Get strong and healthy nails

Your hands are always on display and can be exposed to a number of infections and diseases. So, give them extra attention to help them stay in the best shape.

The ultimate guide to nail care

You may chew on your nails or put your fingers in your mouth without even thinking about it. But this puts you at risk of spreading germs and bacteria to your mouth.

Moisturise

Keep your nail bed and cuticles moisturised. This will help prevent breakage from dryness, chipping, cracking and splitting. Dab oil around the cuticle to help moisturise the entire nail.

Treat your cuticles with care

It’s not always necessary to cut your cuticles. Push them back gently at a 45-degree angle. You don’t want to damage and weaken your entire nail.

Take supplements

Biotin, a member of the Vitamin B family may increase nail thickness and prevent splitting and breaking. Biotin helps your body convert essential fats and proteins so that nutrients can be absorbed into your body more efficiently.

Load up on healthy food

A well-balanced and vitamin-rich diet could be the cure to growing healthy hair and nails. Vitamin deficiencies weaken your nails and make them brittle.

Trim your nails regularly

Broken nails can be painful. The only solution to prevent this is to prevent them from breaking by keeping them well-trimmed and filed correctly.

Polish them

A clear coat of nail polish can protect your nails. If you prefer colour, use a base coat, two thin coats of colour, and a top coat. Your colour should last for at least a week. Be sure to remove it after 10 days.

Minimise manicures

Go easy on the acrylic nails or don’t do them often. They can lead to more infections with a small risk of skin cancer from the UV light that glues the nails. Wear sunscreen on your hands if you’re going to be putting them under the light.

Avoid acetone-based polish removers

Avoid nail polish removers with acetone. They’re terribly drying on your nails and may cause them to become brittle. Use acetate-based removers instead.

Put on your gloves

Minimise the effects of harsh chemicals on your hands and nails when working around your home by wearing rubber gloves.

Don’t forget your toenails!

Wash your feet in warm water every day. Trim your toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails. This is particularly important if you have diabetes.

Some fun facts about your nails:

Your fingernails and toenails are made of keratin. Keratin is a protein; also the main protein found in your hair.
Ever wondered why it doesn’t hurt when you clip your hair and nails? That’s because they are dead. Fingernails have no feeling.
A known fact is that your fingernails grow quicker than toenails. However, men’s nails tend to grow more quickly than a woman’s. Thanks to hormones, female nails will grow faster during pregnancy.