What will open a pull-top can, tighten a slotted screw, scrape off an adhesive label, can be painted any color of the rainbow, and if properly maintained for, will be useful and gorgeous for a lilfetime? If you're not sure, here's another helpful hint: we each have 20 of them, we always have them with us, and the top 10 are used and abused significantly more often than the ones below. If you answered finger and toe nails, you'd be absolutely right, but if you're using any one of your nails as a tool to pull tightly-seated batteries out of their compartment, chewing on them as a calorie-free substitute for a snack, or any of the other things we all do with our fingernails at one time or another, then you would be wrong!
Our fingernails, which originated approximately 2.5 million years ago from claws, were never designed to undertake heavy labor. Instead, their role is to protect our fingers, offer us the capacity to scratch, and enable us accomplish delicate little things like turn pages in a book, pick up a little, light-weight objects, and look attractive while doing it all. Just about anything else we might do with our nails has the potential to damage, dry, or discolor them. Here are some recommendations concerning what is and isn't likely to injure and improve your nails:
Lovely Looking Nails
Your nails should always be clean, nice, and moisturized. Never cut cuticles --- they defend your nails from invasion by infection. Buffing nails to a healthy shine is a good thing, right? The answer is actually yes and no. Buffing is excellent, of course, but like many other things, it can be overdone and too much of a good thing may rapidly become a negative thing. Buffing nails more than once a month can weaken and destroy nails. If you want to buff your nails, an excellent method to accomplish it is to add a little dab of Vitamin E oil to each nail, then use a scrupulously clean chamois buffer for that perfect, gorgeous, shining shine. Vitamin E oil supports nail health by moisturizing, and may protect against the detrimental effects of polish, polish remover, and other damaging agents. It may also help restore the natural, smooth sheen of your nails. Vitamin E oil can be applied twice a day, morning and night, but always take care to never buff more than once a month.
Filing Nails
As you presumably already know, filing nails with a back and forth sawing action may easily break, rip, and pull the nail. Even while it may appear easier and quicker, it is preferable not to do it! File your nails from each outer corner to the middle. It may feel strange at first and may take a few seconds longer, but it can help retain the integrity of your nails. Also the type of file you utilize is vital! The greatest option for nail health is a glass file. These do not break or shred the margins of the nail and can seal the keratin edge to avoid chipping.
It takes a glass file a very, very long time to wear down, unlike the emery boards of old that wear down and wear out after a few uses. And a glass file will never corrode as some metal files do. Glass files are easy to clean with soap and water and while they work best on natural nails, they may be used on artificial nails as long as you remember to dip them in water every so often to decrease friction. Glass files leave the edges of your nails uber-smooth which helps your manicure seem neater, and more importantly, smooth nail edges assist preserve ideal nail strength and beauty.
Liquid Nail Polish Remover
Acetone based removers are rapid but also the most frequent cause of dry, brittle, cracked and broken nails. They can create red, flaky, sensitive skin around the nail and cuticle, and acetone has a strong, unpleasant odor that can irritate the nose, lungs, and eyes. There are various high-quality non-acetone removers on the market. Best to chose and employ one of them.
Read Also: Secrets for Shiny and Strong Nails
Some Disorders Of The Nails
Melanoma is the most dangerous skin cancer and it does damage the nails. Generally, a dark brown or black stripe extending vertically down the nail may occur. This may be a marker of melanoma. There may also be darkening or discoloration of the skin around the nail, or spreading of the black stripe. Any such indicator is justification for an immediate appointment to a Board-certified dermatologist. It is easy to mistake these signals for trauma, but unlike trauma or injury, the signs of melanoma will not grow out with the nail and will not go away without treatment. Even if you aren't sure of the cause, if you have any of these signs, a visit to the dermatologist is indicated without delay.
Fungal/bacterial Infection
These infections are comon and can be triggered by a number of causes including a visi to the nail salon. Files, cuticle scissors, and other manicure tools must be meticulously clean and sterilized between customers, and because you can't always check on the hygiene procedures of your salon, it would be a better idea to invest in a manicure set of your own, and carry your equipment to the salon.This can dramatically lower the risk of salon-induced bacterial or fungal illness.
You will know you have a fungal infectoin if your nail thickens, pulls up off the skin, becomes green, yellow, or white, has white or yellow patches, is painful, may be twisted in shape and/or the skin around the nail may be sore, swollen, or red, with or without pus. Bacterial infections frequently cause discomfort, swelling, reddening of the skin, and discolored areas on the nail. Any of these indications and symptoms demand a visit to a Board-certified dermatologist for additional examination and treatment, sooner rather than later.
Psoriasis Of The Nails
Psoriasis of the nails can emerge years, even decades after psoriasis of the skin and it is more frequent in finger nails than toe nails. The illness is usualy uncomfortable and you may notice blood under the nail. White or yellow discoloration may be evident as well as tiny pits, grooves, ridges, or true dents in the nail, or a thickening/crumbling of the nail may be present. Treatment is diverse and is typically successful, however, as nails grow slowly, the nail may respond slowly, and a full course of treatment may take as long as 6-12 months. Since nails afflicted with psoriasis are not likely to grow out naturally without therapy, and may deteriorate over time if left untreated, waiting for the treatment to be completed is often a preferable alternative.
Kari Pettersen
What will open a pull-top can, tighten a slotted screw, scrape off an adhesive label, can be painted any color of the rainbow, and if properly maintained for, will be useful and gorgeous for a lilfetime? If you're not sure, here's another helpful hint: we each have 20 of them, we always have them with us, and the top 10 are used and abused significantly more often than the ones below. If you answered finger and toe nails, you'd be absolutely right, but if you're using any one of your nails as a tool to pull tightly-seated batteries out of their compartment, chewing on them as a calorie-free substitute for a snack, or any of the other things we all do with our fingernails at one time or another, then you would be wrong!
Our fingernails, which originated approximately 2.5 million years ago from claws, were never designed to undertake heavy labor. Instead, their role is to protect our fingers, offer us the capacity to scratch, and enable us accomplish delicate little things like turn pages in a book, pick up a little, light-weight objects, and look attractive while doing it all. Just about anything else we might do with our nails has the potential to damage, dry, or discolor them. Here are some recommendations concerning what is and isn't likely to injure and improve your nails:
Lovely Looking Nails
Your nails should always be clean, nice, and moisturized. Never cut cuticles --- they defend your nails from invasion by infection. Buffing nails to a healthy shine is a good thing, right? The answer is actually yes and no. Buffing is excellent, of course, but like many other things, it can be overdone and too much of a good thing may rapidly become a negative thing. Buffing nails more than once a month can weaken and destroy nails. If you want to buff your nails, an excellent method to accomplish it is to add a little dab of Vitamin E oil to each nail, then use a scrupulously clean chamois buffer for that perfect, gorgeous, shining shine. Vitamin E oil supports nail health by moisturizing, and may protect against the detrimental effects of polish, polish remover, and other damaging agents. It may also help restore the natural, smooth sheen of your nails. Vitamin E oil can be applied twice a day, morning and night, but always take care to never buff more than once a month.
Filing Nails
As you presumably already know, filing nails with a back and forth sawing action may easily break, rip, and pull the nail. Even while it may appear easier and quicker, it is preferable not to do it! File your nails from each outer corner to the middle. It may feel strange at first and may take a few seconds longer, but it can help retain the integrity of your nails. Also the type of file you utilize is vital! The greatest option for nail health is a glass file. These do not break or shred the margins of the nail and can seal the keratin edge to avoid chipping.
It takes a glass file a very, very long time to wear down, unlike the emery boards of old that wear down and wear out after a few uses. And a glass file will never corrode as some metal files do. Glass files are easy to clean with soap and water and while they work best on natural nails, they may be used on artificial nails as long as you remember to dip them in water every so often to decrease friction. Glass files leave the edges of your nails uber-smooth which helps your manicure seem neater, and more importantly, smooth nail edges assist preserve ideal nail strength and beauty.
Liquid Nail Polish Remover
Acetone based removers are rapid but also the most frequent cause of dry, brittle, cracked and broken nails. They can create red, flaky, sensitive skin around the nail and cuticle, and acetone has a strong, unpleasant odor that can irritate the nose, lungs, and eyes. There are various high-quality non-acetone removers on the market. Best to chose and employ one of them.
Read Also: Secrets for Shiny and Strong Nails
Some Disorders Of The Nails
Melanoma is the most dangerous skin cancer and it does damage the nails. Generally, a dark brown or black stripe extending vertically down the nail may occur. This may be a marker of melanoma. There may also be darkening or discoloration of the skin around the nail, or spreading of the black stripe. Any such indicator is justification for an immediate appointment to a Board-certified dermatologist. It is easy to mistake these signals for trauma, but unlike trauma or injury, the signs of melanoma will not grow out with the nail and will not go away without treatment. Even if you aren't sure of the cause, if you have any of these signs, a visit to the dermatologist is indicated without delay.
Fungal/bacterial Infection
These infections are comon and can be triggered by a number of causes including a visi to the nail salon. Files, cuticle scissors, and other manicure tools must be meticulously clean and sterilized between customers, and because you can't always check on the hygiene procedures of your salon, it would be a better idea to invest in a manicure set of your own, and carry your equipment to the salon.This can dramatically lower the risk of salon-induced bacterial or fungal illness.
You will know you have a fungal infectoin if your nail thickens, pulls up off the skin, becomes green, yellow, or white, has white or yellow patches, is painful, may be twisted in shape and/or the skin around the nail may be sore, swollen, or red, with or without pus. Bacterial infections frequently cause discomfort, swelling, reddening of the skin, and discolored areas on the nail. Any of these indications and symptoms demand a visit to a Board-certified dermatologist for additional examination and treatment, sooner rather than later.
Psoriasis Of The Nails
Psoriasis of the nails can emerge years, even decades after psoriasis of the skin and it is more frequent in finger nails than toe nails. The illness is usualy uncomfortable and you may notice blood under the nail. White or yellow discoloration may be evident as well as tiny pits, grooves, ridges, or true dents in the nail, or a thickening/crumbling of the nail may be present. Treatment is diverse and is typically successful, however, as nails grow slowly, the nail may respond slowly, and a full course of treatment may take as long as 6-12 months. Since nails afflicted with psoriasis are not likely to grow out naturally without therapy, and may deteriorate over time if left untreated, waiting for the treatment to be completed is often a preferable alternative.