It is considered advisable to file your nails once the white part of your nail, its tip, has grown a minimum of 3mm or an eighth of an inch from where the white part starts. It is thought that if you file your nails before that point, they can become weak.
Should you allow the nail tip to grow longer than 3mm or an eighth of an inch, your nail is likely to break. It is better to file your nails from the corner to the entre in one direction, rather than from side to side.
Selecting a Nail File
It is better to avoid metal nail files as they are harsh on your nails and even split them, depending on how strong your nails are.
A wrong swipe and you will have ruined your nail shape. Manicurists recommend a gentle, straight nail file which will be gentle on your nails and not damage them in any way should you swipe it in a wrong way.
Shaping Nails
There are several ways in which you can define the shape of your nails. Lots of people wish to have square nails as they consider them to be stronger than oval nails. This is an incorrect belief as, should you shape your nails in a correct manner, each nail shape is as strong as another.
If you have cuticles which are oval-shaped at the base, the square look ought to work for you. However, should you have a pointed cuticle; the oval shaped nail ought to work for you.