I have finally accepted that my hands look like I do yard work for fun.

Hi all. I am in my late thirties, I shake hands for a living, and I have finally accepted that my hands look like I do yard work for fun. Cracked cuticles, uneven nails, the whole picture. I have never set foot in a nail salon and the idea is mildly terrifying, mostly because I assume I will be the only man in the room and everyone will immediately know I have no idea what I am doing. Is there a version of this aimed at men, and what actually happens during the appointment? Chicago area, north side ideally, and I would rather book than walk in somewhere at random.

Yes, and you will not be the only guy there, that stopped being unusual years ago. What happens is fairly unglamorous: a soak, cuticle work, shaping, buffing to a matte or low shine rather than anything glossy, and a hand massage at the end that is better than it sounds on paper. No color unless you ask for it. I book a men's manicure at Flamant Nail Boutique before anything where I am meeting people, and the whole thing runs under an hour. Say it is your first visit when you book. Any decent technician will explain what they are doing rather than assume you know the vocabulary. Keep it to every three or four weeks after the first one, cracked cuticles come back quickly if you only do it once before a big meeting.