The look of our nails can often tell us what is going on with our health and if we need to cut out some bad habits. When you look at your nails, what can you see? Are they strong and healthy-looking? Or are they breaking often and are brittle or an unusual color? These common nails problems can be avoided with proper care that doesn’t take up much of your time. Read on to see the do’s and don’t for healthy nails.
Moisturize
The cuticles surrounding the nails are protection between the nail bed and the bacteria and fungi. If you have a bad habit of biting or picking at your cuticle, know that damaging it makes it easier to get nail infections. A big do for nail care is moisturizing the nail beds. If your cuticles are moisturized enough, they will be able to protect your nails from breaking and you’ll prevent infections. You can moisturize with a normal hand cream that you massage into the cuticles or even better oil that keeps your skin and nails moisturized for a long time.
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Don’t bite your nails and pick cuticles. Every time you start to do it, try to remember everything you touched that day, especially if you have been outside. Biting can cause damage to your nail beds and expose you to dirt and bacteria.
Nail Hygiene
The next to do in nail care is good nail and tools hygiene. Tools that you use to take care of your nails like a nail file, scissors, and cuticle sticks should be cleaned and replaced regularly. A lot of bacteria can form on them, and you can be exposed to infections. Wash your hands and scrub under your nails if long. Wipe down your tools with alcohol to properly clean them and kill all bacteria. You can also store them in airtight jars or containers. Replace them when needed and if a long time has passed since you bought your nail file, for example.
Don’t share your tool with anyone. Our bodies are different and it’s very easy to spread bacteria this way. It’s very unsanitary to lend your manicure tools or makeup for that matter. It can lead to infections and serious complications.
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Shape and Trim
Do keep your nails shaped and trimmed. Cut them and file them in a flat shape and round the corners with your nail file. If you keep your nails neat and attractive they can boost your confidence and keep you healthy. When they are shaped regularly, they are less likely to peel or tear and catch on your clothes or other fabrics. Try not to cut them too much, as you can damage your nerves like this.
Keep Them Dry
A very important thing to remember is that nails become very brittle and weak if they are constantly underwater. Dishwasher soap and house chemicals can be very damaging to your nails and hands, so make sure to use gloves when washing the dishes or cleaning the house. This will keep your nails dry and they won’t become so weak and break. If you can’t help your nails be underwater, try to dry them off as soon as you can to prevent any chipping.
Manicure
Getting a manicure can help you in preventing nail chipping and breaking. Nail polishes make a protective layer over your nails and guard them. Don’t go to a professional nail salon too often. It can be difficult to track exactly what chemicals are in their products, and sometimes they can be very damaging to your nails, and ultimately body. Instead, try to do your manicure at home. Apply a base color, nail color, and a topcoat to create a mani that will last for days. You can do nail art too. It can be a very fun way to jazz up your nails, like making a stripe nail art, triangle nail art, or dots.
Supplements
A good supplement you can take is biotin. It’s a part of the vitamin B complex, and it helps your nails be stronger and thicker. It prevents breaking and splitting. Biotin also works great for your hair and skin. Biotin helps activate protein and amino acids, and they stimulate nail growth and strength.
Having nice nails means we are healthy and take care of ourselves. It can be a great stress reliever to do your manicure or pedicure. Keep your nails clean and moisturize, and they will get back in shape and look beautiful in no time.
