Your nails can be a hint into your overall health. Healthy nails are meant to be strong, smooth, and free of ridges or discoloration. However, poor nutrition, exposure to chemicals, and simple wear and tear can cause nails to become weak and brittle.
If you want your strong nails that look good, a routine must be developed to feed and protect them. Here are some tips to have strong nails throughout the year.
Nourish Your Nails From Within
Strong nails start with proper nutrition. Your nails benefit from a diet rich in key vitamins and minerals.
- Biotin: One of the B vitamins used in making nails strong enough to grow. Biotin is available in foods such as eggs, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens.
- Protein: Your nails are made up of a kind of protein, keratin. Therefore, introducing high-protein foods into your diet will stimulate strong nail growth.
- Hydration: One can never have brittle nails when they are well hydrated. Take plenty of water and foods that contain a high composition of water. For example, cucumbers and melons.
Keep Nails Trimmed And Filed
By practicing regular trims and filing, you can achieve strong nails that will not easily break or catch.
- Trim regularly: Trimming should be done every two weeks or even more so if your nails are of the fast-growing type. The nails should be cut using sharp nail clippers to ensure that the cut is neat.
- File carefully: Smooth any rough edges and splits with a nail file. Always file in one direction to ensure further weakness is not inflicted on the nail.
Keep Your Nails And Cuticles Moisturized
Moisturizing the nails and cuticles will prevent dryness and breaks.
- Cuticle oils: Good-quality products do the trick. Ingredients to look out for in such products include jojoba oil, vitamin E, and almond oil. These seep right through to the nail bed, nourishing the nails and keeping them hard yet flexible.
- Hand cream: This will help by smearing hydrating hand cream throughout the day. This step is necessary after washing your hands as this tends to dry out the nails.
Protect Your Nails
With time, your nails will become weaker by continuous exposure to chemicals and the environment. It’s time to protect your nails from further damage.
- Wear gloves: While doing household chores, wear protective gloves to get strong nails.
- No biting: Don’t bite your nails because it weakens the nail, making it susceptible to splitting. Try not to bite your nails using some kind of bitter-tasting nail treatment.
Avoid Harsh Products
Some nail treatments contain some chemicals that may weaken or destroy your nails in the long run.
- Acetone-free removers: Some of the compositions of nail polish removers contain acetone that would dry out your nails and can make them brittle. It is advisable to use acetone-free removers since they are kind and can give you strong nails.
- Nail hardeners: Some formulas of nail hardeners contain harsh chemicals that may have potential damage in the long run. Avoid these as best you can to get strong nails.
Practice Good Hygiene
- Keep nails clean: Clean and dry nails prevent any infections and help you maintain strong nails. Clean underneath your nails, and keep them dry. This can prevent bacterial or fungal infections.
- Don’t trim cuticles: Trimming cuticles can result in infection and even damage the nail bed. Soak a cuticle stick in oil or cream, then gently push the cuticles back using a cuticle stick.
Conclusion
Strong nails require proper care. Like you nourish your body, care for your nails, and avoid strong chemicals that can weaken them. Adopt these habits into your daily routine, and you can have healthy and strong nails in no time!
