Have you ever looked down at your nails and craved the opposite of brittle, ridged or brittle and breaking? Brittle nails can be quite a pain. They chip or crack or flake off, which changes the appearance of your hands while sometimes causing pain. If you’re someone who appreciates painted nails or wants just the natural color to show through, retaining your nails is easier than one might think. Of course, the best part is you don’t need spa visits or special powders. You just need a few consistent steps and a little love to get your nails where you want them.
Nails are more than decoration for polish. They’re an extension of your body and let others know how healthy you are and how much you appreciate your body. Dermatologists, experts in skin, hair and nails, offer many recommendations for nail care and strengthening. This article highlights eight steps recommended and approved by dermatologists to strengthen nails that are easy, inexpensive and time-efficient. Get ready to learn how to say goodbye to weak, brittle nails.
Keep Your Nails Hydrated
Like the skin on the body, if nails become dehydrated, they are more prone to breaking or splitting, just as dry skin feels taut and itchy. According to dermatologists, the best way to avoid this problem is by frequently moisturizing nails. After hand washing—something that should be done multiple times a day—drying them with a pat and applying a thick cream or lotion with ingredients like glycerin or shea butter in it will not only help lock in moisture, applying this cream to cuticles and skins surrounding nails will keep everything soft and malleable, avoiding tough edges and dryness from taking hold.
Dermatologists also recommend avoiding long hot water soaks, which can deplete nails from the factors that keep them hydrated. Wearing rubber gloves while doing dishes or submerging one’s hands in hot water is essential. At bedtime, apply a rich moisturizer or a dab of petroleum jelly onto nails. Cotton gloves over the hands can seal in moisture during sleep. Waking up will feel more hydrated without that itchy feeling in the morning anyway. And after daily repetition, one will find their nails feeling less brittle and more malleable over time. Doesn’t that sound easy?
Trim and File Nails Properly
The way one treats longer nails can bring trouble when trying to maintain the desired length. While longer nails may seem better for aesthetics, they can break more easily when they’re longer and not taken care of properly. Ideally, dermatologists suggest an aesthetically proper nail that is somewhere in between. This avoids splitting on the sides but has enough thickness to allow for fashionable appearance. Dermatologists suggest trimming lengths with sanitized nail clippers or scissors after sanitizing to avoid infection. Cut straight across and round edges slightly with a file to reduce the chances of splitting edges later on. This also eliminates snags and chipping.
When filing, file always in one direction and never back and forth like sawing. Back and forth can weaken the nail bed with tiny rips being made. Trimming and filing take mere seconds, but taking those seconds now can prevent five minutes down the line dealing with a hangnail formed from poor filing later on.
Avoid Harsh Chemicals
There are many products you use on a daily basis that weaken nails without your awareness. Household cleaners, nail polish remover and soaps can dry nails out and strip them of moisture leading to fragile nails. Dermatologists suggest avoiding such awful scenarios. Always wear gloves when handling bleach and detergent; the chemicals dry out nails and surrounding skin leading to cracks and peeling.
Nails can also be harmed by toenail and fingernail polish remover. Acetone based products are the worst; they remove oil from nails. Look for acetone-free polish remover that’s less harsh. In addition, avoid clear and colored polish or artificial nails for long periods of time. Having painted nails all the time or acrylics can be detrimental to the overall structure of the nail over extended time. When applying polish, make sure to use varnishes that do not have formaldehyde or toluene. Isn’t it golden how prevention is so easy?
Eat a Balanced Diet
What you eat translates to what your nails look like just like the rest of your body requires nutrients to grow and heal. According to dermatologists, a balanced diet will help nourish the cells responsible for nail growth; high protein, vitamins, and minerals can boost growth and maintenance. For instance, eating eggs, fish, chicken, legumes can provide high protein intake sources to grow keratin, the building block of the nail growing from the base upward.
Fruits and vegetables aid growth; think green (spinach) and orange (carrots), and blue (blueberries) as colorful offerings to provide vitamins like biotin and vitamin C. Biotin is identified as a vitamin that strengthens nails while vitamin C is great for healthy skin/cuticles. Nuts, seeds and whole grains can provide healthy fats and minerals like zinc to promote better nail health. Staying hydrated and drinking water promotes proper hydration for bodily systems including nails. Don’t worry—you don’t have to overhaul your diet—just try to eat a greater variety of healthy choices! Observe How do your nails look if you eat an unhealthy diet?
Use a Nail Strengthener
When you have weak, breaking nails, utilize a nail strengthener for restorative efforts. Dermatologists often recommend the use of certain polishes for added protection. Nail strengthener exists in a clear polish form that helps coat the nail so it doesn’t chip or crack as easily. Some include calcium or keratin for added growth assistance.
Nail strengtheners should be applied in thin coats one or two times per week if necessary but adhere to the instructions from whichever one you choose as sometimes too much makes them too hard. Seek nail strengthener for your need; some aid in peeling while others are anti-flexible. If you’re unsure which to choose, consult your manicurist or dermatologist to help guide you or simply experiment with them yourself. Isn’t it so easy to take away a little bit of time for a quick fix for strengthened nails?
Be Gentle with Your Cuticles
Sensitive cuticles impact nails more than you think. If you aggressively push cuticles back or excessively cut them, you’re paving the way for possible infection or weakened nail beds. Dermatologists say the best approach with cuticles does not involve cutting; it’s best to gently push cuticles back when they are soft, like after your morning shower. Use a wooden or rubber-tipped cuticle pusher; metal can be too aggressive.
Like nails, cuticles need moisturizing, and a drop of cuticle oil or heavy cream does the trick daily to prevent hangnails. And if you ever get a hangnail, do not yank it off; this exposes raw skin, providing an entry point for germs, and instead, trim it with sharp clippers. When you allow your cuticles to remain in a tolerable state, your nails appreciate it. Have you ever considered how you may treat your cuticles too harshly?
Avoid Artificial Nails and Gel Manicures
Artificial nails and gel manicures offer excellent visual appearances, but they can ruin what’s underneath. Dermatologists caution that frequent artificial nails and gel top coats lead to impaired natural nails. Artificial nails glue onto your nail bed or apply via an acrylic overlay. Either way, removing them involves soaking in acetone and/or excessive filing, which leads to thinning of the nail plate. Likewise, gel manicures require a UV light to cure; while this isn’t inherently bad, too much exposure to UV light can make nails brittle.
If you enjoy artificial enhancements, give your nails a break for a while; not subjecting them to this annoyance encourages healing. Never peel gel polish off, which removes layers of nails; instead, soak it or have a qualified technician file it to take it off correctly. Limiting exposure to artificial enhancements helps improve health. Why shouldn’t natural nails look good on their own?
Protect Your Nails During Daily Tasks
Many people open cans or chew their nails; regardless, be aware of how this puts stress on nails as you go about your day. For example, if you type a lot, avoid relying too heavily on your fingers while you’re typing if you want healthy nails. For instance, if you’re trying to pry something open, use a spoon instead; pressing too hard can create fissures that turn into breaks over time.
Use gloves when gardening or cleaning; it prevents dirt and grime from penetrating the nails and reduces exposure to something that could chip off. If you’re an athlete, keep your nails trimmed so they don’t accidentally snap while you’re catching a baseball. Paying attention helps keep nails intact in ways you might not have thought about. Have you considered how daily habits may limit nail growth?
Conclusion
In no time, you’ll have healthy nails; it just takes some work and consistency. Moisturizing, cutting correctly, avoiding harsh chemicals, and nurturing a compassionate diet all help lead to improved health with dermatologists’ recommended simple tricks for success. Blend this with more information—like using a nail strengthener, being delicate with cuticles, minimizing artificial enhancements, and protecting nails during everyday tasks—and you’re well on your way without much time or money investment.
Nails aren’t just for appearance; they’re part of us and help ensure we function every day. Having healthy nails helps promote a positive image for others to see us effortlessly; having aesthetically appealing nails promotes confidence. Why not try some of these simple dermatologist-approved activities for effective nail treatment for benefits over time? What’s your first step?