Nails can be a hassle to maintain and in this article, we’ll be looking at some of the different things that you can do to keep your nails strong and healthy.
When one of your nails breaks it can be incredibly disheartening and unfortunately, most of the time there isn’t much that you can do about it. To add to this distress, this commonly happens to women within a few days of having a manicure. The chances are that you want to avoid your nails breaking and the best way to prevent this from happening is to keep your nails strong and healthy and in this article, we’ll be covering just that.
Tip #1 – Wear Gloves to Clean
This is without a doubt the most important thing to keep in mind. The best type of gloves that you can wear while cleaning is a pair of those thick yellow gloves. In comparison to thin latex gloves, their thickness makes it incredibly unlikely for your nails to catch on something and break off.
Not only is it ideal to wear gloves for preventing nail damage, but it stops dirt from gathering under your nails while you clean as well as stopping harmful chemicals from coming in contact with your nails. If you were to go barehand, you risk your nails cracking or cleaning products causing your nail polish to chip off.
Similarly, if you like to tend to your garden then wear a pair of leather gardening gloves for the same reason – you won’t regret it!
Tip #2 – Don’t Pick Off Nail Polish
Nail polish will start to fade away after a few days and will eventually start to chip off naturally. Now, as tempted as you might be to pick the rest of the nail polish away and apply a fresh coat, don’t. By picking nail polish off of your nails you are also picking off the protective outer layer of your nails. This will reveal the more vulnerable layers of the nail which if harmed, can badly damage the health and strength of your nails.
Thus, use a nail polish remover instead. Nail polish removers work by weakening the nail polish and as a result, it is removed a lot easier (and safer!).
Tip #3 – Vitamin A and C
Of course, having a healthy vitamin intake is important when it comes to your general health but in terms of your nails, Vitamins A and C are the most important vitamins that you should focus on consuming.
Vitamin C contributes to your body’s strength and thus, can help to make your nails stronger and it’s less likely that your nails will crack if pressure is inflicted on them. Vitamin A works in a similar way and will make your nails stronger.
Sources of Vitamin A are:
- Sweet Potatoes
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Eggs
- Carrots
Sources of Vitamin C are:
- Peppers
- Kiwi
- Peas
- Tomatoes
- Papaya
Even though these are the important vitamins to try and focus your diet around, if you’re aware of having an unhealthy diet then consider changing it up for the best.
Tip #4 – Keep Your Nails Clean
For those of you who like to flaunt their amazingly polished nails, it’s important that you know your limits. Let’s take the Summer as an example. This is the perfect time for you to take off your socks and relax outside in the warm weather, but this can lead to dirt getting stuck under your toenails and your fingernails if you’re not careful.
With that in mind, take a few minutes each day to clean under each of your nails and remove any lingering dirt. Not only is it hygienic to do so but it can also prevent harmful dirt from causing an infection and nail discolouration,
Tip #5 – Always Use a Base Coat
We all have days when we’re in a rush to get ready and we’re running a few minutes behind, but if you don’t have the time to put a base coat of nail polish on your nails then don’t use nail polish at all.
If you choose to skip using a base coat then you’re risking a few things. First, you risk the nails being stained by your nail polish and you also risk the chemicals that are in your nail polish seeping into the nails; even though these chemicals are safe for use on your nails, they aren’t healthy for absorption.
Tip #6 – Avoid Small Shoes
Your toenails are just as important as your fingernails and in order to keep your toenails strong and healthy, get rid of any shoes that are obviously too small to you.
By wearing shoes that are too small for you, your feet are crammed into a space that is too tight for them to have the freedom to move around and be relaxed. This can lead to your toenails being cracked and even worse, an ingrown toenail. Ingrown toenails are incredibly painful and depending on how bad the problem gets an infection may occur.
Prevent these problems from occurring by getting rid of any shoes that don’t fit you and only wearing shoes that are comfortable.
Tip #7 – Wear Clean Socks
Keeping your toes are important and after wearing socks for a long time, they’ll start to absorb the sweat from your feet. If you repeatedly wear dirty socks then the dirt will gather under your nails and this makes it more likely for an infection to occur.
Make sure that you wear clean socks each day and wash your dirty socks before wearing them again.
Tip #8 – Keep Your Nails Moisturized
The majority of people aren’t aware of this but moisturizing your nails is just as important as moisturising your skin. Your nails require moisture and if you are dehydrated and aren’t moisturizing them, you’re increasing the chances of them cracking and being damaged.
Make sure that you’re drinking plenty of water and moisturizing your nails daily so that your nails don’t dry out.
Tip #9 – Trim Your Nails Regularly and File Them
It’s understandable that there are people who want to have long nails that are visually appealing and look fantastic, but your nails must be trimmed regularly to lessen the chance of them cracking or being damaged.
Once every two weeks, set aside some time to cut your nails down to a reasonable length that won’t risk them cracking but doesn’t compromise their beauty. After cutting them, file them so that they don’t have rough edges.
When you file your nails don’t file them back and forth – this will make your nails weaker and will increase the chances of them breaking. Instead, file the nails from the outside towards the centre and repeat this from each side for each nail. The goal here is to trim, shape, and smooth the tips of your nails while retaining their beauty.
Tip #10 – Give Your Nails a Break
As tempted as you might be to cover your nails with nail polish every day, every so often you should take a few days to let your nails breathe and prevent them from drying out by removing the nail polish completely and applying a coat of clear gloss.
If you choose to not give them a break then there’s a higher chance of them breaking, chipping, and becoming damaged over time.
