How to Increase My Nail Structure

Grown healthy, beautiful nails.

The color and texture of your fingernails can clue you into how healthy you are, or point out a possible medical condition. Luckily, you can improve the structure of your nails which will help you to prevent infections and make your nails look gorgeous. Maintaining pretty nails is important to many women, as it often points to how well a woman takes care of herself. Healthy nails will be smooth and strong.

Instructions

1. Eat nutritious foods. Health comes from the inside first, so staying healthy will ensure that your nails are healthy as well. Vitamins are part of nutrition, too. Biotin will help strengthen brittle nails.

2. Clean your nails regularly. However, don't clean too far under your nails, which could lead to infection.

3. Moisturize both your nails and your cuticles on a daily basis. Choose lotions that contain phospholipids, urea or lactic acid. These ingredients will keep your nails from cracking and breaking. Stay away from products, including nail polish removers, that have formaldehyde or acetone in them.

4. Wear gloves when doing household chores, including washing the dishes, or when you're gardening. You'll prevent your nails from getting too wet and prone to breaking and you'll keep them from getting dirty, too.

5. Visit a manicurist every couple of weeks, or give yourself manicures at home. Soak your hands in warm water for a few minutes. Scrub your hands with exfoliator and then apply moisturizer. File your nails in on direction and use a nail brush to clean them. If you visit a manicurist, bring your own tools for them to use on your nails.

6. Visit your doctor, if your nails don't improve. Unhealthy nails could point to a larger problem. For example, if your acrylic nails have a greenish tint, there may be an infection. If your nails are darker than they should be, you may have a Vitamin B12 deficiency. Most importantly, if you notice that your nails have changed recently, this could be your alert to problem that you'll need to get checked out by your doctor.

Tips & Warnings

• Picking at your nails or biting them will weaken them.

• Don't clip your cuticles - cuticles protect your nails, and trimming them can make your nails prone to infection.

References

• Web MD: Healthy Fingernails
• FYI Living: Can Vitamins Improve Nail Health?
• Girlishh: Improve Your Nails
• Nutritional Supplement Educational Centre: Vitamins for Hair and Nail Growth