A nail file can be a woman’s best friend and is oftentimes a handbag staple.

You might even decide to touch up each finger.

Why not, since the file is already in hand, right?

Woman filing her nails

If you file your nails on a daily basis, are youhelping your nails or hurting them?

Scientists believe they may have the answer and it’s not what you think.

However, there are ways to maintain nail perfection without causing too much long-term damage.

Pink and perfect nail filing.

One way is to aim for a straight shape rather than angled or curved nails.

This leads to minimal stress.

It might be tempting to use a back and forth motion when filing your nails.

Woman filing red nails

It feels natural and seems more quick and efficient, butCosmopolitaninsists that’s not the way to do it.

“This gives your nail more flexibility, which leads to less breakage,” Poole toldCosmopolitan.