It might be a permanent damage.
Show business is undeniably more difficult for women to survive in, with the odds stacked higher against them. Whether it be social expectations or systematic suppression, female artists have always had to shoulder much more than their male counterparts, and a significant part of that burden comes from the strict beauty standards. The Korean industry, unfortunately, is no different. A popular singer’s Instagram post served as a bitter reminder of it.
The singer in question is Ivy, a popular soloist and musical actress. Recently, an online community post went viral, and the OP (original poster) brought up a photo posted by the singer on her Instagram showing her severely damaged nailbeds. In the caption, she wrote that she had developed Onycholysis from getting her nails done too frequently.
Onycholysis caused by long-term gel nails.
My nails are lifting, bruised, and gouged… Beautiful nails, it’s goodbye for a while.— The caption above
The post noted how getting frequent manicures is essentially a job requirement for female celebrities, pointing out how even a simple nail extension can end up permanently damaging nailbeds if done too much.
Being a female celebrity means you have to be beautiful down to your fingernails, so it must have been difficult for her to post something showing such a change in her appearance.
Let this be a warning to everyone; these kinds of things can happen.…
It’s not like she wasdoing anything extreme. She was just using skin-toned nails for a clean look…It’s not a design issue. It seems that the very act of attaching things to the nails, curing them, filing them, and then removing them puts a strain on nail health.
— The caption above
The post has sparked some intense discussions in the comments section, with netizens either sympathizing with Ivy or wondering why getting nails done has become a staple part of women’s beauty routine.
- “Since when did being a female celebrity mean even your nails have to be perfect? People just do it for their own satisfaction. Seriously, I wish folks would stop obsessing over and showing off these extreme pink-tax corsets… They’re insanely expensive, full of vanity, and even harm your health—what’s so great about keeping it up?”
- “Yeah, exactly. The whole idea that ‘your nails have to be pretty’ is weird. It should just be about keeping them clean and neat out of basic manners, but nowadays the world keeps pushing people to get their nails done all the time. It’s such a strange trend.”
- “Isn’t it obviously bad for you?”
- “I like gel nails too, but I always take a break for about 3–4 months each year. My nails really do get thin.”
- “Nail art? → Men don’t do it at all. It’s not like men don’t have nails. The ultimate form of a corset.”