If you are a doctor, you are maybe wondering: Can surgeons wear nail polish? The answer is yes and no, depending on the country. In the USA, in most hospitals, surgeons can wear nail polish.

In other countries, such as Great Britain and Australia, surgeons are advised not to wear nail polish because of high hygiene standards.

One thing is certain; surgeons must wear gloves and keep their nails short and trimmed when they are at work.

Surgeons must follow this rule if they don’t want to spread specks of dirt and cause numerous infections. The operating room must be one of the cleanest rooms in the hospital.

Nail polish shouldn’t chip at your workplace because bacteria can “travel” to other places, and you endanger the patients.

If you are a surgeon that is not sure whether or not she can wear nail polish, the best advice is to follow the dress code of your facility; it may differ from others.

If you are allowed to wear nail polish, try wearing nude/white shades or clear polish; you don’t want to attract unnecessary attention.

Can surgeons wear gel nail polish?

Again, surgeons are encouraged not to wear artificial nails, but some clinics don’t follow these rules or have their own policies about nails and the dress code.

The main problem with gel nails is that it stores bacteria, and there is no room for bacteria and infections in the hospital.

Gel nails are less likely to chip than regular nail polish, but that is not considered at the moment.

If you are not sure if you should wear gel nails or not, consult your clinic and follow the dress code rules that they have.

If you’re allowed to wear gel nails, try not to wear long nails and clean them regularly with rubbing alcohol. In that way, you will be sure that you are not putting your coworkers or patients in danger.

Another thing you should do is clean the place under your nails regularly with a toothpick or some other tool to make sure you are not spreading the dirt around.

Best nail polish for healthcare workers

If you need help with choosing the best healthcare products for healthcare workers, check out this list below:

1. Sally Hansen – Miracle Gel
2. Olive and June

There are a lot of other brands that claim that their nail polishes last up to seven days, but with these two, you will be 100% sure.

Sally Hansen is an established, very well-known brand that will last over 5 days on your nails without chipping.

Olive and June is a new brand with various colors, but it is more durable than other nail polish brands. It is budget-friendly; therefore, many health workers can afford it.

If you are allowed to wear nail polish at your hospital or clinic, you should consider high-quality brands that are less prone to chipping.

If your nails are peeling off or chipping easily, you can spread bacteria easily, which is the worst-case scenario in a hospital. For this reason, many forbid wearing nail polish while at work.

Can doctors have long nails?

No, doctors should not have long nails when they are working because of hygiene reasons. The main point is that it is unhealthy and unsanitary, which is very important for places like kitchens and hospitals.

The reasons why doctors shouldn’t wear long nails are:

1. Long nails accumulate dirt and bacteria
2. Doctors can’t use some tools precisely
3. You can put on and take off gloves easily
4. It draws unnecessary attention.
5. Longer nails are more prone to chipping and breaking.

Fun fact: The fastest growing nail is on the middle finger, and the reason is unknown.

For the reasons above, you can conclude that long nails can cause a lot of problems, and you should avoid them. 

The health of your coworkers and patients is the most important thing, and it should be put above all matters.

Short nails look tidier and more feminine than long nails, so keep that in mind when you go for a manicure.

Can surgeons wear makeup?

We cannot say strictly if surgeons should wear makeup because there are very different opinions. Most clinics allow mild makeup in the sense of mascara and foundation.

On the other hand, some hospitals forbid makeup because you can smudge it by sweating under a mask. If you are sweating with makeup, you can impulsively touch your face with your fingers which isn’t sanitary.

But this scenario is less likely to happen than the long nails example, where you can easily transmit bacteria.

Also, heavy makeup can look tacky and inappropriate in a hospital or a clinic, so you should avoid lipstick and highlighters, for example.

In the end, you should always check your clinic’s policy for these things, so you are sure you are not making a mistake. The same thing goes for your nails and outfit; dress codes are very important.

If it is your first day at a clinic, you shouldn’t wear makeup before you get the chance to look into the clinic’s policy.

Conclusion-Can surgeons wear nail polish?

There are cases where they can and cases where they can’t; it depends on the country and the clinic’s policy.

The first thing you should do is talk to your supervisors about this issue and see what they say about it.

There are some basic rules that you should follow anyway:

When surgeons are at work, they must wear gloves and keep their nails trimmed and short. Artificial nails are not allowed, and you should avoid them.

Long nails, fake nails and colored nails are usually forbidden because of sanitary rules, and clinics do have a point when they emphasize that the hospital must be the cleanest place on the planet.

If that means all health workers shouldn’t wear nails or makeup, there is a huge reason behind that, and you should follow and respect it.

We hope that this article has shed some light on the question: Can surgeons wear nail polish?