Cuticle Care With Cannabis: Here’s What to Know

Cuticle care probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of beauty, but you notice when it’s done right — or when it’s not done at all. Few things make your nails pop like a neat, well-groomed set of cuticles. And strange as it sounds, cannabis can help.

But first, what exactly are cuticles? The short answer: a thin layer of dead skin that rests between the nail bed/nail plate and the body of the finger or toe. They protect the nail bed and the skin surrounding it from invading bacteria, fungi, and potential infections. So, removing them completely is not a good idea. But these little strips of dead skin can grow to be quite long and unsightly, so minimizing them is a popular technique.

Typically, manicures and pedicures involve the nail technician soaking the cuticle in warm water so that it softens, and then pushing it back gently with a tool so that it is less visible. Sometimes, the cuticles are cut with a special type of tiny scissors called a cuticle remover, but this opens the skin and nail up to infections, so it should be avoided when possible. Instead, it’s best to ask your nail technician not to cut your cuticles but to soak your hands and feet thoroughly and gently push them back instead.

But cuticle care doesn’t end when you walk out the door of your favourite nail salon. Using the right products at home can keep your nails and cuticles in their best condition between appointments. Enter cannabis.

Cannabis isn’t necessarily something you’d associate with cuticle care, but it’s becoming a widely used ingredient in skin care products these days thanks to the many medicinal properties that the plant contains. And these same properties can help your cuticles, too.

Why Cannabis Is Good for Your Cuticles

Cannabis plants are packed with fatty acids that are essential for soft, supple skin. These acids aren’t produced naturally in the body, so we have to get them through our diet. Usually, foods like oily fish and nuts are recommended to make sure we’re getting enough fatty acids, but studies now show that cannabis is an excellent natural source. By using cannabis, you can boost your fatty acid intake and improve the quality and condition of your skin as a result, including your cuticles.

Cannabis also helps to keep the skin soft by supporting the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This is a vast network of receptors located throughout the body — including in the central nervous system. These receptors are triggered by chemicals produced in the body (called endocannabinoids), but researchers have discovered that the chemicals in cannabis (called cannabinoids) can trigger them in much the same way.

There are over a hundred different cannabinoids in cannabis plants, including cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These compounds work with the ECS to regulate the skin and keep it at its softest. Softer, more supple cuticles will be much easier to push back and minimize, so cannabis could help you keep them tidy, giving your fingers and toes a more attractive appearance.

Finally, cannabis can help with cuticle care by providing antibacterial and antifungal protection to the area, which is so susceptible to infection. Studies show that cannabis fights off bacteria and fungi effectively and can be used as a preventative measure to avoid infections developing.

The best way to use cannabis in your cuticle care practice is to combine CBD manicures and pedicures every eight weeks or so with using cannabis-infused topical products regularly at home (if you’re feeling adventurous, you could try your hand at a CBD spa night. CBD manicures and pedicures involve using infused cuticle oils, lotions, and even nail polish to give the skin and nails some extra attention. To get the best possible results from your home cuticle care practice, make sure that your CBD products contain organic full spectrum CBD oil.