For many women, nails are as much a part of her fashion or accessories as a pair of gorgeous shoes or earrings. However, some women have difficulty when it comes to nail growth. Their nails may split, flake, and peel. The nails are a great measure of over-all health and nutrition. If you can get your nails healthy, the rest of you is likely doing pretty well also.
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Do: Eat a balanced diet
As with all parts of our body, our diet is the primary source for health and well-being. The part of the nail that extends beyond the skin is no longer alive, so it is important to nourish the base of the nail properly. A diet rich in calcium, zinc, and biotin will improve your nail health greatly, and encourage them to grow. If you have allergies to the foods that contain the higher concentrations of these nutrients, such as dairy, and eggs, take supplements. Just be sure to check the source of the nutrients it may contain.
Do: Protect your hands and nails
Wear gloves when you do the dishes, or any cleaning with soaps or chemicals. Never do any work outdoors in the garden without gloves. Also, in the winter months, wear warm, protective gloves when going outside of the house. People often skip the gloves in favor of pockets or just tough it out. However, cold, damp, and wind can chap hands and dry out nails.
Do: Use your own tools
If you get a professional manicure, whether it is once a week, once a month, or once every couple of months, you should invest in your own professional quality manicure set to take with you to the salon. These days, it is very common for people who get their nails done in a salon to request the salon use the client’s own tools to prevent the possibility of fungal infection or other skin and nail problems being passed from a previous client. A quality salon will understand, and many encourage their clients bring their own tools. If you have a color of polish you want to use for this manicure, bring that as well.
Don’t: Ban the biting
Nail biting is an age-old practice of the high-strung, tense, nervous, and shy people of the world. Unfortunately, while you are biting your nails to relieve tension, you are causing damage to your nail bed and root. Repeated biting can, in fact, cause the nail to fall off, and not grow back. There are anti-nail biting products on the market, and old folk remedies such as dipping your fingertips in vinegar, or painting your nails with hot pepper sauce. You can also talk to your doctor and see if they have any remedies or suggestions.
Don’t: Drum your nails on hard surfaces
Drumming your nails when you are bored or annoyed is a common practice, and it also damages the nails. It weakens the nail plate and causes small cracks. It also damages the nail bed which weakens the nails. There are many other forms of fidgeting you could do that is less harmful to your nails. If it is the sound that you are wanting, try tapping a pen on the desk instead of your nails.
Don’t: Abandon the acetone
The only thing acetone should be used for is removing super glue and acrylic nails. Acetone is the great enemy of natural nails. It will dry your nails in an instant, and dry nails are weak nails. Weak nails do not grow well. If you remove old polish with acetone, and then manicure your nails, you will soon be very disappointed when your nails begin to break because they are brittle. Non-acetone remover is the best product for natural nails.
There are so many styles of nail polish on the market these days. They range from fun and funky, to rich and fabulously lush. Having nice, strong nails to apply the polish to enhances every hand. If you take the right measures to encourage nail growth, you will have nails to envy.
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