To Trim or Not to Trim?

It’s the age-old manicure question: Do you get a cuticle trim? “In general, you shouldn’t trim cuticles,” says New Orleans dermatologist Mary Lupo, M.D. “If they’re too short or lifted away from the nail, it allows bacteria, yeast and fungus to infect the nail bed.” What’s more, too much trimming actually makes cuticles look worse in the long run. “If you cut off too much of the cuticle, they’ll look good for one or two days, but then they’ll peel and get ragged again,” says New York City manicurist Jin Soon Choi.
MORE: Trimming vs. Pushing Your Cuticles