I’ve found cleaning the underside with rubbing alcohol and a Q-tip brand cotton swab to be very helpful when preparing to polish my nails.
Also, using the Fab 5 Polish Wrap—2 basecoat wraps, 2 color coats, and 1 topcoat wrap—really helps keep the dirt away. Dirt just doesn’t stick to polish the way it does to the natural nail.
Cover Up
Since you’ve had this your entire life Stephanie, then it’s just the way your nails are. Since we’re all different, sometimes it can be frustrating when nature hasn’t blessed us with “picture perfect nails”.
Of course you can always cover your nails with colored polish.
You can also use polishes to “recreate” the natural look you are looking for.
This is something that my Mom has started doing since she has always had “very off-white” tips. After sampling every white and french pink polish I own, she was able to find the perfect combination. That’s a good perk when you’re related to a polish nut. 😀
Ophilie at Tartofraises has created a great video showing how to do a soft french manicure to make your nails look “more natural”.
For you Stephanie, I would recommend a more solid pink tone over your basecoat, then the white on the tips.
Hope this helps! ~Ana
Hey Ana I’m still wondering about the question I asked a while ago. Is it ok or not ok to file the sides of your nails. I’ve read that you should never ever, but am wondering what you know about this.
Sorry about letting this slip Jen! Honestly, I haven’t figured out why this advice is out there. I file my side edges.
The reasoning behind the advice is that you need more of your curve to add strength. This may be true for some people.
Personally, I have extremely curved nails. If I don’t file the sides, then my nails curl in so much that the corners easily break.
They also seem more prone to side tears, which goes against the wisdom of adding strength. I think my unfiled edges catch on more things and tear.
My Mom has flatter nails and if she doesn’t file the sides to make her nails a round pointed shape, then she bites the corners.
I only use a high grit file on the sides (crystal, 400 or higher). It’s very easy to file too much away. Just go slowly and file in one direction as much as possible. ~Ana
I am completely obsessed with cleaning dirt out from under my nails. With metal files, toothpicks, and even my other nails! The areas where my nails are see through are also weaker. I’ll be off to Sally’s tomorrow for a nail brush and will throw away all my metal files to avoid temptation!
Your advice is so helpful and informative. I feel like after reading your posts I can share your wisdom with others and tell them WHY. Something you rarely get from other nail bloggers. Thank you!