Why You Should Think Twice Before Sharing Nail Clippers, According to a Dermatologist

Nail grooming always reminds me of my mom. Throughout my childhood, she trimmed our nails with the mini stainless steel cuticle scissors she kept tucked in a makeup bag in her purse. I loved how meticulously she cut mine, although my sister and brother weren’t always as eager for our weekly appointment on the couch.

Years (and years) later, the routine in my own household looks pretty similar. I cut my kids’ nails on our couch, using the same mint green pair of baby-safe clippers for both. And while I look forward to my monthly nail appointment, in a pinch, I’ll borrow their clippers—or my husband’s—to touch up my own. So I was taken aback when Thea Green, MBE, founder of Nails.INC, recently told me never to share nail tools—even with family members. Was this overly cautious advice or a hygiene rule I’d been unknowingly breaking for decades? I asked Green and board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, to explain the risks—and how to keep our family’s nail-care habits a little cleaner.

Meet Our Expert

• Mona Gohara, clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine

Why Sharing Nail Clippers Is Riskier Than You Think

Sharing clippers can mean sharing more than a grooming tool. “They can pick up bacteria and fungi, which can then be transferred from one person to another,” says Green. “Even if someone’s nails look perfectly healthy, they could still be carrying an infection without any obvious signs.” Tiny cuts around the nail can give those germs a way in, she adds.

Gohara doesn’t sugarcoat what could be hitching a ride: “Wart viruses (eww), staph from nose-picking, even E. coli from poorly washed bathroom hands—yes, poopy anus germs.” Suddenly, borrowing my husband’s clippers feels a lot less convenient.

And before you insist that everyone in your household has perfectly clean-looking nails, Gohara has a reminder: “Looking clean isn’t a background check.”

Yes, Everyone Should Have Their Own Pair

If your household has one pair of clippers that lives in the bathroom drawer, both experts recommend changing that setup. “Everyone gets their own; ‘for better or worse’ needn’t include someone else’s staph,” says Gohara. Consider that permission to stop lending yours to your spouse.

Green also recommends separate clippers for fingernails and toenails. “Toenails are particularly worth being careful with, as fungal infections are more common on the feet,” she says.

What about borrowing a pair just once to fix a snag? “One properly disinfected emergency borrow is less concerning than a family germ subscription, but neither is risk-free,” says Gohara. The easiest habit is to keep a personal set handy.

Clean Your Clippers—Even If You’re the Only One Using Them

Having your own tools doesn’t mean you can skip cleaning them. Start by washing metal clippers with soap and water to remove nail debris, then dry them, says Green. Next comes disinfection.

“Wash and dry, then thoroughly wet surfaces and hinges with 70% isopropyl alcohol for its labeled disinfection time before air-drying,” says Gohara. Choose a product suitable for the tool and follow its instructions, adds Green. A quick swipe over the blades isn’t the same as thoroughly treating the surfaces and hinges.

If you’ve been sharing for years, you don’t need to toss a perfectly good pair. “No family meeting required: clean and disinfect an intact metal pair, then make it monogamous,” says Gohara. Replace clippers that are rusty, dull, damaged, or too difficult to clean properly.

Keep Files, Buffers, and Cuticle Tools Personal, Too

The same no-sharing rule applies to the rest of your manicure kit. Gohara says to be especially mindful of nippers and scissors that can nick skin, along with porous files and buffers that can’t be reliably disinfected.

“Metal tools can be cleaned and disinfected, and glass files are brilliant because they’re washable and long-lasting,” says Green. Buffers, however, are porous and difficult to disinfect properly, so she advises against sharing them. Replace them when they’re worn or damaged.

Give Everyone’s Tools Their Own Home

Once your tools are clean, let them dry completely before putting them away. “Moisture can cause metal tools to rust and damage their cutting edges,” says Green.

A separate pouch or compartment for each person makes it easier to keep everything organized. Avoid mixing clean tools with dirty ones, which can contaminate them again, says Gohara.

“I love the idea of everyone having their own little manicure pouch or case, stored somewhere clean and dry,” says Green. Looks like our weekly couch appointments will now come with assigned equipment. Sure, it’s a few extra steps, but keeping someone else’s germs out of my manicure feels worth it.

Read the original article on Real Simple