Why do my clients cuticles grow thicker during the winter?

Pregunta:

¿Por qué las cutículas de mis clientes se vuelven más gruesas durante el invierno? ¿Lo hacen por el frío?

Contesta:

La parte más incomprendida de la uña es la cutícula. Algunas personas se quejan de que la cutícula les crece demasiado, pero en realidad no es así. Confunden la cutícula con el pliegue ungueal proximal. Es fácil hacerlo, incluso los médicos y los científicos están confundidos con este tema. Esto es lo que se sabe y se entiende actualmente.

This answer contains recently updated information about nail anatomy that I’ve obtained from leading dermatologists and pathologists.

1. The cuticle is attached directly to the nail plate. If what you are looking at is a thin layer of tissue directly attached to nail plate only; it is the cuticle. The cuticle rides the nail plate and comes from the underside of the living skin and is created by very thin layer of specialized tissue called “eponychium”.

2. The proximal nail fold is the living skin at the base fingernail. Any visible skin permanently attached to the proximal nail fold is not cuticle.

3. Si la piel está adherida tanto a la placa ungueal como al pliegue ungueal proximal, en realidad sólo forma parte del pliegue ungueal proximal, y no es la cutícula.

4. When the proximal nail fold is cut or damaged, it will grow thicker to protect itself. This isn’t an overgrowth of the cuticle; it’s a hardening and thickening of the proximal nail fold. This happens for the same reason that the foot develops a thicker callus when the skin is subjected to increased pressure or rubbing.

5. The cuticle will not grow back thicker when removed from the nail plate; nor will it grow thicker during the cold season. The cuticle can’t grow, because it is dead tissue. It is shed from the eponychium and rides the nail plate as it moves toward the free edge. Why? To serve as a seal to prevent infectious organisms from getting under the skin or into the nail matrix area.

6. La cutícula no sangra al cortarla, está muerta y no tiene riego sanguíneo, ya que está desprendida de la piel viva y adherida a la placa ungueal.

7. Si el tejido sangra cuando se recorta demasiado, esto forma parte del pliegue ungueal proximal y no es la cutícula.

8. If the cuticle and proximal nail fold seem to merge together and become “overgrown”, this is usually caused by damage or injury to the living eponychium, often as a disease condition or some other unknown issue. This type of tissue is pterygium, which is an abnormal growth of skin.

In these cases, when the nail professional trims off this dry, crusty skin this can cause the proximal nail fold to grow back faster to protect itself from this injury. That’s why the best solution is to avoid cutting the skin. Instead, treat hardened tissue with high quality nail oil and repeat this daily. Also, performing weekly hot oil treatments will help a lot. After thirty to forty days, this dry crusty-looking skin will begin to flake off and eventually will disappear to reveal the healthy tissue underneath. Do not cut or remove the hardened layer on the proximal nail fold, it will just make matters worse- just like a dog chasing its own tail!

Comprender el pterigión: Más allá de las ideas erróneas sobre la placa ungueal

I’d also like to add this about the term pterygium. Contrary to what some teach, this is not another name for the dead tissue on the nail plate. Pterygium is a medical condition that occurs on different parts of the body, including eyes and fingernails. In general, the term is used to describe any wing-like and triangular-shaped tissue on the neck, eyes, elbow, knees, ankles or fingers. The word comes from the Greek word for wing and refers only to abnormal growths of skin that are stretched into a wing-like shape.

Pterygium commonly occurs on the eyeballs of people exposed to lots of sunlight or wind. This explains why those who surf or fish on the ocean are sometimes affected. It can occur on the nail plate, but is considered an abnormal medical condition often caused by burns, serious injury, damage, disease and possibly allergic reactions. Cuticle tissue is normal and is not an abnormal growth, so it can’t be pterygium.

Terminología correcta de la anatomía ungueal

This term and others are creating confusion in the industry. I know, everyone is confused. But as research continues and new information is learned, slowly the facts are emerging. For clarity’s sake, my recommendation is that all educators and manufacturers only use the word “pterygium” to describe abnormal stretching of the proximal nail fold or the hyponychium. I don’t fault any company that’s confused about this issue, but I would encourage them to research and teach the facts. It’s time to move past the use of incorrect terminology. It’s time for change and all responsible companies should help to lead the way. It’s a new day and we should all be doing our best to always use the correct terminology when describing the natural nail. You have my commitment to continue researching new discoveries and passing that information on to nail professionals.

Preguntas más frecuentes (FAQ)

1. Why do my clients’ cuticles grow thicker during the winter? Are they doing that because of the cold weather?

Answer: No, the cuticle does not grow thicker during the winter. The cuticle is actually dead tissue that sheds from the eponychium and rides the nail plate. It cannot grow back thicker. However, the proximal nail fold, which is the living skin at the base of the fingernail, may appear thicker due to the cold weather. When the proximal nail fold is cut or damaged, it thickens to protect itself, similar to how the foot develops calluses under pressure.

2. ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la cutícula y el pliegue ungueal proximal?

Answer: The cuticle is a thin layer of tissue directly attached to the nail plate. It comes from the underside of the living skin and is created by a specialized tissue called “eponychium.” On the other hand, the proximal nail fold is the living skin at the base of the fingernail that is not permanently attached to the nail plate. It is often mistaken for the cuticle but is a separate part of the nail anatomy.

3. ¿Tiene la cutícula riego sanguíneo? ¿Sangrará si se corta?

Respuesta: La cutícula no tiene riego sanguíneo, ya que está separada de la piel viva y adherida a la lámina ungueal. Por lo tanto, no sangra cuando se corta. Si se produce una hemorragia, es probable que proceda del pliegue ungueal proximal, no de la cutícula.

4. ¿Puede eliminarse o recortarse la capa endurecida del pliegue ungueal proximal?

Respuesta: Lo mejor es evitar cortar o extirpar la capa endurecida del pliegue ungueal proximal. Este tejido endurecido, conocido como pterigión, es un crecimiento anormal de la piel causado a menudo por daños, lesiones o enfermedades. En su lugar, tratarlo con aceite de uñas de alta calidad y realizar tratamientos semanales con aceite caliente puede ayudar a suavizar y mejorar su estado con el tiempo.

5. ¿Qué es el pterigión y qué relación tiene con la cutícula?

Respuesta: El pterigión es una afección médica caracterizada por crecimientos anormales de tejido en forma de ala y triangular. Aunque puede aparecer en la lámina ungueal, no es sinónimo de cutícula. El pterigión suele estar asociado a quemaduras, lesiones graves, daños, enfermedades o, posiblemente, reacciones alérgicas. En cambio, el tejido de la cutícula es una parte normal de la uña y no un crecimiento anormal.