Mastering The Art Of Nail Filing: Direction Matters

Nail experts recommend filing your nails in one direction from the side of the nail to the center of the nail with short strokes. This is because sawing back and forth will shorten your nails and cause the nail layers to split. Filing in one direction blends the nail layers and promotes nail growth.

File in one direction from the side of the nail to the center

When filing your nails, it is important to file in one direction to avoid damaging the nail. Filing back and forth across the entire nail tip can damage the nail. Start from one of the outside corners and file toward the center. Don’t file your nail past the tip of your finger, which may cause injury to your finger or damage to the nail. When you achieve the desired length and shape on one side, file from the opposite corner toward the center. Go slowly. If you file too fast, you’ll take off too much nail too quickly, which makes it hard to achieve a desired shape.

Don't file back and forth across the entire nail tip

Don't file your nail back and forth across the entire nail tip because it can damage the nail. Instead, file in one direction from the side of the nail to the center of the nail with short strokes. Start from one of the outside corners and file toward the center. When you achieve the desired length and shape on one side, file from the opposite corner toward the center. Go slowly and don't file too fast because it can take off too much nail too quickly, which makes it hard to achieve a desired shape.

Don't file past the tip of your finger

Don't file your nail past the tip of your finger, which may cause injury to your finger or damage to the nail.

When you file, don’t take your day’s stress out on your nails, do it gently. Imagine yourself playing a tiny violin at the tip of your finger. But rather than playing the violin, you’re gently shaping in one direction with the hand file. Sawing back and forth will shorten your nails and cause those nail layers to split. Filing in one direction actually blends those layers and promotes nail growth.

Hold your fingers toward your face. You can do this by making a half-fist, with the underside of your wrist facing up and nails bent toward your face. Start from one of the outside corners and file toward the center. Don’t file back and forth across the entire nail tip because it can damage the nail.

When you achieve the desired length and shape on one side, file from the opposite corner toward the center. Go slowly. If you file too fast, you’ll take off too much nail too quickly, which makes it hard to achieve a desired shape.

Hold your fingers toward your face

When you file your nails, it's important to do so in one direction to avoid shortening or damaging them. Sawing back and forth can split the nail layers and cause injury to your finger.

To hold your fingers toward your face, make a half-fist with the underside of your wrist facing up and nails bent toward your face. Start from one of the outside corners and file toward the center.

When you achieve the desired length and shape on one side, file from the opposite corner toward the center. Go slowly to avoid taking off too much nail too quickly.

If you have long nails, the process of filing them is slightly different than how you would file shorter nails. If you want to get rid of extra length, cut the nail before filing. Think of the nail in two sections: the right and the left.

Start from one of the outside corners

When filing your nails, it's important to file in one direction to blend the nail layers and promote nail growth. Sawing back and forth will shorten your nails and cause the nail layers to split.

To start filing your nails, hold your fingers toward your face by making a half-fist, with the underside of your wrist facing up and nails bent toward your face. Start from one of the outside corners and file toward the center. Don’t file back and forth across the entire nail tip because it can damage the nail.

When you achieve the desired length and shape on one side, file from the opposite corner toward the center. Go slowly and don’t file too fast because it will take off too much nail too quickly, making it hard to achieve a desired shape.

Don’t file your nail past the tip of your finger, which may cause injury to your finger or damage to the nail. Buff your nails to give them a smooth finish by pulling it across the top of the nail in unidirectional strokes.

Frequently asked questions