Independently: how to fix the shape of nails at home

Not every nail shape requires a trip to the salon to achieve the ideal look. You can design your nails in the comfort of your own home with the correct equipment and a little perseverance.

The first step is to comprehend the fundamentals of various nail shapes, such as almond, square, and oval. Every shape has a distinct appearance and complements particular nail lengths and styles better than others.

Having well-groomed nails can greatly impact one’s ability to keep one’s appearance tidy. It also keeps your nails healthy and helps avoid breaking. You can effortlessly maintain the best possible nail appearance at all times with a few easy techniques.

Is it possible to change the shape of the nails?

You should determine the shape of your fingernails before attempting to rectify their shape. Obviously, this time we are discussing the natural shape of the nail rather than the shape applied to the free tip during a manicure. In actuality, the following elements combine to form the nail’s natural shape:

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• The nail bed on which the plate rests, and which feeds it. It is its length that determines the overall impression of the beauty of the nails. A long oblong bed with a curved arch in profile and in section of the nail plate always looks advantageous and impressive. However, few can boast of such a bed structure. For many, it is shortened or not long enough; often flat or has an uneven bend. And few people realize that they themselves are to blame for this condition. Cutting the plates too short, scraping off dirt under the nails with metal spatulas, and thus each time peeling the nail off the nail bed. The nail bed becomes shorter, as a result of the plate they lose valuable nutrition. The same result can be caused by the habit of “eating” nails to the flesh.

An improper method of removing the gel coating from the nails can also ruin the shape of the nail. The coating must be filed off or peeled off from the nails with a metal spatula if the polymer layer is removed without the use of a special liquid or is not used for a sufficient amount of time. This will eventually cause the plate to separate from the nail bed and shorten it. Three to six months may pass before it completely regains its previous shape.

• Lateral ridges are skin growths that clamp the nail on the sides. The ideal option is considered to be an even parallel arrangement of the ridges along the plate. The width between them should be approximately 1.5 times narrower than the width of the nail bed, but at the same time wide enough. An excessively wide arrangement of the side rollers makes the plates flat and wide, too small a distance, on the contrary, makes the nails excessively narrow. Naturally, the width of the plate depends on genetic characteristics. But a number of factors – improper nail trimming, injuries, ingrown nails, the same biting of the plates – can lead to both increased granulation of tissues along the plates, and their visual narrowing, and, on the contrary, to the divergence of the ridges to the sides in the upper part of the nail bed, giving them trapezoidal outlines.
• The cuticle is the skin located near the base of the nail and protecting it from injury and infection. The cuticle can vary in thickness and shape. It can be round, square, rectangular trapezoidal, beveled. The cuticle and its configuration are also determined genetically, but it can be “disciplined” by setting the shape during a manicure. Ideally, the cuticle should have rounded outlines or have a rectangular shape. This is the option that makes the nails more elongated and beautiful.
• Nail plate. Its thickness is also determined by hereditary factors. However, even the strongest nails can be damaged. Constant contact with aggressive chemicals, poor-quality manicure, environmental influences – all this leads to thinning and weakening of the plate. As a result, as it grows, it begins to bend inward, or even break off, without reaching the desired length.

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As you’ve probably noticed, poor manicure technique and bad habits frequently cause someone to ruin the shape of their nails. This brings us to our conclusion: good manicures and proper maintenance can both alter the shape of your nails and undo the effects of having a rough attitude toward them.

Naturally, the nail’s other constituents—the matrix, lunula, and blood vessels—also have an impact on its shape, but we are powerless to alter it and it is dangerous to try. We will only talk about safe methods for fixing unsightly nail shapes.

How to change the shape of your nails at home

Let’s first examine the primary natural forms of nails before moving on to the main topic of how to rectify their shape.

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It is common to distinguish between the following five nail shapes:

• Oval. Assumes the presence of a deep nail bed, correct rounded outlines of the cuticle and parallel lateral ridges, located from each other at a width approximately 1.5 times less than its height. This is the most beautiful shape that does not require correction. However, it also needs maintenance and proper care.

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• Round. This shape is characterized by widely spaced lateral ridges, somewhat diverging towards the tip of the finger. The nail bed has approximately the same width and depth. The cuticle and outlines of the tip of the nail have a rounded shape.

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• Square. With this form, the width and depth of the nail bed have the same dimensions, or the width exceeds the length. The side rollers diverge slightly to the fingertips. The cuticle area has a straight or beveled line with angular outlines.

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• The rectangular shape is characterized by a deep nail bed, a narrow nail plate. Side rollers go parallel to each other. The cuticle can have both soft rounded and straight angular outlines. This form with competent care looks quite attractive and with rare exceptions does not need to be corrected.

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• Trapezoidal form. One of the most difficult in terms of correction and in terms of creating a beautiful manicure. This form has a very narrow base of the nail bed and a wide fan -shaped divergence of side rollers with the formation of a wide tip of the nail. The cuticle can have both rounded outlines and a beveled shape.

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With the exception of oval and rectangular shapes, none of these forms are always aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, each expert manicurer attempts to provide the other options with the outline of a "rectangle" or "oval." The nails will eventually become "disciplined" by consistent and skillful correction, and they will eventually develop nearly perfect outlines. You could follow a similar process. We’ll walk you through how to trim your nails at home.

So, a well-done and regular manicure will help, albeit not dramatically, but still correct the shape of the nails. So let"s say, how to correct the trapezoid shape of nails? To do this, you must, first of all, give up the habit of biting your nails or cutting the plates too short. They are the ones that lead to the formation of this shape. Cut your nails, leaving a small area of ​​​​the free tip of the nail. You should also narrow the free area of ​​​​the nail as much as possible to the side ridges. And try to free the nails from under them. To do this, just file the side faces of the nails a bit already from their natural width. The cuticle should be regularly pushed back at the lower side edges to the base with an orange stick.

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As a result, the nail folds that are not compressed by the free edge will gradually get thinner. Additionally, the section will give the nail itself an arched outline. By continuously adjusting the cuticle, you can gradually make the nails closer to the "oval’s" outlines and widen the border at the base of the nail bed.

Regarding the square and round shapes, it’s critical to "win back" the cuticle’s length in the nail bed. This can be achieved by periodically pushing it back to the base and promptly removing any overgrown tissue.

Except in cases where the cuticle is removed by hardware, all cuticle manipulations should be performed on tissue that has softened. Moistening it should be the last step in all procedures. Make it a habit to feed it with special oil or regular hand cream every day. In this manner, it will grow more slowly and appear well-maintained and healthy.

Narrowing the nail plate should be worked on concurrently with the "conquest" of new areas in the cuticle area. To achieve this, you should file the side edges of the nails slightly narrower than their natural width, just like you would with trapezoid nails, in order to release the side edges of the nail as much as possible from the side ridges.

Even following one of these procedures, the nails will still appear appealing. Regular manicures will help the nails become accustomed to their new shape over time. While they may not become the perfect "almond," they will undoubtedly resemble one. Furthermore, a well-designed layout usually helps you forget that your old plates were big and ugly.

With the right tools and a little practice, you can easily fix the shape of your nails at home. You can effortlessly maintain tidy, well-groomed nails that go with your style if you know what kind of nails you have and the shape you want them to take on.

Maintaining your nails’ health and best appearance can be achieved by routinely filing, moisturizing, and trimming them. Remember to exercise caution throughout the procedure to prevent any harm or discomfort.

Recall that little attention goes a long way. You don’t need to visit a professional salon to have beautiful nails if you have patience and the appropriate attitude.

Using the correct tools and techniques, nail shape correction at home can be a quick and enjoyable process. Save time and money by doing salon-quality nails at home with a few simple steps like filing in one direction, selecting the proper nail shape for your hands, and using high-quality products.

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