We all love long, well-shaped nails, but we mostly forget to acknowledge the fact that they too need care to remain healthy. They remain ignored most of the times, and it is easy for us to forget or postpone on the basic care they need. However, without proper care, your nails can get weak and brittle, breaking easily, and this will give your fingers quite an ugly appearance. But you can maintain a good nail health by following fundamental things, that won’t even take much of your time.
How Should You Take Care Of Your Nails?
Keep Them Clean
You must keep your nails and skin around them clean. You can use a nail brush for the purpose. You can also apply some soap on a toothbrush and then gently rub it on your nails and skin surrounding it. Also, don’t forget to clean the insides of your nails too, because major nail infections arise from there only.
Clip and Shape Them
We often forget clipping our nails, or leave them untrimmed on purpose, hoping that they would grow longer. However, it is essential to keep trimming your nails at regular intervals to allow them to grow and stay strong. Make it a habit to cut your nails once in every one or two weeks, depending on how fast they grow. It is best to cut them after you come out of the shower, when they are soft. Also shape them with a file, so that your nails steer clear of any rough edges and remain smooth. Move the file in one single direction and not back and forth.
Clipping and shaping the nails can also help prevent your nails from getting brittle. If you are a person who has been facing the problem of breaking and snagging of nails, it is best that you keep them short. Short nails are easy to manage, and once you build some nail strength, you can go for growing them, without worrying about breakage.
Take Care of Your Cuticles
The cuticle, which is a layer of skin at the bottom edge of the nail bed plays a vital role in preventing your nails from bacteria. So, proper care is necessary. Do not cut or remove it, because that can lead to bacterial growth and infections. If you don’t like how it looks, push it back with a stick while it is soft. You must also apply cuticle oil or a massaging cream to keep your cuticles smooth and moisturized.
Be Careful With The Use Of Nail Products
We use many nail products to enhance the look of our nails. However, not every product is safe. So, use any product after ensuring its safety. Read the contents of your nail polish, what it contains, and whether it is reliable or not. Also apply a base coat to your nails, before you apply the nail polish, so that nail polish puts less strain on your nails. A base coat will also help you keep your nails strong. A topcoat is equally important to retain the nail color and give your nails a gloss and shine.
Your Nail Tools Also Need Care
Trying to clean up something with dirty equipment is just useless. Same goes with your nails. You can steer clear of nail infections and problems if you use unclean tools for your purpose. Clean your nails tools after every use with soap and water and wipe them with rubbing alcohol so that they get sterilized.
Stay As Natural As Possible
While acrylic nails, gel base nails, and nail arts seem to be cool and appealing, they are very hard on the nails and damage them severely. It is best that you steer clear of them. However, if you want to have them, then make sure that you get is done by a trained professional therapist.
Watch Your Diet Too
Nail growth and nail health is dependent upon keratin, which is a compound you can obtain from a protein-rich diet. Vitamin is also necessary to preserve your brain and body health. So, for good nail health, load your diet with proteins and vitamin-rich foods. It will also help you maintain a good physique.
Be Observant
You should be observant and consult your doctor if you find anything unusual in your nails such as dark lines within the nails, whitening or yellowing of nails, splitting nails, or grooves or spots on nails, as these things are indicative of unhealthy nails and you might need treatment.
A good nail health keeps your nails pink and shining and makes them look attractive. And it is no big deal. All you have to do is follow these simple basics.
