Getting a manicure has surprising health benefits: new study

Beauty fashion

By Adriana Diaz

Book that nail appointment – ​​it’s your time to shine.

Get a manicure, especially in a living room, is a known pick-me-up. Now, researchers share a new benefit of visiting a nail salon: “superficial self-disclosure.”

According to a study, discussions about hobbies and daily life with nail technicians are linked to an increase in positive emotions, relaxation and vitalization. published in September in Frontiers in Psychology.

Further discussions, including negative personality traits and personal difficulties, had a negative outcome.

“Our research suggests that practicing salon nail care, coupled with mild self-disclosure, can positively boost a person’s psychological state,” study author Atsushi Kawakubo, associate professor at the Saitama Gakuen University in Japan, told PsyPost last week.

“This practice offers individuals a concrete way to promote their mental well-being, emphasizing the importance of self-care and the potential benefits of sharing personal thoughts in a comfortable setting,” Kawakubo added.

Researchers from two Japanese universities conducted an online survey of around 500 women aged 20 to 30.

Participants rated their emotions and attitudes during a nail care session using a four-point scale ranging from “not at all” to “very much.”

They also shared how much they discussed various topics — such as hobbies, daily life, difficult experiences, personal obstacles and negative personality traits — with the manicurist. Responses were rated on a seven-point scale.

“I became interested in this topic because of the growing body of research on the intersection of self-care practices and their impact on mental well-being,” Kawakubo told PsyPost.

“The idea that something as seemingly simple as salon nail care, combined with self-disclosure, could have a significant psychological effect intrigued me. I wanted to explore the potential of this little-studied area.

Kawakubo noted limitations of the research, including the narrow sample size and self-reported data, but hopes the findings “highlight the importance of self-care practices in our rapidly changing world.”

“Engaging in activities that allow individuals to relax, reflect and reveal themselves can be a valuable part of maintaining good mental health,” Kawakubo explained.