Most of us have, at some point, accidentally trimmed our nails too short. According to Healthline, trimming your nails every one to two weeks helps maintain a specific length. However, this regular routine can occasionally result in an unexpected mishap, and once you over-clip, there’s no turning back. Hopefully, your nails will grow back quickly to rectify the mistake over time. In the meantime, here’s what you should do.
The newly exposed skin around your nails may throb and feel a bit raw. More importantly, you should focus on protecting your skin and nails from infection. “I would suggest soaking your hands in warm water with a small slice of lemon a couple of times a day to keep your nails clean,” advises Amy Ling Lin, founder of a nail care brand and studio called Sundays in New York City, to Well+Good. “Lemon is a natural antibacterial and antiseptic — however, I wouldn’t recommend using too many lemon slices, as it might cause your fingers to sting.”
Keep your focus and invest in the right nail products
Keeping the skin around your newly clipped nails healthy is crucial to preventing infection. However, you’ll likely want to address the irritation caused by an accidental over-clip. “Since your cuticle will be weak or improperly removed, try rubbing a natural cuticle oil such as jojoba oil,” Lin told Well+Good. “It’s very moisturizing and a mild solution to help relieve pain without irritation. You can apply it several times a day.” By treating your mishap and soothing the irritation, you should be able to continue with your daily activities.
So, how can you prevent this from happening again? First, avoiding an over-clip involves maintaining focus while clipping. It’s easy to get distracted during such a repetitive task. Healthline also suggests investing in high-quality nail-cutting tools to prevent snagging. Accidentally cutting your nails too short does require some extra nail care, but with the right amount of TLC and proper equipment, you should be able to avoid this mishap in the future.
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