tips for strong and healthy nails

If you want nails look good and are healthy to boot, follow some of our simple tips for lovely, healthy nails:

• Don’t cut or bite the cuticle. It can cause infection and also damage the nail bed in some cases. Sometimes when you go for a manicure the salon attendant may use a special implement to trim your cuticles, which does admittedly give a neater, cleaner look, but which can come at a cost: it can cause infection as well so may be best avoided
• DO use a good quality buffer preferably once a week, no more than twice a week. Be sure not to buff too vigorously and not for too long to avoid damaging the nail. Just a brief gentle buff before applying nail polish can help prevent the polish from peeling due to a rough or uneven surface on the nail.
• Feed your nails appropriately: zinc and calcium are good for the nails so eat a diet that is rich in these nutrients. Increase protein intake and fruits and vegetables, nuts, fish and eggs in your diet. Apples, asparagus, brown rice, cucumbers, garlic, grapes, liver, nuts, onions, salmon, seeds, soy, tuna and whole grains are all good for you and for your nails as well.
• When applying nail polish aim for doing two or three thinner coats instead of one thick one. This will give you a stronger coat of polish by drying faster and lasting for a longer period of time.
• Lower consumption of saturated fats and also cut down on sugar and alcohol.
• Keep nails short and neat and if you have a chipped nail, don’t ‘tear’ it off, rather clip it off.
• Be careful with the products you put on your hands such as soap and lotions. Avoid products with alcohol or other drying agents because that tends to dry and weaken nails, making them brittle and prone to cracking.
• DO wear protective gloves when doing any work that requires the hands to be submerged in water or come in contact with chemicals. Preferably use gloves with a cotton lining so they remain dry inside. Fungus loves a moist environment.
• Avoid artificial nails, the kind you stick on to your real nails. They may look good for a while, but they can result in fungal infection and destruction of the underlying nail.

Take care of these few things and you can enjoy pretty hands and lovely nails. While it may not immediately transform you into a hand model, your nails won’t at least be an eyesore!