Nail Care Tips for Stronger and Healthier Nails

Experts agree that the best way to keep your nails looking strong and healthy is to ensure that they stay clean, dry and properly trimmed. Experts from the AmericanAcademy of Dermatology recommend using sharp nail scissors or clippers and cutting straight across the nail and making slightly rounded tips, as well as filing the nails using an emery board. They also recommend soaking toe nails in a warm salt-water solution for about 10 minutes and keeping them trimmed short. In addition, using toenail nippers with an easy-grip handle can help make it easier to trim and groom toenails.

In addition to being used for beauty and making fashion statements, using a thin coat of nail polish can also help improve the health of your nails. Experts from the Mayo Clinic explain that wearing a thin coat of nail polish helps seal moisture into the nails, which helps prevent them from becoming dry, brittle, and cracking.

Nail Care Tips

-Keep nails clean and dry

-Trim and file nails regularly (shorter nails are less likely to split or break)

-Use moisturizers (and make sure to rub them into the nail beds)

-Wear a thin coat of nail polish (helps lock moisture into the nails)

-Avoid using nail polish removers (Mayo Clinic recommends keeping nail polish remover use to once per week and using an acetone-free version that won’t dry the nails out as much)

-Be gentle with your nails and don’t use them as tools

-Don’t bite your nails or cuticles (in addition to being unsanitary, this can introduce bacteria and lead to infections)

-Avoid pulling off hangnails (instead, carefully cut them with sharp clippers)

-When in doubt, get it checked out – don’t avoid seeking advice and treatment regarding any potential nail issues that don’t clear up on their own.

When it comes to ingrown toenails, experts recommend seeing a doctor for treatment and not trying to dig them out yourself. For those who still want to try an at-home treatment for ingrown toenails, the Dr. Scholl's Ingrown Toenail Pain Reliever is guaranteed to provide ingrown toenail pain relief.

In addition, the Perrigo 40% Urea Gel is also great for softening and revitalizing diseased nails; helping to soften the nail bed and gently dissolve diseased nail tissue. Mountainside Medical Equipment also offers a complete line of Fungi-Nail products for helping fight a variety of fungal infections and restore healthier nail growth.

Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/adult-health/in-depth/nails/art-20044954?pg=1

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=179005

http://www.mountainside-medical.com/treating-ingrown-toenails.html/