Having beautiful nails doesn’t stop you from being a lady who carries out the basic chores and work that requires the use of the hands. I am not a fan of the idleness. But, if I was to be in the position where I wasn’t constantly carrying, typing, cleaning, holding, fixing or using my hands to do the things it was actually made forthen what would stop my nails from being short of amazing.
Having beautiful fingernails or toenails require no special dietary supplements, expensive topical treatments or total withdrawal from carrying out manual labor. All that is needed from you is to follow simple rules carefully, live by them and watch as your nails grow long and health.
Stop Picking
This particular tip is the number one rule you must learn to follow to the bitter end unless the chances of you getting those beautiful nails is zero to nothing. I would write this over and over again if I am chanced. Do not pick, chew, bite, peel or carry out any other destructive fussing operation on your nails. Don’t! Importantly, don’t pick or peel polish.
Before you pick those nails again, know that you are removing an essential component from those nails. In the nail plate, the top most layer consists of cells which act as lubricants and which keep the nail strong. When the polish comes off in sheets, those important layer of cells comes off as well.
Leave Your Cuticles Alone
Your cuticles are very important and should not, under any circumstance be cut. Why? Cut cuticles have the ability to leave you at a high risk for bacterial and fungal infections. It is even worse when they are pushed back before a manicure as this can lead to serious damage.
When you don’t know the function of a particular thing, that thing tends to be abused. The role of the cuticle is a very vital one. The cuticle serves as a bridge to join that space between the skin and the nail plate. This in turn produces a waterproof barrier that protects the nail from germs and infections.
The reason as to why the cuticles can be cut or pushed is because a short cuticle usually makes the nail look longer than it actually is.
Wear Polish
Did you know that a nail that has polish on is safer than a nail that doesn’t? Here’s why:
- With polish on, the nail is sealed against unwanted damages.
- The nail is protected such that it can comfortably grow and repair itself in peace. There are no interferences from external bodies.
- Who picks nails with polish? Just think about it. With that beautiful shade of pink or even black on those nails, it would be hard for you to pick, bite or peel your nails.
Some people may not like the idea of having crazy colors on their nails but that is cool. There is also a regular coat of white polish and that works as much as the others.
Take it Easy on Polish Remover
Some of the popular nail polish removers contain acetone and/or formaldehyde as a major component. This component has an ability of sapping or removing moisture from the nails. Moisture in the nails is very important and essential because without it, the nails are prone to being dried out, brittle and can cause damages such as splitting, peeling or cracking. After a day or two, if you notice that your nail polish is wearing out or chipping away, other than starting the whole process of cleaning the nail polish entirely and putting another one, simply touch up the manicure with more polish.
It is healthier to limit your use of nail polishes remover to once a week and make use of polish remover that are acetone free to be even gentler.
Moisturize
Just like your hair needs moisture, your nails which are surprisingly made up of the same material-keratin also requires moisture. Moisture is required and very necessary on the journey to having perfect, beautiful nails so always make sure that your hands are treated to a rich, emollient lotion on a regular basis. You should always bear this in mind and practice it daily especially after removing polish, working with cleaning products like detergents and soaps or getting your hands wet.
File Right
When it comes to filing, there are two basic rules you must bear in mind.
- You must never file your nails in a back-forth motion.
Some nail technicians however might actually file your nails in a back-forth motion. This is an exception for them because they make use of professional-grade files and they are trained specially such that they know the appropriate amount of pressure that must be applied. While at home, it is safer and advisable to pick a particular direction and then file in long, broad strokes as this will avoid unwanted problems such as the nail splitting.
- Ensure that the nails are totally dry before carrying out the filing operation.
One might ponder as to why this is necessary but it is now a known fact that wet nails are more vulnerable to damage than dry nails.
Be Gentle
Be well informed that your nails are made of alpha-keratin and not titanium or steel. You should take caution not to use those nails to carry out tasks that can easily be done with the use of tools. There is no room for comparison between your precious nails and pliers, wedges, scrapers or even hammers. Don’t try to open up soda cans, remove batteries, or pry off duct tape using those nails instead make use of the tools.
