Long nails have a high risk of infection

Currently, long nails are a fashion trend that is extremely popular with young people, but science has shown that growing long nails has many potential risks of infection.

Specifically, according to biology professor Jefffrey Kaplan, having long nails means that the surface area for microorganisms to attach to increases. According to the latest report, researchers have found 32 different types of bacteria and 28 different types of fungi hidden under our fingernails.

Notably, whether artificial nails, natural nails or gel nails… have the ability to increase the probability of microorganisms hiding underneath. The longer the nails, the more difficult it becomes to clean them.

Both artificial and long natural nails carry the risk of infection. (Photo: BBC)

In the same study, Professor Kaplan said he found a drug-resistant bacteria – called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus – lurking in half of the nail samples studied. This type of bacteria leads to infections in the human body. “You can transfer bacteria from your nails into your body by scratching, biting your nails, sucking your nails …”, he added. Not stopping there, even though the bacteria do not enter the body, it can still lead to a nail infection that causes the nails to be deformed.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said: “There is increasing evidence that wearing artificial nails contributes to the transmission of pathogens in the healthcare sector. Healthcare workers wearing artificial nails can potentially harbor pathogens. more germs on their fingertips than people with natural nails, both before and after washing their hands.”

Dr. Cristina Psomadakis – a famous dermatologist in the UK also agrees with this view. “Long nails are the perfect hiding place for pathogens, including all kinds of viruses and bacteria,” says Dr.

This is not the first study on the infection risk of long fingernails. According to the New York Times, in 1997-1998, a hospital in Oklahoma City (USA) investigated an outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa – a bacteria commonly acquired in hospital environments. Accordingly, epidemiologists have found a link between the bacteria hiding under long fingernails and many infant deaths at this hospital. The hospital then imposed a ban on long nails in the neonatal intensive care unit.

That doesn’t mean you can’t keep your nails long. For those who follow this trend, make sure that you visit your doctor regularly to avoid unnecessary infections and illnesses.

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