Your nails curve downward at the tips. They hook over the end of your finger and no amount of filing fixes it. You can't wear them at any length because they just curl under. It looks wrong, it catches on things, and you've never found anyone who knows how to deal with it.
Hooked nail correction is a specialist treatment that addresses nails that grow in a curved or hooked shape rather than straight. The nail is carefully reshaped and a structural product is applied to guide it into a more natural growth pattern. It's not a quick fix. It's a progressive correction that improves with each appointment.
At Aesthete Beauty in Dundee, hooked nail correction is carried out by Radina Ignatova, a professional nail expert with over 11 years of experience whose work has been featured in Scratch Magazine and Who What Wear UK. This is an advanced, specialist service that requires skill and experience beyond standard nail treatments. Hooked Nail Correction starts from £89. Book online any time or call us on 01382 217888.
Most people with hooked nails have been dealing with it quietly for years. They keep their nails short, avoid showing their hands, and assume there's no solution because no one has ever offered one. It's the kind of thing that sounds small but it wears you down when you can't do something as simple as grow your nails without them curling over.
Just had amazing service from Radina today. I love my BIAB french polish nails. My nails were thin and flaking and sore. It was a relief to find Radina again. I am overjoyed to be able to have nice nails which feel stronger and healthy, once again.
Some nails don't grow straight. Instead of extending forward from the finger in a flat or gently curved shape, they hook downward at the free edge, curling over the tip of the finger. In some cases the sides of the nail also curve inward, pinching the nail bed.
This can happen for several reasons. The shape of the nail bed itself might cause it. Previous injury to the nail or fingertip can alter the growth pattern permanently. Genetics play a role too. Some people have always had nails that curve and have never been able to grow them without the hooking getting worse.
The problem with hooked nails is that standard nail services don't fix them. Filing the shape only works temporarily because the nail grows back in the same curved pattern. Gel polish or regular manicures cover the nail but don't change the underlying shape. The curve is structural. It needs a structural solution.
Hooked nail correction uses product application and reshaping techniques to guide the nail into a flatter, more natural growth direction. The correction is built onto the nail so that as it grows, the new growth follows a better shape rather than continuing to hook. Over multiple appointments, the nail progressively improves.
This is a specialist service. It requires a detailed understanding of nail anatomy, growth patterns, and structural correction techniques. Not every nail tech offers it because it goes beyond standard training.
Not all hooked nails are genetic. If your nails grew normally for years and then started curving, something may have changed. Iron deficiency can alter nail growth. So can thyroid conditions and hormonal shifts including menopause and HRT. Certain medications affect keratin production too. Some clients come in thinking they've got a permanent nail deformity when what they've actually got is a treatable health condition changing the way their nails grow. Radina will ask about your health history at your assessment. If the hooking started suddenly or recently she may recommend seeing your GP alongside booking correction appointments. Fixing the shape is one thing. Understanding why it changed is another.
Hooked nail correction isn't on the menu at most salons. It's not taught in standard UK nail qualification courses. The sculpting technique needed to restructure a curved nail requires hands-on training that most technicians never receive. On professional forums, nail techs discuss hooked nails as one of the hardest client problems to solve. The common advice is to use performance forms and sculpt the nail freehand rather than relying on tips, which just follow the existing curve. That's exactly how Radina approaches it. If you've been told by other salons that nothing can be done, or that you should just keep your nails short and accept it, that's not the full picture. It can be corrected. It takes time and it takes skill. But it can be done.
Before and after hooked nail correction
Hooked Nail Correction starts from £89.
This is a specialist service that requires a longer appointment than standard nail treatments. The price reflects the advanced skill, time, and progressive correction work involved.
Book online or call to discuss your nails before booking. If you're not sure whether your nails need correction, Radina can assess them and advise. It's better to ask first than guess.
All current pricing is in the online booking system. You can also call us on 01382 217888 or message on WhatsApp.
If any of these sound familiar, hooked nail correction is what you need:
This is a specialist correction, not a cosmetic treatment. If your nails grow straight and you just want them shaped or styled, a standard manicure, gel polish, or BIAB is what you need. Hooked nail correction is specifically for nails with a structural growth problem.
If you're living with hooked nails and you're not ready to commit to a full correction course yet, there are things that help in the meantime. Keep them short. The longer the free edge gets, the more the hook shows. Choose square or coffin shapes. These distribute the curve more evenly across the free edge. Don't try to file the curve out. Filing against the natural growth pattern thins the nail without correcting the direction. You're just weakening the nail. Use cuticle oil daily. Keeping the nail plate hydrated makes it slightly more flexible. Dry, rigid nails curl harder and faster.
I was really impressed with the end product as my nails are stunning. My nails were not in the best condition but Radina took great care and gave me really good advice on how to look after them going forward.
The correction is a progressive process that happens over multiple appointments.
The correction involves e-file preparation and sculpting work. Vodex dust extraction runs throughout. Fresh disposable files and buffers for every client, metal tools cleaned and sterilised between appointments, and Radina wears gloves for the entire session.
You'll get a digital consultation form by email before your first appointment. It asks about your nail health, any injuries or conditions that might be contributing to the hooking, and how long you've had the problem. Photos of your nails are helpful if you can include them. Radina reviews everything before you arrive so the assessment can start straight away.
Radina will look at the curve of each affected nail and assess how severe the hooking is. She'll check the nail bed shape, the growth direction, and any contributing factors. This determines the approach and how many sessions are likely needed.
The nail is carefully shaped and the surface is prepped. Any excess length that's curving badly may be reduced. The cuticle area is cleaned with dry e-file preparation.
Product is applied to the nail in a way that corrects the structure. The overlay is shaped to guide the nail into a flatter, more natural growth pattern. The product acts as a splint that holds the nail in the corrected position as it grows.
The correction is cured under the LED lamp and finished. You can have colour on top or leave it natural.
Each appointment builds on the previous one. As the nail grows out, the corrected portion extends further and the hooked portion grows off the end. Over time, the nail's overall shape improves significantly.
Correction isn't a one-visit fix. The first appointment reshapes the nail and applies structural product to guide it in a straighter direction. But the nail underneath is still growing in its natural curve. As it grows out, the structural product holds the new shape while fresh nail comes through underneath. Infill appointments maintain the correction as the nail grows. Over multiple cycles the nail learns to sit differently, especially if the hooking was caused by damage rather than bone structure. Some clients reach a point where the correction holds on its own. Others need ongoing correction long-term. Radina will tell you honestly at each visit where your nails are at and what the next step should be.
Regular appointments are needed to maintain the correction and continue guiding the growth. Radina will recommend a schedule based on how your nails respond. This isn't a one-and-done treatment. It's an ongoing correction that produces real, visible results over time.
A specialist treatment that corrects nails that grow in a hooked or curved shape. Product is applied to restructure the nail and guide it into a more natural growth pattern over multiple appointments.
From £89. The price reflects the specialist skill and longer appointment time required.
It's a progressive treatment. Improvement is visible after the first appointment but full correction happens over multiple sessions as the nail grows out in the corrected shape. Radina will give you a realistic timeline based on the severity.
Several things. Nail bed shape, genetics, previous injury to the finger or nail, or long-term damage. Sometimes there's no obvious cause and the nails have always grown that way.
The correction guides the nail into a better shape, but the underlying cause (nail bed shape, genetics) may mean the hooking returns if maintenance stops. Regular appointments keep the correction in place. Radina will advise on what to expect for your specific nails.
No. The correction is done externally using product applied to the nail surface. There's no cutting into the nail or skin.
Yes. Gel polish or a natural finish can be applied over the corrective overlay.
It's recommended. If you're unsure whether your nails need correction, call or book a consultation so Radina can assess them and advise on the best approach.
Sometimes. Iron deficiency, thyroid conditions, and hormonal changes including HRT and menopause can all affect nail growth patterns. Some medications can too. If your nails have started hooking recently after previously growing straight, it's worth mentioning to your GP alongside booking a correction appointment. Radina can address the shape, but if there's an underlying medical cause it's better to know about it.
If your nails curve downward at the tips and you can't file them into a straight shape because the curve keeps coming back, that's a hooked nail. A regular manicure can tidy up the cuticles and shape the free edge but it can't change the underlying growth direction. Hooked nail correction uses structural product to physically guide the nail into a straighter line as it grows. If you're not sure, book a consultation and Radina will tell you which service you actually need.
Square or coffin. These shapes spread the curve across a flat free edge so the hooking is less visible. Almond and stiletto concentrate the curl at the tip and make it more obvious. If you're having correction done, Radina will advise on the best shape for your specific nail bed. If you're managing without correction for now, keeping them short and square is the most practical option.
There's no fixed number because it depends on how severe the hooking is and what's causing it. Most clients see a clear improvement after two or three appointments. A full correction course might take four to six sessions spread over several months. After that it moves to maintenance infills. Radina will give you a realistic timeline at your first assessment rather than making promises she can't keep.
Radina is always so lovely and welcoming. My nails are always done to a high standard and look beautiful every time!
If your nails hook, curve, or grow in a shape that nothing else has fixed, this is the specialist treatment that addresses the actual cause. Progressive correction, expert assessment, and real results.
We serve clients from across Dundee and the surrounding areas including the West End, Broughty Ferry, Newport-on-Tay, Monifieth, Carnoustie, and further afield.
