Nail Care Tips

The nails and hands are two parts of our bodies that are often taken for granted. We use them everyday of our lives, but fail to take care of them as much as we take care of our hair, teeth, or other body parts. The reason or this is because they always serve their purpose. And they never fail us until it’s too late to give them their much deserved attention.

By the time we see veins on our hands, or see them with blotches of red and discoloration; or when our nails are specked with white spots, and often break. Is it too late to care and improve them? No, it's not. But we need to act on it soon.

Now, because we have failed to take note of the changes on our hands and nails, it is not a surprise that the information we possess on how to take care of them is also limited. What does this leave us? Go to professionals. Spend well earned dollars on our hands and nails. This could be the case on those extremely problematic situations, however, this doesn't always have to be the case.

There is a secret to taking care of our hands and nails. As with any care regimen, we need to understand these parts of our body that have been very loyal to us through these years. Once we know this, we need to know how to take better care of them, and other factors that have been affecting them without us knowing.

		Keep your nails strong, healthy and beautiful with these nail care tips.
		Below are some useful tips:  ·         Never clip nails to shorten them. Use an emery board to file nails down to size. ·         Apply a top coat almost daily to help protect the tips. ·         Use nail polish remover as infrequently as possible - especially those containing acetone. Most nail polish removers will dry nails out. Many specialists suggest using nail polish remover no more than once a week. ·         Apply a hand cream or lotion after washing hands since soaps tend to cause nails and skin to become very dry. Cuticles should remain moisturized with Vaseline or a moisturizer such as Moisturel or Aquaphor. (Tip: Apply moisturizer before going to sleep each night.) ·         Never peel or scrape off nail polish or use metal instruments on the nail surface to push back the cuticles. This can scrape off the protective cells of the nail surface. ·         Break the habit of nail biting - it is very destructive to both the nail and the cuticle and can lead to infections that can actually deform the nail. ·         An excellent time to do your manicure is after a shower, bath or the dishes. These activities will remove dirt from under the nails as well as soften dry nails. ·         The cuticle protects the nail root from bacteria. Instead of cutting the cuticle, push it back gently with a rosewood stick or rubber-tipped cuticle-pusher. However, should the cuticle be hard and dry and sticking up, slightly trimming it is justifiable, but never remove the whole thing. Strong cuticle growth can be controlled with a cuticle softener or cuticle remover liquid. ·         Keep your nails out of your mouth! Biting nails can damage the nail and the cuticle leading to a deformed nail shape or uneven nail growth. You can also transfer harmful organisms to the nail that lead to infection or even increase one's chance of catching a cold or flu.