Nail Care 101: Tips and Tricks for Healthy Nails

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As a doctor, I can get several clues about my patient’s overall health just by looking at his/her nails. This is how closely related your nail health is to your general well-being.

Apart from that, strong and beautiful nails are also important for a confident, feel-good appearance. Today, I’ll be sharing a few tips that will ensure better and stronger nails without taking awfully long.

1) Health and Hygiene

First and foremost, your nails should be neat and tidy all the time. This isn’t just for cosmetic purposes, but to save you from illness and infections.

Eating or touching your face with unwashed hands can be detrimental to your health in more than one way. While washing hands, make sure you pay special attention to your nails. If you’re working and don’t have access to soap and water, keep a sanitizer nearby.

 

2) Moisturizing

Your nails need moisturizing just as much as your skin. Washing can dry out the outer layer and make your nails weak.

Hence, investing in a good nail cream or lotion will be worth each penny. In the long run, this will also prevent dull or brittle nails, as well as nail breakage. And if you love painting your nails, you will have more ease experimenting with different nail arts. 

I just love cuticle creams as it makes the skin around your nails shiny and supple so when you do any nail art it shines through.

 

3) Dietary Habits

Your nails require nutrients (such as Zinc and Omega-3) to grow. Learning about nail care needs and ensuring sufficient intake is vital to nail health.

If you can’t meet the nutrition requirement through your diet, talk to your healthcare provider. He/she may suggest supplements to keep your nails in good shape.

 

4) Care Before/After Swimming

Exposure to chlorine can result in nail damage. So, before going into the swimming pool, apply a cuticle oil to minimize the effects.

Similarly, after swimming, you must moisturize your nails. A few extra minutes of care will save you from a lot of extra stress in the future.

 

5) Keep Nails Dry

Frequent washing may be necessary for hygiene, but it also has some consequences for the nails. Whenever you wash your hands, make sure that you dry the nails properly afterward. Otherwise, your nails will become weak and break.

This also goes for activities such as washing clothes or doing the dishes. I would recommend wearing gloves during these chores to protect the nails.

 

6) Regular Grooming

Keep your nails short to minimize breaking and damage. Short nails are also easier to keep clean and well-groomed.

If your nail tips are too long, they can accumulate bacteria underneath that is invisible to the naked eye. This can enter your mouth when you eat and make you sick.

 

7) General Care

Needless to say, exerting force through your nails never ends well. Try opening a stubborn can lid to know what I mean. So, never use your nails to open cans, jars, and removing sticky stuff off of the surfaces. 

8) Don’t push back your cuticles

Cuticles protect the nails, and if pushed back or removed can damage the nail.

9) Gentle Touch

Lastly, remember to be gentle as your nails are delicate. Do not be too harsh while removing nail paint or massaging your hands and nails.
Also, if your skin around the nails is damaged, try not to peel it further. Instead, use ointments or moisturizing creams to nourish your nail skin.

No matter how good you look, if your nails are unkempt and un-hygienic, it can ruin your overall appearance. If you consistently follow these nail care tips you will see the difference. Your brittle and dry nails can turn beautiful, healthy, and shiny.

Conclusion

As you can see, most nail care tips can be combined under the umbrella of healthy lifestyle habits. Eating well and ensuring nail hygiene is the best way to have strong, shiny nails.

So, follow my tips to take good care of your nails, have fun nail art and flaunt them to your friends ?