Tips For Healthy Nails

To help keep you nails healthy, read the following tips

*A good time to do your manicure is after you have taken a shower, bath or after washing the dishes. This is because these activities remove the dirt from under the nail.

*Use nail polish remover with caution. It can dry the nails and your cuticles. Try not to repair nail enamel every day.

*Nail polish thinner can be used to thin out nail polish that has become too thick. Keep the polish in the refrigerator to make it last longer.

*Watch out for signs of nail infection, including redness, pain or pus. The nail plates are porous and dry quickly. Nail polishes waterproof the nails and cause the skin under them to stay wet longer. This makes them more open to infection.

*After washing your hands, apply a cream or lotion. Hands and nails tend to get dried out from soaps and cleansers. You should try to keep your hands and cuticles well lubricated, with a moisturizer such as Aquaphor, Moisturel, Vaseline. You should use an oil or moisturizer at bedtime every night.

*Try not to use nail polish remover more than once a week. Nail polish remover causes the nails to dry out. Dry nails crack and split more easily than nails that are well hydrated (well-moisturized).

*Sometimes nail polish, dirt and bacteria can stain the nails. This can be removed by using a Q-tip or an orangewood stick with a cotton tip. Soak the cotton in 10 parts water mixed with 1 part bleach, then rub the nail where the stain is. This will remove most stains from the nails. Scrub under the nails with a nail brush or toothbrush with soap or bleach solution to remove stains under the nails.

*Be careful of some nail products. Some can cause rashes on the fingers or around the eyes since buffing or filing can cause small particles to enter the air. Some of the more damaging products are in nail hardeners.

*A top coat or sealer is a liquid that is applied over the nail polish. Any clear nail polish can be used as a top coat or sealer. This will minimize chipping or cracking of the nail. On natural nails, a clear coat can be used every day for seven days to give the nail protection and keep the moisture in.

*We don't recommend applying artificial nails over your own. They may look nice for a while, but they destroy the underlying nail. The chemicals and glue used are dangerous to the body, and are readily absorbed through the damaged nail and nail bed.

*A vitamin called biotin makes nails stronger in animals. Some studies suggest that it may help strengthen human nails. Biotin is available at health food stores.