A cuticle pusher, also known as a cuticle stick, is a long and thin piece of plastic, metal or wood used to gently push the cuticles back and away from the nail bed. The end of a cuticle stick is usually rounded and slightly sharp in order to push the cuticles, which can sometimes be attached to the nail and difficult to move. When cuticle pushers are made of orange wood, they’re called orange wood sticks.
Cuticle pushers are becoming more popular due to the decreased use of cuticle clippers, which can damage the cuticles and leave them susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections.
As with other manicure and pedicure tools, a disposable cuticle pusher should be used when receiving a professional manicure or pedicure because it’s nearly impossible to fully sterilize used cuticle pushers.