Nail Care

Nail Damage And Prevention:

1. Wear gloves, it is the simplest way to avoid nail damage.
2. Use a long handled mop. This keeps your hands off water and your nails will definitely benefit.
3. If your hands get wet rinse them well and dry them carefully after the work is done.
4. Apply moisturising cream and massage well.
5. Other precautions:
   • Use a pencil to operate the dial.
   • Use a tin-opener to open tins.
   • Use gardening gloves.
   • Avoid contact with strong chemicals.
   • Use fair amount of moisturisers.
6. Wear Nail Polish- It acts like a barrier for the nails. Use acetone-free nail polish remover.
7. File in one direction only- Filing back and forth causes frays and weakens the nails.
8. Keep your nails short.
9. Manicure after a bath- Your nails are soft after bath and give the best results then.

Cosmetics To Disguise Nail Defects:
If your nails are deformed consult a dermatologist. Most nail problems are temporary and improve as the new nail appears. You can improve nail appearance considerably by the use of cosmetics. For example, nail polish can hide a number of nail defects. Nail-mending fluids can repair broken or split nails. For this place a piece of thin tissue over the crack or break and apply nail mending fluid. When it dries and sets apply nail enamel.

Common Nail Problems:

1. Brittle Nails: Brittle nails and flaking of nails is due to excessive dryness of the nail plate. The nail plate is made up of dead keratin cells. It is held together by a natural glue of fats and water. Loss of fats and water causes the cells to separate. This results in flaking and brittleness of the nails.
   • Domestic chores like doing dishes remove the natural fats from the nails. Try and wear gloves.
   • Nail polish removers dehydrate the nails. Avoid removing your nail polish too frequently if you have brittle nails. Touch up with a colorless polish, base-coat or a top-coat.
   • Massage around the nail-base with cream regularly.
2. Hangnails: Tears in the skin of the nail folds and the cuticle are hangnails. As the nail plate grows forward the cuticle and nail folds tend to stick and stretch. The stretched cuticle eventually tears. It may also crack if it is dry. Nail biting habits, chewing nails and picking the cuticle lead to the development of hangnails.
   • Keep the cuticles soft by massaging regularly, with cream and loosening it from the nail-plate.
   • Clip off existing hangnails.
   • Don't pull off slivers. It can be painful and may cause infection of the nail folds.
3. In-Growing Toe-Nails: Due to improper cutting, the toenail penetrates into the nail-fold as it grows, causing redness, swelling and pain.
   • Don't cut them too short;
   • Don't cut down the side of the nail;
   • Always follow the shape of the toe;
   • If it pains, try to push the nail-fold away from the sharp edge of the skin.
4. Fungal Infections Of The Nail: Nails become thickened, broken and discolored when fungus infects it. However it can be easily treated. Griseofulvin is given for milder infection and ketoconazole for more severe types. But don't take medicines on your own, consult a doctor.