Let's settle this: Cuticle nippers vs. scissors for nail prep?

I've been doing nails for about 3 years now, and I'm still torn on which tool is better for pushing back and trimming cuticles. I started with scissors, the little curved ones, and felt like I had more control around the nail plate. But after I sliced a customer's eponychium last summer in Mesa, I switched to nippers. Now I feel like I'm faster, but I still nick the proximal fold sometimes. My coworker swears by scissors and says nippers just tear the skin. What's your go-to and why? Do you think one is objectively safer or is it all about technique?

2 comments

2 Comments

cole_mitchell820d ago

Three years in Mesa myself, 2018 to be exact, and I'm on the opposite side of this fence. I started with nippers and switched to scissors after I tore a hangnail too deep and ended up with blood under the table. Those little curved scissors let me see exactly where the blade is going, and with nippers I feel like I'm guessing on the angle. Maybe it's just my grip strength, but I've noticed way less bleeding and swelling around the proximal fold since I made the change. Have you tried using a different brand of nippers or is your coworker consistent with the same scissors she started with?

wade_young8620d ago

Haven't seen blood under the table" isn't quite right. You mean under the nail right? Blood under the table would be a whole different problem. But I get what you're saying about the curve on scissors. Been using scissors for six years now. Nippers just don't give me that same control near the eponychium. The angle is way easier to judge when you can see the blade line up with the fold. Less guessing, less accidental nicks.