NAIL HEALTH
Long, strong, healthy nails are possible,
if you don't fall prey to myths & old wives tales!
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Don't cut or manipulate cuticles
No matter who does your nails, you or a nail salon leave your cuticles alone
- The cuticle is the natural barrier to fungus & bacteria
- Once you try to ‘fix’ your cuticle, you lose that protection
- Cutting cuticles is the most harmful thing to do but pushing them back will also cause problems
- Cuticles will look either red, swollen or ragged
- You can also get an infection that harms the nail bed & leads to permanent nail damage
TIP
You can push your cuticles back with an orange stick as long as you do it gently
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Use nail hardeners sparingly or not at all
Most of them do more damage than good
- These products are not studied clinically, so most claims aren’t backed up by science
- Unless nails are exceptionally weak & fragile, most people don't benefit from a nail hardener
- Avoid anything that makes your nails more brittle
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Moisturize the nail bed & the cuticle
Moisturizing the nail bed make cuticles look better
& helps protect nails from breaking due to a lack of moisture
- If your nails are prone to breakage, they need moisture
- Putting oil around the cuticle helps moisturize the entire nail
- This will reduce the incidence of chipping, cracking & splitting
TIP
- To moisturize your fingernails, use a cuticle cream, petroleum jelly or vitamin E oil
- Put it over the entire nail, including the cuticle & gently rub it in
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Helpful food supplement & food advice
In several studies, researchers found that 2.5 miligrams daily of Biotin (B7)
increased nail thickness & prevented splitting and breaking.
Good sources of biotin are foods such as:
- Brewer's yeast
- Brown rice
- Green peas
- Bulgur
- Oats
- Soybeans
- Sunflower seeds
- Walnuts
Check with your doctor
first before taking biotin or any other dietary supplement
Two other nutrients associated with nail health
are silicon & the supplement MSM which are found in some nail products
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Not so helpful supplement & food advice
- Calcium, yeast or fluoride don’t have any impact on nail health
- Soaking or eating Gelatin won’t increase nail strength
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Limit professional manicures
- Hospital studies have shown that those who get regular manicures were most likely to suffer from dry, brittle nails from exposure to chemicals & harsher ingredients
- Women who get manicures often suffer from chronic nail bed infections
1. Puffy, reddened areas around the base of the nail indicate an infection
2. When you look at your finger sideways the area around your nail bed should be flat
3. If it's puffy, that's evidence of a chronic infection
TIP
If you continue with professional manicures
If you bring your tools to the manicure, it should cut down on the risk of infections
TIPS
If you do your own nails
- Buy a nail “nipper” that has a curved handle & a cutting jaw shaped to follow the natural
curve of nails - Use polish that is free of formaldehyde, toluene & dibutyl phthalate
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Avoid acetone-based polish removers
It strips the nails & causes them to become brittle
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Avoid rough emery boards
The old-fashioned emery boards are too harsh for nails,
causing small fissures & cracks that lead to breakage
TIP
- File nails with a smooth, fine file and don't saw back & forth
- Instead, file in 1 direction only & do it slowly & evenly to reduce risk of breakage
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Don't overdo hand washing & limit contact with cleaning chemicals
Washing your hands frequently, can ruin your nails
- If you are in a profession where frequent hand washing is mandatory, use moisturizer as
often as possible & rub a little extra around the cuticles several times a day - When doing housework or laundry minimize contact with harsh chemicals, including
dishwashing liquid, by wearing rubber gloves whenever possible
TIP
- Put on nitrile gloves covered by kitchen rubber gloves
- Place a rubber band towards the opening of the gloves when you shower (keep your hands
up as much as possible) & when you swim (keep your hands up above the water)
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Change your soap
Using any soap that strips lipids & other natural oils it will dry your nails
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Choose nail tips over full extensions
- Nail extensions are bad news for nails
- They frequently leading to fungal or even bacterial infections & sometimes to permanent damage
- If you must wear nail extensions, opt for just tips
- While they can still cause problems, the potential for damage is less since the surface area covered is smaller
IMPORTANT WARNING
- The use of a liquid acrylic nail compound known as MMA (methyl methacrylate)
has been banned in many states - MMA has been the subject of an FDA hazard warning, due mostly to high allergic sensitivity
& serious nail damage - Since it's an inexpensive ingredient, there are reports some salons are still using it,
sometimes in the form of black market products - If your nail products have a strong, noxious odor, if nail enhancements are difficult to file
or they don't soak off easily, they could contain MMA - Report any suspicions to your state health board
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Remember toenails count, too!
- Everything that applies to your fingernails applies to your toenails, which experts say may be even more prone to problems due to careless pedicures
- Since feet are more often inside shoes, a dark, moist environment, fungus can grow more
easily - Take your own nail tools with you for a pedicure & never let them dig under the nail or
around the cuticle - Cutting toenails at an angle, instead of straight across, increases the risk of ingrown toenails, which can be painful & sometimes develop into an infection
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Watch your nails for signs of health problems
Most often nail problems can be traced to
- Exposure to harsh cleaning chemicals
- Use of drying nail products
- Excessive use of fingertips
- Typing
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The American Academy of Dermatology advises that the condition
of your nails can sometimes reflect a problem in your overall health.
Here's what they say to look out for:
- White nails -- Liver condition
- Half pink/half white nails - Kidney disease
- Yellowing and thickening of the nail, slowed growth rate -- Lung disease
- Pale nail beds - Anemia
- Yellow-tinged nails with a slight blush at the base - Diabetes
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