Take Breathers Between Manicures
Bottom line: Your nails need to breathe. Constant use of polish, even non-toxic polish, can weaken the nail, says Dr. Solomon. If you find that your nails have become especially fragile , give them a month off from nail polish to allow them to grow and strengthen. Applying a keratin treatment between manicures, such as CND RescueRXx, can help nourish your nails during the hiatus.
Become A Nail Filing Master
Go with a soft nail file to keep the edges of your nails smooth, says Dr. Klein. With rougher grains, you run the risk of making tears in the nail, which can lead to peeling and hangnails.
File your nails in one direction, using long and swift strokes. Back and forth see-saw motions will cause the nail to splinter, says Dr. Solomon, who recommends using the Deborah Lippmann Smooth Operator 4-Way Nail Buffer.
The micro-fiber material its made from is very gentle on the nails, but still manages to achieve a clean shape, she says.
Resist The Urge To Pick Or Peel
Just as you’re not supposed to pick at your face when you have a breakout, it’s best if you leave your fingers alone when your nails are breaking or your polish is peeling. “Try to keep a keratin-based strengthener or serum handy and apply it whenever you notice damage,” suggests Thompson. “Replace the picking habit with self-care.”
If you have gel or dip nails, avoid picking, peeling, or pulling the artificial nail off. This is not only potentially painful but can damage your nails. To safely remove them, you must soak them in an acetone solution. The acetone solution can dry out your nails, but it wont damage your nails as much as pulling off the gel or dip nails. The American Academy of Dermatology Association says that soak-off gel nails will actually cause less peeling and brittleness to your natural nails than acrylic nails, however. You can also consider getting artificial nails only for special occasions to let your nails recover in between.
If you have gel nails or dip nails, however, be aware that acetone-free nail polish wont remove them. Only pure acetone is strong enough to dissolve the artificial layer. If you have artificial nails and soak them off using pure acetone, make sure you use an oil or other hydrating lotion afterward to prevent them from getting brittle and breaking.
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Taking Precautions To Avoid Nail Problems
Always Start With A Base Coat
On the other hand, when you do decide its time to treat your nails into a manicure on your own, make sure to use a base coat before. One, it allows the color to stick longer, second, it provides a protective cape for your nails, and third, it make sit easier to remove the polish without being too hard on you nails.
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Be Nice To Your Cuticle
Cuticles are the natural barrier that helps seal and protect your nails from bacterial or fungal infection.
So what are the best ways on how to get healthy cuticles?
- Dont trim or cut them: No matter how tempting it may seem, never you cut or trim your cuticle. Trimming them is like breaking the seal of protection which will further open doors to a host of other infection. Im sure you wouldnt want that, do you?
- Push rather than trim: The best way to care for your cuticle is to push them back a little bit.
You can push them back either with an orange stick or cuticle pusher, and it should be done just after youve taken a shower.
Also, dont forget to apply little oil on them before you push. Failure to do so may fracture the delicate skin of your cuticle and create more harm than good.
Save Professional Mani/pedis For A Special Treat
Manicures and pedicures may provide the kind of psychological boost we can all use from time to time. However, overdoing it can lead to you guessed it brittle, weak nails.
Want the best of both worlds? Do what Dr. Stern suggests and go with a dry manicure. Imagine: All the mani benefits and none of the water stresses on your nails.
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Lemon Juice For Stronger Nails:
Lemon is a good source of vitamin c which helps to prevent yellow nails and also keeps your nails healthy and strong.
Youll need:
- Mix olive and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a bowl
- Slightly warm the mixture and let it cool until it is touchable
- Dip a cotton ball in this mixture and apply directly on your nails
- Wait for about 10 to 15 minutes
Repetitions: Do this method at least twice a week.
Note: Do not use lemon if there is an injury on your nail or on the skin around your nails. The acid content of lemon causes a burning sensation on the wounds.
Stick To A Natural Nail
Gels, dips, and acrylics may offer a candy-shell lacquer you adore, but they can actually be quite harsh on your nail plate. “Not only are acrylic and dip powder nails full of potentially nail-harming ingredients, but the process and wear can be very damaging to your nailbeds, and if done improperly can even lead to infection,” organic manicurist Eunice Montes-Hamaguchi has told us. To keep your tips healthy and strong, you might want to forgo the faux nails and stick to a bare-nailed look or coat of clean polish.
And if you do have gels, dips, or acrylics, don’t peel or pick them off, as this can only harm your nails moreyou can actually rip off pieces of the nail plate along with the polish. The thought alone makes my fingertips ache. Instead, use this step-by-step guide to remove your faux nails.
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Use Gloves Whenever Needed
Excessive hand washing can be damaging to your nails as constant exposure to soapy or hot water can soften your nails, making them brittle and weak. In addition, constant contact with water can cause nail splitting, which may lead to a condition known as onychoschizia.
Similarly, nails exposed to the dry winter weather often become brittle. This happens especially when temperature fluctuations occur while moving indoors to outdoors or vice versa. Your nails expand and contract periodically according to the temperature they are in. These repetitive changes can weaken the cells, making the nails prone to breakage.
Therefore, wear gloves to protect your nails from water- or weather-caused damage. Use cotton-lined rubber gloves while working with water, such as during gardening, doing the dishes, or housecleaning. Wearing gloves also prevents dirt from getting into your nails, preventing infections.
Additionally, make sure to wipe your nails dry after swimming or showering to keep them dry and prevent bacterial growth.
Use Nail Polish Sparingly
I know you wont agree with me on this, but hey, Im not asking you to stop using nail Polish completely. All Im saying is that you should limit the way you wear them.
Theres a rule to wear nail polishes. Its called the 5 days in, 5 days off rule. What this means is, you wear them for 5 days then take them after 5 days.
During this period, youre giving your nails the room for them to breath which in turn provides room for healthy nails.
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Avoid Gel Or Acrylic Nails
Constantly using gels or acrylic nail polish can damage a persons nails, causing them to peel.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the UV light that people use to dry the polish also carries a potential risk. This is because UV light has links to both skin cancer and premature aging. The Foundation recommend applying sunscreen to the hands 20 minutes before a nail salon appointment as a preventive measure.
To help keep the nails strong and healthy, a person should take a break from gels and acrylic polishes or avoid using them altogether.
Be Patient With Nail Growth
If youre a chronic nail-biter, you know the victory of finally growing your nails out past your fingertips. Healthy habits plus patience pay off in nail care. But the primary focus should be on figuring out how to strengthen your nails, not solving the puzzle of how to grow nails fast. Stronger nails can lead to longer nails if you practice good nail care, but it all takes time. If you battle brittle nails and constant breakage, its smart to keep your nails clipped short until they regain strength then theyll have the foundation they need to grow longer.
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Ways To Keep Your Nails Healthy And Strong
Almost everyone loves having beautifully manicured nails. But to have attractive nails, they also need to be healthy. Avoid using your nails as tools and start moisturizing your cuticles. Knowing this and some other ways to keep your nails healthy and strong, youll be on track to having perfect nails!
Trim Your Nails The Right Way
Do you even know the right way to trim your nails? I bet you dont. When it comes to the science of trimming nails, its advisable to cut them straight across.
Cutting them across will prevent you from getting ingrown nails which can be very painful. Also, avoid using razor blades to trim your nails instead, invest in some good nail clipper. It doesnt cost much, anyway.
Are these the only ways on how to get healthy Nails? Certainly not. Theyre still more ways. keep reading
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Finally Get A Manicure Once In A While
Getting your nails done professionally once in a while can improve their health and strength. This is because a nail technician will use professional products and is trained on nail health. Your therapist will apply a strengthening base goal to prevent the nails from peeling or becoming weak by using polish too often. Getting a regular manicure will remove rough edges and dry cuticles we tend to pick at or get caught and break. Take a look at the manicure options we have at Tay Medispa here:
Foolproof Ways To Keep Your Nails Strong & Healthy
Proper and consistent nail care will give you healthy nails for life, and you dont need to spend a ton of money to achieve fresh and flawless nails. Overdoing it with professional cleanings and such may increase the risk of damaging your nails and developing bacterial or fungal infections. To keep your nails clean, healthy, and looking perfect, start with these essential nail care tips.
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Your Hands Always Protected
When carrying out any activity, which includes the use of aggressive chemical products for cleaning, always use rubber, vinyl, nitrile or plastic gloves, and preferably with a cotton lining…
If you don’t protect your hands, your nails could weaken. Protect your hands if you do any kind of activity that involves gardening. Use the gloves mentioned above. Because if they become soiled with dirt, the level of cleaning that will be required will be much higher.
Avoid Contact With Water
Dont stop washing your hands or shower with gloves on, but do pay attention to ways you can reduce the time your nails spend in contact with water, because excessive water contact can weaken nail structure. For example, consider wearing gloves while doing the dishes or other wet work.
You know how soft and bendy nails get after a long bath? Consider this: The nail is like a sponge. It is 1,000 times more absorptive of water than the skin, for example, and so water can easily diffuse into the nail, Dr. Stern says. Excessive water exposure can put significant strain on delicate nail cells , which can lead to brittleness, peeling, and breakage, she says.
This is also why soaking nails before a manicure is bad practice. Not only does this make your nails more vulnerable to infection, according to Dr. Green, but it also doesnt allow nail polish to adhere as well or last as long.
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Do Not Bite Your Cuticles
Do not bite your nails, period. Although sometimes you may do it unconsciously, biting your cuticles can actually damage your nails health. According to Dr. Prystowsky, a sign of healthy nails is existent cuticles. Mainly, because they serve an important purpose. Cuticles seal the area at the base of the nail. So when you cut or remove the cuticle, it breaks that seal of protection, leaving you vulnerable to bacteria and the possibility of infection.
Try The Following Home Remedies
Various home remedies have been shown anecdotally to improve the health of nails. However, when trying these remedies, keep in mind that they are not backed by scientific evidence.
Since the remedies are generally safe, you can use them as an adjunct to other self-care measures and see if they work for you.
The following home remedies may aid in strengthening your nails:
- Mix one egg yolk with 2 tbsp of milk or cream, and apply the mixture to your nails. Wash it off after 1015 minutes. This remedy can help nourish your nails and make them stronger.
- To 1 tbsp of warm olive oil, add 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar and 1 tbsp of beer and mix well. Soak your nails in this mixture for about 15 minutes.
- Dilute apple cider vinegar with equal amounts of water, and soak your nails in the solution for up to 10 minutes.
- Mix green tea, a few drops of wheat germ oil, and a pinch of salt. Soak your nails in the mixture for 5 minutes, and wipe them with a dry cloth.
- Add 1 tsp of lemon juice to 3 tsp of warm olive oil. Dab this solution on your nails using a cotton swab. Once the mixture is dry, cover your hands with soft, cotton gloves, preferably overnight.
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Use Nail Hardeners Sparingly
“The take-home message here is that a lot of them do more damage than good,” says Stern. She reminds us that these products are not studied clinically, so most claims are not backed up by science. Unless nails are exceptionally weak and fragile, she says, most people don’t benefit from a nail hardener.
Healthy nails are flexible nails, she says, so to keep yours from breaking, avoid anything that makes them more brittle.
Top 10 Tips For Nail Care
An important element to healthy nails is consistent, daily nail care. Keep your nails looking beautiful by practicing these top ten nail care tips every day.
Get Nail Technician Training at Florida Academy
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