# I file my nails after cutting my nails and there is some dust. Should I be worried? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053 "2018-10-16T18:31:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![greenpurple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/278dde/32.png) [@greenpurple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenpurple)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/1 "2018-10-16T18:31:40Z")
And if so what can I do to take care of it? ---
**Author:** ![Dickerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@Dickerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dickerman)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/2 "2018-10-16T18:41:59Z")
How is dust not an expected result of filing your nails? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/3 "2018-10-16T19:01:37Z")
If you don’t get dust, then your nails are made of something harder than the file. Then you’re either a superhero[sup]1[/sup] or have a problem. [sup]1[/sup] Makes one wonder how superman does his nails. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/4 "2018-10-16T19:09:37Z")
He could bite them I guess. On the other hand, we have it [on good authority](https://static0.cbrimages.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/superman-201.jpg?q=35&w=775&h=331&fit=crop) that his hair doesn’t grow while he’s on Earth, so maybe his fingernails don’t grow either. Regarding the OP, of course there is dust. Filing anything makes dust. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/5 "2018-10-16T19:20:09Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > [sup]1[/sup] Makes one wonder how superman does his nails. He uses a mirror and eye-lasers while doing some detailed As You Know Bobbing to himself to shave, so nail-trimming may be done similarly. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/6 "2018-10-16T20:37:24Z")
> [@greenpurple](#): > > And if so what can I do to take care of it? All dust is dangerous and bad for you. Flour. Granite. Coal. Ash. Dirt. But the damage to your lungs is dose-related, and even the really dangerous dusts (asbestos) aren’t very dangerous, Fingernail dust is bad for your lungs if you breath vast quantities of it over the long term. It would be explosive if mixed with air in vast quantities. It would be bad for your skin or eyes if rubbed into your skin or eyes in vast quantities. I wouldn’t intentionally breath finger-nail scrapings. Apart from that, nothing to worry about, just like any other dirt. ---
**Author:** ![greenpurple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/278dde/32.png) [@greenpurple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenpurple)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/7 "2018-10-16T23:04:18Z")
The question is not whether the dust is expected. It’s whether it’s something I should be concerned about. For example, staff at nail salons often wear masks. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2018, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/8 "2018-10-16T23:44:37Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > If you don’t get dust, then your nails are made of something harder than the file. You’d still get dust, except it’s now coming from the file instead of your nails. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/9 "2018-10-17T00:11:55Z")
> [@greenpurple](#): > > The question is not whether the dust is expected. It’s whether it’s something I should be concerned about. For example, staff at nail salons often wear masks. Isn’t that because there are toxic chemicals in nail polishes/polish removers? You’re probably fine after a small exposure while your own nails get done, but wouldn’t want to breathe that all in 40 hours a week. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/10 "2018-10-17T00:12:18Z")
> [@greenpurple](#): > > The question is not whether the dust is expected. It’s whether it’s something I should be concerned about. For example, staff at nail salons often wear masks. No. It is not something you should be worried about at all. The face masks (which is not something I’ve EVER seen at the nail salon) is more likely to be protection against colds/flu/germs. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/11 "2018-10-17T00:14:52Z")
You file your nails? I just throw them away. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/12 "2018-10-17T00:20:25Z")
Yep file it right in file 13. OP that minute amount of dust will not harm you. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/13 "2018-10-17T00:47:41Z")
Since the OP is looking for advice, let’s move this to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/14 "2018-10-17T04:04:13Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > On the other hand, we have it [on good authority](https://static0.cbrimages.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/superman-201.jpg?q=35&w=775&h=331&fit=crop) that his hair doesn’t grow while he’s on Earth, so maybe his fingernails don’t grow either. So when Superboy was a teen, and waiting for the external signs of puberty, they never came? And he never has to do the in-style pubic trimming to please LL – he’s bald as a baby there already? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/15 "2018-10-17T04:12:26Z")
Probably just as well. Apart from all the other issues that Larry Niven raised, it would be like having sex with a barbed wire fence. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/16 "2018-10-17T04:13:50Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > If you don’t get dust, then your nails are made of something harder than the file. Then you’re either a superhero[sup]1[/sup] or have a problem. > > [sup]1[/sup] Makes one wonder how superman does his nails. If the nails were harder there would still be dust: from the file. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/17 "2018-10-17T05:52:36Z")
Superman has a bunch of real world problems, it seems. Never occurred to me before. I wonder if he ever has to get a tooth drilled? Poor dentist. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/18 "2018-10-17T06:37:16Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Superman has a bunch of real world problems, it seems. Never occurred to me before. I wonder if he ever has to get a tooth drilled? Poor dentist. Caries are caused by acid from bacteria, so he should never get any. However, if he had any problems with wisdom teeth, they couldn’t be extracted with ordinary dental tools. Braces would be useless, too. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/19 "2018-10-17T08:36:02Z")
Does Superman shed skin and hair like the rest of us? If so, would such dander be problematic in some way? Dust mites couldn’t make use of it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2018, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053/20 "2018-10-17T12:12:17Z")
If there’s enough dust, and the right conditions, it could cause an explosion. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-file-my-nails-after-cutting-my-nails-and-there-is-some-dust-should-i-be-worried/823053.md?page=2)