Ten Steps To Stronger, Healthier Nails

If you’ve noticed that your nails are dull, brittle or unsightly, you’re not alone. Our hands are an important part of our daily lives, yet we often damage them without even noticing. Here’s how to make them healthier and better-looking.

Take Preventive Action

Wear rubber gloves when you do housework. It's especially important while gardening or washing dishes. Harsh cleaners and detergents cause the natural moisture to be sucked out of your skin and nails, and that means rough skin and weaker nails.

Moisturize Rub petroleum jelly, castor oil or cuticle oil into your cuticle and the surrounding skin every evening before you go to bed. You can also do this throughout the day, whenever your hands feel dry.

Prevent Fungal Infection Keep your feet as dry as possible. Dry your hands for at least two minutes after doing the dishes. Dry your toes thoroughly after swimming or showering. Make sure to wear breathable socks – cotton is the best option.

Trim and File Nails Regularly Trim your nails straight across. Use sharp manicure scissors or clippers as well as an emery board to smooth nail edges. Remove the dead skin near your cuticles, as well as any dirt beneath the nails.

Stop Biting If you have this nasty habit, control the urge! Biting your nails leaves them weak, prone to breaking, and looking scraggly. There are all kinds of tips you can use to break this habit. Try chewing gum or wearing a rubber band around your wrist to snap if you try to bite a nail.

Take Your Vitamins Get plenty of vitamin E, which is essential for nail and skin health. Find a high-quality vitamin E supplement from a health food store. Excellent food sources of vitamin E are brussels sprouts, collard greens, papaya and kiwi.

Eat The Right Foods The speed of your nail growth largely depends on how healthy your diet is. Almonds are very good for nails because they are full of fatty acids. Other important elements of a nail-healthy diet are vitamin B, iron and calcium. Additionally, make sure to drink plenty of water.

Keep Your Nails Polished Nail polish protects your nails from becoming damaged. Use a base coat underneath a colored polish. If you don’t like color, try a clear coat.

Remove Polish Gently Use a non-acetone nail polish remover than contains oils. Acetone will dry out your nails.

Give Your Nails A Sea Salt Bath To strengthen nails, dissolve a small amount of sea salt (about half a tablespoon) into one liter of water. Soak your nails in the solution for 20 minutes. Do this once a day until you see improvement.