How to get long, strong, and healthy nails
The strength and appearance of your nails can give an indication of your overall health. However, your nails may not be as strong and healthy-looking as you’d like them to be. Nail strength and health can be affected by several environmental stressors and your lifestyle. Would you like your nails to be longer, stronger, and healthier? Small changes to your lifestyle and habits can make a big difference to your nail health. There are a few ways you can ensure that your nails long, strong, and healthy.
Good nutrition
This is probably the most
obvious tip. Your body is affected by what you eat, including your skin, hair
and nails. A well-balanced, nutritious diet containing plenty of vitamins and
minerals can help to keep your nails strong and healthy. Biotin (also known as
vitamin H and vitamin B-7) is important to the health of your immune system,
hair and nails.
Drink plenty of water.
Probably the second most obvious (but so, so important) tip is to make sure you are always drinking plenty of water. As with good nutrition, you are affected across your body by your hydration levels. If you aren’t drinking enough water, your nails can become brittle and fragile, and may break or peel more easily.
Now this one may sound like a
contradiction, but I’m actually talking about keeping your nails out of water
as often as you can. Too much soaking your nails in water can also cause them
to become weak and brittle. It’s impossible to keep your hands out of water all
the time (unless you don’t wash dishes or yourself), but it’s important to keep
this tip in mind.
To minimise the amount of time your nails spent submerged, try using rubber gloves when washing the dishes, and maybe rest your hands on the bath when you’re bathing.
Many nail polishes or
treatments can contain harsh chemicals. These chemicals can contribute to the
weakening of your nails. Avoid nail polish remover that contains acetone and
look for non-toxic nail polish remover. If you use longer-lasting gel nail
polish, have it removed by your beauty therapist. If you remove it yourself or
pick at it, you can damage your nails.
Prioritise health over length.
If your nails are weak and
damaged, it’s best to keep them short for now. Weak nails struggle to maintain
length, so keep them short until they strengthen. File them smoothly to prevent
breakages and snags and your nails will strengthen in no time.
So, your handbag/backpack/desk
drawer now includes a water bottle. We also need to add some hand cream or
moisturising lotion in there (if you haven’t already got some). Moisturiser not
only keeps your skin healthy but also can keep your nails hydrated.
Moisturise your hands after
washing your hands to restore the moisture back in after washing.
One you need to watch that is
in most handbags, backpacks and desk drawers is hand sanitiser. It’s such a
handy product to keep your hands clean in between washes, or if you are
travelling or camping and need clean hands on the go. However, hand sanitiser
contains alcohol so try not to use this too often, as alcohol will dry out your
hands and nails and cause your nails to break more easily.
It’s best not to use your
nails to open cans or to pry things open. Use your fingertips or an actual tool
instead. This will stop your nails from breaking and as long as they are
healthy, you can keep a nice length!
The skin between your nails
and your finger skin is called your cuticle, and it plays a very important role
in preventing infection. Your cuticle seals the area at the base of the nail,
preventing bacteria from entering underneath the skin and causing infection.
This is why you should never cut or remove your cuticle and try to take care of
them. So, no biting or pulling at your cuticles. If you really want to do
anything with them, it’s best to push them back gently and use a cuticle oil to
moisturise and protect your cuticles.