Happy New Year guys.
So, never really thought this could impact tickling, but in the last year and a half, (I think as a result of) my nails, I'm noticing getting skin issues with like irritation. And I'm kind of concerned if I get more opportunities to tickle (ha ha, if the types I'm talking with care), that it may be an issue.
At the height of my tickling days, I used to just file the crap out of my nails and keep being people.
Lately, in the last 3 years, working in a tech warehousing profession, I'm not only busy to the point I (comparatively) grow claws, I don't really have as much time to take great care of them, and I'm working in an environment that's abundant in cardboard and dust.
Does this cross anyone's mind or am I just overthinking it?
I’m not sure if your primary concern is more aesthetics, avoiding discomfort for yourself, or avoiding discomfort for others, but I’ll try to give a few thoughts I have. I also have nail issues from time to time due to various work and projects where I use my hands heavily, and the nails and surrounding skin sometimes take damage (the cuticles especially in the cold, dry weather.
Firstly, nails and the surrounding skin dries out very easily when exposed to dry air, water, soap, dust, etc. coating the nails and surrounding skin (the whole fingertip really). Make sure you are using a gentle hydrating liquid hand soap for sensitive skin. These are usually not soap in the technical sense and contain synthetic surfactants that can be formulated to work well without drying the hands nearly as much. As soon as you are able after working, wash your hands with that kind of soap to remove dust, microbes, and irritants. After drying well with a towel, use a hand cream or even a light amount of argan oil or fractionated coconut oil (not the same thing as just coconut oil) to keep the skin hydrated until bed. You can apply those as often as you need. Right before going to bed, apply some thick sealant like a Vaseline product or Aquafor to each fingertip including the nail and all the surrounding skin. That will seal in a lot of moisture and help the skin and nail stay moist throughout the night. Don’t do this to your toenails (or even your hands) if you are prone to any kind of fungal infections—just use a hand/foot cream instead. If calluses are a problem around the nail, you can use a hand cream with a high (~40%) concentration of urea, which drawls moisture into the skin and helps dead skin exfoliate over time.
If brittle nails are a problem, watch your diet. Regular Adequate water, vitamin, and protein intake are vital to nail support. As people age, the needs can increase as well due to reduction in absorption efficiency. If this is an issue, it can take a long time to see results, as the nail grows from the base outward and the old nail that has already grown is largely unaffected. Either way, make a point to trim them often. It’s definitely one of those things that can slip the mind until it is too late and they look like talons, but they are going to have less issues when they are kept short. Not just because they get snagged and such on things as you work, but also they take a bunch of micro impacts to the whole nail structure which weakens the integrity over time. If you are having trouble keeping them from being sharp or scratchy, when you cut them, cut them just a bit longer than normal and use a very fine file to take them down that last little bit. The finer the file, the smoother they’ll be and the lest chance they’ll feel uncomfortable or snag on anything. Whatever you do, don’t bite them or tear off loose pieces of nail or skin. Trim them carefully and not too close to the attachment point.
Hopefully I’ve understood what you are looking for and that this is a good starting point for you. Good luck!
