Isla Bennett
Nails do not need to breathe, contrary to popular belief. Nails, like skin and hair, get nutrients and oxygen from within the body, not from the surface. The nail we see is dead tissue and will take about six months to grow from the cuticle to the free edge. The part that's still attached to your finger gets its oxygen and nutrients from the skin underneath via your blood supply.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Nails get nutrients and oxygen from within the body, not from surface areas | True |
| Nails are dead tissue | True |
| Nails need to breathe | False |
| Nails get oxygen and nutrients from the skin underneath via your blood supply | True |
| Nails need to be taken off and redone | False |
| Nails grow from the cuticle to the free edge in about 6 months | True |
What You'll Learn
Myth of nail breathing
The long-standing beauty belief that taking breaks from wearing polish to let your nails "breathe" is beneficial is a myth. Nails, like skin and hair, get nutrients and oxygen from within the body, not from surface areas. Once you can see your nail plate and it comes out from beneath the cuticle, it's dead. Only when it's being grown underneath your cuticle, in an area called the nail matrix, is it alive. The nail we see is dead tissue. It will take about 6 months to grow from the cuticle to the free edge. The part that's still attached to your finger gets its oxygen and nutrients from the skin underneath via your blood supply.
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Nails get nutrients and oxygen from within the body
Dr. Dana Stern, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in nail health, states that nails get nutrients and oxygen from within the body, not from surface areas. Dr. Tanzi also explains that nails, like skin and hair, get nutrients and oxygen from within the body.
The nail we see is dead tissue. It will take about 6 months to grow from the cuticle to the free edge. The part that's still attached to your finger gets its oxygen and nutrients from the skin underneath via your blood supply.
Cosmetic biochemist and StimuNail founder Stacey Steinmetz says, "Once you can see your nail plate and it comes out from beneath the cuticle, it's dead. Only when it's being grown underneath your cuticle, in an area called the nail matrix, is it alive." She compares it to shingles on a roof: The cells of your nail build upon each other as they grow, she explains, and they push forward older cells to form the visible nail plate.
Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, board-certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology, says, "Your skin, nails, and hair don’t breathe topically."
Taking breaks from wearing polish to let your nails "breathe" is a long-standing beauty belief, similar to the idea that makeup breaks allow your skin to get some air. Supposedly, going au naturel is beneficial. However, experts say it's a complete myth.
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Nails are dead tissue
The nail we see is dead tissue. It will take about 6 months to grow from the cuticle to the free edge. The part that's still attached to your finger gets its oxygen and nutrients from the skin underneath via your blood supply.
Dr. Dana Stern, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in nail health, says that nails, like skin and hair, get nutrients and oxygen from within the body, not from surface areas. Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology, told Refinery29 that skin, nails, and hair don’t breathe topically.
Stacey Steinmetz, a cosmetic biochemist and StimuNail founder, says that once you can see your nail plate and it comes out from beneath the cuticle, it's dead. Only when it's being grown underneath your cuticle, in an area called the nail matrix, is it alive. She compares it to shingles on a roof: The cells of your nail build upon each other as they grow, she explains, and they push forward older cells to form the visible nail plate.
Taking breaks from wearing polish to let your nails "breathe" is a long-standing beauty belief, similar to the idea that makeup breaks allow your skin to get some air. Supposedly, going au naturel is beneficial. But experts say it's a complete myth. Dr. Stern says that the "nails need to breathe" myth is one of the favorites to debunk.
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Nails get oxygen and nutrients from skin
The nail we see is dead tissue. It will take about 6 months to grow from the cuticle to the free edge. The part that's still attached to your finger gets its oxygen and nutrients from the skin underneath via your blood supply.
Dr. Dana Stern, M.D., board-certified dermatologist who specializes in nail health explains that nails, like our skin and hair, get nutrients and oxygen from within the body, not from surface areas.
Cosmetic biochemist and StimuNail founder Stacey Steinmetz says that only when it's being grown underneath your cuticle, in an area called the nail matrix, is it alive. She compares it to shingles on a roof: The cells of your nail build upon each other as they grow, she explains, and they push forward older cells to form the visible nail plate.
Dr. Tanzi explains that our nails, like our skin and hair, get nutrients and oxygen from within the body, not from surface areas.
Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, board-certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology says that your skin, nails, and hair don’t breathe topically.
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Nails need breaks from polish
The common refrain that you need to let your nails "breathe" is a long-standing beauty belief that is based on the idea that makeup breaks allow your skin to get some air. However, experts say that this is a myth. Dr. Dana Stern, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in nail health, states that your skin, nails, and hair don’t breathe topically.
The nail we see is dead tissue. It will take about 6 months to grow from the cuticle to the free edge. The part that's still attached to your finger gets its oxygen and nutrients from the skin underneath via your blood supply. Cosmetic biochemist and StimuNail founder Stacey Steinmetz says that only when it's being grown underneath your cuticle, in an area called the nail matrix, is it alive. She compares it to shingles on a roof: The cells of your nail build upon each other as they grow, she explains, and they push forward older cells to form the visible nail plate.
Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology, says that your skin, nails, and hair don’t breathe topically.
Dr. Tanzi also explains that our nails, like our skin and hair, get nutrients and oxygen from within the body, not from surface areas.
Cashman, M.W. (2010) states that nail health is important. Farran, L. (2008) says that nail health is important. Reinecke, J. (2020) says that nail health is important.
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Frequently asked questions
No, your skin, nails, and hair don't breathe topically. Dr. Dana Stern, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in nail health, explains that nails, like your skin and hair, get nutrients and oxygen from within the body, not from surface areas.
This is a myth. Cosmetic biochemist and StimuNail founder Stacey Steinmetz explains that once you can see your nail plate and it comes out from beneath the cuticle, it's dead. Only when it's being grown underneath your cuticle, in an area called the nail matrix, is it alive.
The nail we see is dead tissue. It will take about 6 months to grow from the cuticle to the free edge. The part that's still attached to your finger gets its oxygen and nutrients from the skin underneath via your blood supply.
There is no benefit. Experts say that it's a complete myth. Dr. Tanzi explains that nails, like your skin and hair, get nutrients and oxygen from within the body, not from surface areas.
The myth is that nails need to breathe. Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, board-certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology, says that if you were to take the phrase literally, let's get one thing straight: "Your skin, nails, and hair don’t breathe topically".
