In recent times, there has been an increase in the number of individuals who are experiencing nail-related anxieties as demonstrated by popular nail content creators such as Sarah Haider (@heluviee) and Jess Brush (@nailbetch).
This called “Nail anxiety,” this trend has gained considerable attention on social media sites with some TikTok videos labeled #nailanxiety having received over 20.7k views and more.
The Nail Anxiety Phenomenon
Understanding Nail Anxiety
Nail anxiety is characterized by a general unease felt during salon visits and which usually leads to disappointment when someone’s expectations are not met.
As shown by the variety of experiences reported by nail content creators, this phenomenon is not limited based on age or race.
Perfectionism in Nail Care
The desire to have perfect nails aesthetically has heightened nail anxiety. In their efforts to comply with edited images and cultural ideals of beauty, some of them especially the youth focus too much on having immaculate looking nails.
The Control Behavior
DIY Nail Routines
DIY nail routines give creators such as Jess Brush a sense of control as stated above. Unlike others who see it as something negative like Sarah Haider does, they feel anxious about their nails thus they perceive it to be impetus for being meticulous in their artistry.
Stress of Self-Criticism
However, despite full command over their nail routines, artists like Haider and Brush feel stressed or annoyed whenever they fail to achieve the pristine standards that they set for themselves at the onset or if they drop out early from one of their video tutorials because they made too many mistakes while filming them at home.
In addition, these creators’ tendency to be self-critical further intensifies the pressure on them.
Salon Anxiety and Gendered Experiences
Anxiety Surrounding Salon Processes
Some individuals suffer from generalized anxiety about the salon processes like sharp tools and cuticle cleanup.
Nail content creator Abe explains how he tried to get a drill during a visit to the salon, which made him go for minimal interference in the subsequent visits.
Gendered Nail Anxiety
Abe experiences gendered nail anxiety as a male nail artist navigating typically female-coded spaces such as nail salons.
The heightened anxiety is due to the social criticism that men with painted nails attract when they go to such places.
Movement-Restrictive Anxiety and Compulsive Habits
Anxiety Related to Nail Length
Abe, one of the nail creators, talks about his worries concerning long fingernails and what it means for his everyday life. One way of coping with restrictive movement is by cutting natural nails too short.
Compulsive Habits: Nail Biting and Picking
Compulsions of biting or picking nails are sometimes symptoms for an underlying worry or anxiousness.
Dr Dana Stern, a dermatologist as well as nail expert, points out that these habits can be treated including having regular salon manicures.
Nail Care as Mindfulness Practice
Preventing Compulsive Habits
For some people, frequent trips to the salon for manicures or simply performing at home nail chores are ways of preventing issues such as biting nails and picking them as well.
Nail artists like Haider share how maintaining well-groomed nails can help them prevent stress-induced habits.
Nail Care for Mental Well-being
Some artists including Brush and Abe regard their commitment to finger painting as a form of mindfulness practice that provides control and relief from anxiety.
Moreover, performing repetitive activities on nails has been found to have meditative qualities, hence improving mental health.
Tips to Relieve Nail Anxiety
Advocating for Yourself at the Salon
Moreover, when unsatisfied with anything about the service, nail artists advise clients to talk in an appropriate way.
As a result, the customer is not happy with the manicure; however, timely communication allows for corrections to be made before its conclusion.
Checking Nail Shape and Color During Gel Manicures
Clients who choose gel manicure should verify nail shape and polish color before any curing process takes place.
Consequently, this avoids dissatisfaction that may have resulted in case of changes after being set.
Embracing Imperfections
Embracing imperfections is encouraged by some designers, hence the sharing of “nail fails” as a means of normalizing that sometimes it’s not always perfect art on nails.
Furthermore, through embracing mistakes and finding remedies makes it easier for others to accept any nail culture.
In conclusion, given this presence of nail-associated worries, it is vital to recognize each person’s distinct experiences with nail care.
With genders or driven by perfectionism pressure resulting in distresses; mental health issues such as self-expression and mental health issues are becoming more common topics as far as gelling culture is concerned whereby people can discuss about it.
