// Nails · Cuticle Care · Push, Don't Cut — L3 data

const OILY = {
  type: "Push, Don't Cut",
  parent: { title: "Cuticle Care", href: "/en/nails/cuticle-care/" },
  grandparent: { title: "Nails", href: "/en/nails/" },
  totalCount: 78,
  hero: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=1800&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop",
  heroAlt: "Nail technician pushing cuticle back with a wooden stick during a manicure",
  h1: "Why pushing beats cutting — and how to do it correctly.",
  deck: "Cutting the cuticle removes the seal. Pushing maintains it. The full case for the push-back method, the tools it needs, and when a salon should step in.",
  intro: "The instruction to cut your cuticles is one of the most widely repeated pieces of nail advice — and one of the most counterproductive. The cuticle edge is not an aesthetic problem to be removed. It is a thin layer of dead skin that seals the nail matrix from bacteria and moisture exposure. Cut it away and the body responds predictably: it grows the overgrowth back faster and thicker, because the seal needs to be replaced. The correct approach is to soften and push the cuticle back to the nail fold, keeping the seal intact while removing the visible overhang. Done with the right tool and the right pressure, this takes about two minutes per hand and creates the clean nail line most people are trying to achieve. This page covers why the cycle of cutting creates more overgrowth, which tools work and which don't, and the specific pushing technique that keeps the skin from tearing.",
  byline: "Edited by Nelly · Beauty & Style Director",
  meta: { count: 78, updated: "Updated 28 April 2026", reading: "Avg. 4 min per piece" },
};

const TYPE_SIBLINGS = [
  { id: "oil-routine",   title: "Oil Routine",     n: "01",             href: "/en/nails/cuticle-care/oil-routine/" },
  { id: "push-dont-cut", title: "Push, Don't Cut", n: "02", cur: true,  href: "/en/nails/cuticle-care/push-dont-cut/" },
  { id: "hangnails",     title: "Hangnails",        n: "03",             href: "/en/nails/cuticle-care/hangnails/" },
  { id: "salon-cleanup", title: "Salon Cleanup",    n: "04",             href: "/en/nails/cuticle-care/salon-cleanup/" },
  { id: "growth-line",   title: "The Growth Line",  n: "05",             href: "/en/nails/cuticle-care/growth-line/" },
];

const QUICK_FACTS = {
  defn: {
    h: "What 'pushing the cuticle' actually means",
    body: "Pushing the cuticle means moving the softened dead skin at the nail base back toward the proximal fold, not cutting or removing it. The skin being pushed is the eponychium — a thin translucent layer that advances over the nail plate as it grows. It is not living tissue at the nail edge, but it connects to living tissue behind it. Push it back with gentle pressure after softening, and the nail plate appears longer and cleaner. Cut it, and the body accelerates regrowth as a protective response. The push-back cycle — oil to soften, tool to push, wipe to clean — is the method that produces long-term results without the regrowth spiral.",
  },
  myths: [
    { m: "Cutting cuticles makes them grow back less.",
      t: "Cutting the eponychium triggers the skin to replace the seal faster and often thicker. Most people who cut regularly have more overgrowth, not less, compared to pushers." },
    { m: "An orange stick is the same as a cuticle pusher.",
      t: "Orange sticks are useful for cleanup and removing debris from the nail edge, but their shape doesn't match the curved nail base well. A stainless steel pusher with a curved spade end applies even pressure across the full arc of the cuticle." },
    { m: "You need to push cuticles every day.",
      t: "Over-pushing — especially dry — can irritate the nail fold. Once or twice a week, after soaking or showering when the skin is soft, is sufficient. Daily aggressive pushing damages the matrix." },
  ],
};

const BEGINNER_PATH = {
  h: "Start here, if pushing is new to you.",
  deck: "Five pieces, in order. About nineteen minutes of reading. Enough to replace the cutting habit permanently.",
  steps: [
    { n: "01", t: "The cuticle seal — what it is and why it matters",    time: "4 min", note: "Understanding what the thin skin at the nail base actually does." },
    { n: "02", t: "Why cutting triggers faster overgrowth",              time: "3 min", note: "The body's protective response and how to break the cycle." },
    { n: "03", t: "The cuticle pusher — how to choose and use one",      time: "4 min", note: "Spade end vs flat end. Steel vs plastic. How to hold and how to angle." },
    { n: "04", t: "Softening before pushing — why it matters",           time: "4 min", note: "Water, oil, and cuticle softener — what each does before the push." },
    { n: "05", t: "The two-minute push-back routine",                    time: "4 min", note: "The full sequence: soften, push, wipe, oil. In the correct order." },
  ],
};

const TRENDING = [
  { rank: "01", t: "Why cutting cuticles makes them grow back faster",       time: "4 min", auth: "Nelly", date: "Apr 26", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", reads: "9,340" },
  { rank: "02", t: "Cuticle pusher vs orange stick — what works better",     time: "3 min", auth: "Iris",  date: "Apr 21", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599948128020-9a44505b0d1b?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", reads: "7,811" },
  { rank: "03", t: "How to push cuticles without tearing the nail fold",     time: "4 min", auth: "Nelly", date: "Apr 17", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608248597279-f99d160bfcbc?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", reads: "6,920" },
  { rank: "04", t: "The softening step — why dry pushing damages the matrix", time: "3 min", auth: "Nelly", date: "Apr 12", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1522337660859-02fbefca4702?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", reads: "5,640" },
  { rank: "05", t: "When the salon should push and not you",                 time: "4 min", auth: "Iris",  date: "Apr 08", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604902396830-aca29e19b067?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", reads: "4,710" },
];

const FORMAT_GUIDE = {
  h: "Push tool, by use case",
  deck: "Which tool to reach for at which stage of the routine — and what each one is and is not for.",
  formats: [
    { name: "Steel cuticle pusher (spade end)", when: "Weekly push-back routine after shower or oil soak", avoid: "On dry, unsoftened skin — tears the fold", note: "The curved spade end follows the arc of the nail base. Apply light, even strokes from corner to centre.", verdict: "★ Primary tool" },
    { name: "Steel cuticle pusher (flat end)",  when: "Cleaning under the free edge, removing debris",     avoid: "Pushing the cuticle fold — wrong shape for that job",   note: "The flat end is a scraper, not a pusher. Useful for nail plate cleanup, not cuticle work.", verdict: "Cleanup use" },
    { name: "Orange stick (wood)",              when: "Removing residual skin or polish from the fold after pushing", avoid: "Applying significant pressure — it flexes and splinters under force", note: "Soft enough not to damage the nail plate if you slip. Good for detail work.", verdict: "Finish and detail" },
    { name: "Rubber-tipped pusher",             when: "First-time pushers, sensitive nail folds",           avoid: "Heavy-overgrowth situations — too soft to move thickened skin",  note: "Forgiving tool. Low risk of tearing but also less precision than steel.", verdict: "Beginner option" },
    { name: "Cuticle softener gel",             when: "Before pushing, especially on dry skin or thick overgrowth", avoid: "Leaving on for more than 2–3 minutes — over-softens and damages", note: "Not the same as oil. Softener chemically loosens the dead skin layer for easier movement.", verdict: "Pre-push prep" },
    { name: "Warm water soak",                  when: "The simplest pre-push softener — post-shower timing", avoid: "As a substitute for oil in the maintenance routine",     note: "Three minutes in warm water softens the cuticle enough for routine pushing. No products needed.", verdict: "No-product option" },
  ],
};

const HOWTOS = [
  { t: "Why cutting cuticles accelerates overgrowth",                 time: 4, tech: "Anatomy",    auth: "Nelly", date: "Apr 26", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Anatomy",    pick: true },
  { t: "Cuticle pusher vs orange stick — the comparison",             time: 3, tech: "Tools",      auth: "Iris",  date: "Apr 21", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599948128020-9a44505b0d1b?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Tools",      pick: true },
  { t: "How to push cuticles without tearing the fold",               time: 4, tech: "Technique",  auth: "Nelly", date: "Apr 17", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608248597279-f99d160bfcbc?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Technique",  pick: true },
  { t: "The softening step — why it changes everything",              time: 3, tech: "Technique",  auth: "Nelly", date: "Apr 12", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1522337660859-02fbefca4702?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Technique",  pick: true },
  { t: "The two-minute push-back routine, step by step",              time: 4, tech: "Routine",    auth: "Iris",  date: "Apr 08", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604902396830-aca29e19b067?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Routine",    pick: true },
  { t: "When to ask the salon to push instead of doing it yourself",  time: 3, tech: "Salon",      auth: "Nelly", date: "Apr 04", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Salon",      pick: false },
  { t: "How the cuticle seal protects the nail matrix",               time: 5, tech: "Anatomy",    auth: "Iris",  date: "Mar 31", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599948128020-9a44505b0d1b?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Anatomy",    pick: false },
  { t: "Cuticle softener gel — how it works and when to use it",     time: 3, tech: "Tools",      auth: "Nelly", date: "Mar 26", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608248597279-f99d160bfcbc?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Tools",      pick: false },
  { t: "Steel vs plastic cuticle pusher — the practical difference",  time: 3, tech: "Tools",      auth: "Iris",  date: "Mar 21", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1522337660859-02fbefca4702?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Tools",      pick: false },
  { t: "Over-pushing — the signs and how to back off",                time: 3, tech: "Troubleshoot", auth: "Nelly", date: "Mar 17", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604902396830-aca29e19b067?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Troubleshoot", pick: false },
  { t: "How often should you push your cuticles",                     time: 3, tech: "Routine",    auth: "Iris",  date: "Mar 12", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Routine",    pick: false },
  { t: "Pushing cuticles before gel — what to do and what not to",   time: 4, tech: "Nail service", auth: "Nelly", date: "Mar 08", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599948128020-9a44505b0d1b?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Nail service", pick: false },
  { t: "What happens if you never push your cuticles",               time: 3, tech: "Anatomy",    auth: "Iris",  date: "Mar 03", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608248597279-f99d160bfcbc?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Anatomy",    pick: false },
  { t: "Rubber-tipped pusher — the beginner tool case",              time: 3, tech: "Tools",      auth: "Nelly", date: "Feb 27", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1522337660859-02fbefca4702?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Tools",      pick: false },
  { t: "Cleaning the steel pusher — hygiene between uses",            time: 2, tech: "Tools",      auth: "Iris",  date: "Feb 22", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604902396830-aca29e19b067?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Tools",      pick: false },
  { t: "Why your cuticles keep coming back thick",                    time: 4, tech: "Troubleshoot", auth: "Nelly", date: "Feb 17", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Troubleshoot", pick: false },
  { t: "Post-push oil application — the correct order",              time: 3, tech: "Routine",    auth: "Iris",  date: "Feb 13", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599948128020-9a44505b0d1b?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Routine",    pick: false },
  { t: "One-sided overgrowth — why it happens",                       time: 4, tech: "Troubleshoot", auth: "Nelly", date: "Feb 08", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608248597279-f99d160bfcbc?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Troubleshoot", pick: false },
  { t: "What the salon is actually doing when they push your cuticles", time: 4, tech: "Salon",    auth: "Nelly", date: "Feb 04", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1522337660859-02fbefca4702?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Salon",      pick: false },
  { t: "Cuticle pushing and nail plate adhesion for gel",             time: 3, tech: "Nail service", auth: "Iris",  date: "Jan 30", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604902396830-aca29e19b067?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Nail service", pick: false },
];

const TECH_FILTERS = ["All", "Anatomy", "Tools", "Technique", "Routine", "Troubleshoot", "Salon", "Nail service"];

const TYPE_CROSSLINKS = [
  { id: "oil-routine",   title: "Oil Routine",    deck: "The conditioning step that makes pushing easier.", count: 94, href: "/en/nails/cuticle-care/oil-routine/" },
  { id: "hangnails",     title: "Hangnails",       deck: "When overgrowth becomes a snag problem.",          count: 65, href: "/en/nails/cuticle-care/hangnails/" },
  { id: "salon-cleanup", title: "Salon Cleanup",   deck: "What to ask for and what to decline at the desk.", count: 71, href: "/en/nails/cuticle-care/salon-cleanup/" },
  { id: "growth-line",   title: "The Growth Line", deck: "The proximal fold — what the pusher is moving toward.", count: 58, href: "/en/nails/cuticle-care/growth-line/" },
];

Object.assign(window, {
  OILY, TYPE_SIBLINGS, QUICK_FACTS, BEGINNER_PATH, TRENDING, FORMAT_GUIDE, HOWTOS, TECH_FILTERS, TYPE_CROSSLINKS,
});