How to Keep Your Nails Healthy

You can keep your nails healthy with routine maintenance and a healthy diet.

Keeping your nails healthy and strong will not only help them look their best, but also prevent ingrown nails, which can be painful, and the development of infections underneath the nail. Daily supplements added to an otherwise healthy diet can also aid in keeping your nails healthy.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Nail brush
• Antibacterial soap
• Cotton swab
• Gloves
• Cotton socks
• Nail clippers
• Nail file
• Buffing block
• Nail strengthener
• Non-acetone nail polish remover
• Biotin supplement

Caring for and Cleaning Your Nails

1. Clean under the tips and around the nail regularly with a nailbrush and antibacterial soap. Simply washing your hands often does not clean the entire nail; using a soft brush can help to clean hard-to-reach areas. This is especially important after handling food, particularly raw meat, poultry, fish and eggs.

2. Take care of your cuticles. This small piece of skin at the base of your nails helps to protect the nail bed from the elements; cutting or picking your cuticles can result in an infection. If your cuticles are overgrown, gently push them back with a clean, soft cotton swab or orange stick and moisturize them with a cuticle cream.

3. Wear gloves when you clean or do yard work. This helps to protect your nails from damaging chemicals and dirt.

4. Wear cotton socks and keep your shoes dry. Moisture from the elements or sweat can result in the growth of fungus in your nails. Keeping your feet dry at all times will help to prevent this.

5. Do not wear ill-fitting shoes. Tight footwear can cause your nails to grow into your toes, resulting in painful ingrown toenails.

Maintaining Your Nails

1. Cut your nails straight across every time. Trimming the sides of your nails or attempting to cut at a curve is one of the primary causes of ingrown nails. To shape your nails, file them with a nail file in one direction; running a nail file back and forth over your tips can cause peeling and tearing, which can weaken your nails. In general, a fine-grain file works best for fingernails, while a medium-grain file works best for toenails.

2. Buff your nails to remove any ridges and smooth the overall surface. For extra shine, use a four-sided buffing block and run each side over every nail for five to 10 seconds. This not only helps to improve the look of your nails, but also increases blood flow in the nail bed, aiding in the growth of strong, healthy nails.

3. Apply a thin coat of a clear, strengthening nail product. This will help to protect your nails from outside wear and provide them with added nutrients and moisture.

4. Remove nail polish after 10 days using a non-acetone nail polish remover. Polish naturally deteriorates after you paint your nails, and it can end up damaging the area if left on for too long. Remover containing acetone strips the nails of moisture, which can make them brittle and prone to breaking.

5. Take daily supplements to improve or maintain the health of your nails. According to the Mayo Clinic, taking 2.5 mg of a biotin supplement every day can aid in the growth of thicker, healthier nails.

References

• Mayo Clinic; How to Keep Your Fingernails Healthy; November 2009
• Readers Digest Version: 14 Tips for Strong and Healthy Nails;