Proper nail care is a simple way to lighten your nail-biting spirits. Not many people stop and pay close attention to their nails. So, for a second, take a long hard look at your nails. Are they strong, healthy nails? Or do they have ridges, dents or discolorations? Does the skin around the nail look irritated or have hangnails? Many undesirable nail conditions can be avoided but certain discolorations are a clue toward more serious illness. In cases of severe discoloration (green or yellow), you should seek medical attention.
Let's first go over the basics of the nail. Nails are laminated layers of keratin, a protein that is also found in your hair and skin. Each nail has several parts:
Nail Plate - the hard, laminated coating of the nail that is most visible.
Nail Folds - the layers of skin that surround the nail on all three sides, connecting to the finger's skin.
Nail Bed - the skin underneath the plate.
Cuticle - the tissue that overlaps the nail plate at the base and shields the new keratin cells as they surface from the nail bed.
Healthy nails are smooth without splits or ridges. They are identical in color and consistency and are free of spots or discolorations. A dead nail can take up to six months to regenerate because the nail only grows about .1 millimeters a day.
No single nail care product can help you completely maintain healthy nails. However, there are some simple guidelines to help you properly and healthily care for your nails:
Wear Gloves - Your nails take a lot of absent-minded abuse. Daily chores such as dishes can really do a number on your nails. Take a moment and think about how long your nails are underwater daily. It's more than you would imagine. When cleaning or gardening, take advantage of your rubber gloves and protect your nails.
Moisturize - Moisturize your hands and nails daily, if not more! It's not only soothing after a long day, but nails need moisture just as much as your skin - they're made from the same protein, don't forget.
Leave them Alone - Don't bite your nails or pick at your cuticles. Not only has your mother told you not to, but now, so are some doctors. These habits can damage the nail bed and nail folds. Even a small cut around the nail can take months to heal because of the cell's slow growth process.
Routine Maintenance - Make sure to trim your fingernails and clean underneath them regularly. This prevents bacteria from seeping into a cut and causing an infection in your nail.
Do not pull hangnails - As tempting as this might be, it can cause damage to your nail and invite an infection into your finger. It also rips away living, healthy tissue. Instead, clip the hangnails off, leaving the root of the hangnail attached to the skin.
These tips are just small additions to your day and won't throw off any routine. The nail is an important part of your body and if it is neglected, this could lead to serious illness or disease. Also, trendy tips to help strengthen your nails often do not work. Most dietary changes will not help your nails unless you're body is lacking protein. Just the same, soaking your nails in gelatin won't help them either - sorry Cosmo!
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3 comments
The content you have provided is pretty interesting and useful and I will surely take note of the point you have made in the blog.
Today while I was surfing the Internet, I read about Gel Nails being the latest trend now in the nail fashion industry. After reading about gel nails, I think it’s a great way to dress up your nails giving them a trendy look. I also came across this site gel-nails where you can check out some really cool stuff for your nail decoration.
If you are a professional nail artist or run a nail salon, you can get a bulk order discount and use the best nail products for your customers. I have bought the professional luxury gel nail kit from here and this is great value for my money.
I thought this information might be useful for anyone looking for genuine nail decoration stuff and may not know where to buy them from.
Posted on February 20, 2009 at 4:33 AM
Interesting content.
Just wanted to share some information that may help busy professionals caught up with work and who have less time to maintain their nails. You can try out gel nails which are now becoming a hot favorite as they are natural looking even without nail tips and the best way for nail enhancement. Also, if you are allergic to those strong smelling chemicals which you can experience with acrylic nails, then you should use gel nails as these are odorless.
However, when you are planning on gel nail application, make sure you approach a nail salon or a nail artist who is well versed with gel nails and is properly trained and mastered in gel applications. This will save you from problems that can arise with improper gel nail applications.
Posted on March 29, 2009 at 11:44 PM
Good information.
I came across many queries in several forums where people have been asking for advice on the best glue that can be used on nails and that is not only strong but also safe on nails. This was the same question I had sometime back when I used to apply nail gel myself. Initially the glue I got would never hold on the way it used to when done in the salon. I then came across the nail glue being sold on gel-nails which lasts very long and is pretty easy to apply. It provides a strong bonding for my nails and also does a great job in repairing the nail tips.
Most important of all is that this is strong glue I was actually looking out for and this is used by nail salons and nail artists for professional applications. It is available at a cheap price at gel-nails and I remember seeing it at a discount of 74% which is great. Maybe this can help if you also face problems relating to poor glue quality as I did earlier.
Posted on April 7, 2009 at 2:59 AM
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