Nails are that part of the body that plays a major role in enhancing the beauty of your hands and feet. Most of us, especially girls, long for maintaining healthy and beautiful looking nails. Just like me, have you ever gazed at your nails and wondered how to maintain them or keep them healthy?
Well, one key for healthy nails is proper care and proper diet. Proper care is needed because; they are very sensitive and are also affected by relentless weather conditions. However, taking care of nails is not one heck of a job. They can be taken care of easily and also does not require much effort.
15 Tips for Healthy Nails
Don’t BITE your Nails
Most of us have the tendency to bite nails. Biting your nails is a nasty habit so it’s better to get rid of it. It damages your nails and also affects your digestive system. It destructs the nail bed and hence the nails become severely deformed. The enzyme named salvia present in our mouth breaks and infects the skin. It can have social impacts as well since it reduces the quality of life.
Moisturize your Nails
Just like your body, your nails also need timely and proper moisture. Most of the time we keep washing our hands so that we don’t get infected which takes away the moisture. You can simply apply light moisturizer containing vitamin E or alpha hydroxyl acids on your nails and cuticles as it is beneficial for nails. Moisturizing your nails prevents it from becoming brittle. In particular, it protects nails from air and water which are the major causes of easily broken nails. You can use them at any possible time; however, applying it before going to bed is more effective. Thus, moisturizer should be applied after washing hands as well.
Massage your Nails
Massaging your nails increases blood circulation and promotes nail growth. It is also one of the best ways to keep your nails stronger and brittle free. All you need to do is soak your nail in the mixture of warm water and olive oil for few minutes. Then, dry them using a towel and use the same oil to gently massage each nail.
Scrub your Nails
Scrubbing your nails on regular intervals can give it a clean and attractive look. A mixture of warm water and a spoonful of lemon juice can be used to brighten your nails. You can dip your nails in the mixture for few minutes and then simply scrub them with a piece of cotton. As a result, it will leave your nails stain free and shiny.
Take care of the Cuticles
Cuticles are the protective layer of tissue that exists with an intention to protect your nails overlapping nail plates at the edge of nail folds. You might often cut them off assuming they are making your nails look ugly which is not a good idea in terms of health. It works as a shield on your nails protecting them from infection. Instead of cutting them off, you can push them towards the root of your nail with special tools.
Polish your nails
Nail polish not only makes you nails look attractive but also protects them by making them harder and less vulnerable to break. It gives your nails a good support. These days, nail art has become a trend. Beautiful designs are painted on your nails giving attractive and elegant look to your nails. If you don’t like using colorful nail polishes, you can go with transparent colors. Always apply a sticky base coat before using polish which grips polish better.
Although they make your nails stronger, they can be equally harmful. So, it is necessary to make sure that you buy a high quality nail polish. You should avoid using expired nail polishes as they are dreadful for your nails.
Use Acrylic Nails
Most of the people don’t prefer nail extensions because they are unaware of the fact that it can keep you from breaking your natural nails. Acrylic nails cover your natural nails and protect them from splits. Hence, it makes your nails grow stronger. However, you should be careful while pulling them off because sometimes you might end up pulling your natural nails.
Drink plenty of water
Drinking a lots of water keeps you away from most of the health problems .Do you know how fruitful is it for your nails? Every system in your body needs water and so does your nails. Drinking plenty of water keeps you hydrated and your entire body is moisturized including your nails. Hence, strong healthy nails can be obtained just by drinking as much water as you can.
Consume Healthy Diet
Certain food can improve the way you look. When you eat an unhealthy food it can be seen on your whole body including your hair, skin and nails. Thus, you should eat more healthy food such as fruits and vegetables and avoid consuming junk food.
It is necessary to consume food containing more calcium. It provides extra luster and shine on your nails. Besides, you can consume foods with vitamin B, zinc, iron, vitamin A and C. They keep your nails from becoming dull and dry. Since our nails are made of keratin, a kind of protein, consuming foods that contains protein are beneficial.
Maintain Excellent Personal Hygiene
You should wash your hands properly in order to get rid of dirt that might get stuck under your nails. But it doesn’t mean you need to wash your hands every now and then. You just need to keep your hands clean. It is important to have good personal hygiene for healthy nails.
Protect them from exposure to water
It is just impossible to protect your hands from water but you can attempt to reduce its exposure to water. Excessive exposure of your nails to water leads to dehydration which in result damages them. So, in order to avoid the contact with water, you can wear rubber gloves. They are your friends as they are always there to protect your hands. The washing materials that we use contain lots of chemical that are harmful for our nails. So, always put on your gloves while using water, whenever possible.
Avoid excessive filings your Nails
The major problem that results from over filing your nails is Onycholysis. When it occurs, the space between nail plate and nail bed are more vulnerable to infection. Excessive filing makes your nail bed go thin and weak which is not so good platform for improvement. You can even replace your file with an emery board which is more abrasive to shape nails.
Avoid using chemicals
We all love polishing our nails and changing the colors of our nail more often. This requires constant use of nail polish removers. The alcohol and chemicals present in these removers are one of the reasons for weak nails. So, how can you keep up with fashion without using the removals? Actually, there are different kinds of nail polish removals and not all of them are equally harmful. Normally, we use acetone based polish removal which causes bad effect on our nails. You can find oil based nail polish removals which are not much harmful for our nails. Still it would be a better idea if you would use it as less as possible.
Avoid using Nails as your Tools
Almost all of us have used our nails as tools at some point of time. Instead of using can opener to open cans, you end up using your nails. Apart from it, you use your nails to open a jar and to remove staples when there are particular tools for such purposes. You should remember that our nails are for protection of tip of our finger from injuries. So don’t end up damaging your nails by abusing them.
Never Ignore the Problems
Often we might notice that our nails on our hands and toes start to turn yellow. They are the major symptoms of unhealthy nails. Such problems are known as fungus infection. When such unusual changes are seen you ignore them instead of searching for solutions. Since our nails and health are dependent on each other, the yellow color may be a result of some illness or vitamin deficiency. In such situations, it is really necessary to consider consulting a doctor.
Follow these simple tips for healthy nails and see the change. And remember, your toe nails count too. Clean, healthy and well manicured nails are an essential part of your neat appearance, which is very important in the social as well as professional world.
If you are too lazy to take care of your nails, you can leave it to the professionals. If you are looking for a nail expert in Fairfax, Virginia, book your appointment now or call (703) 273-6220.