Most of us would have never looked for nail health tips. For others, nail health begins and ends at the parlor. But did you know that apart from doing loads of work all day and sporting fashion accessories, nails are also a window into one’s state of health. Ridges forming across nails are indicative of stress, brittle nails are indicative of iron deficiency and so on. Apart from this, nails can suffer from ill health themselves.
Our nail health tips are as follows,
Keep your nails dry: Fungal nail infections are very common and occur easily in damp conditions. Avoid keeping your hands and feet wet and dry them immediately after working with water.
1 – Moisture: On the other hand, if you feel your cuticles and the skin around them is dry, use a moisturizer or hand cream.
2 – Wash your feet more often: Most of us give our feet second-grade treatment by only washing them while bathing. We should also thoroughly wash our feet after a trip to a public bath or swimming pool and after contact with rain water. Chances of infection are very high in these surroundings.
3 – Wear fresh socks everyday: This nail health tip is as much for the benefit of others as it is for your nails. A lot of sweat gets accumulated in one’s shoes and can lead to infection. Use socks made of moisture absorbent material and please use a new pair every day. This is all the more important if you are in a profession like direct selling. Besides the hygiene, it also makes your job of developing relations with customers difficult.
4 – Wear gloves while working: Apart from the water; dirt and detergents that you encounter while working also damage hands and nails. Get into the habit of wearing gloves. It might feel weird at first but one can get used to it.
5 – Trimming: Trim your nails regularly to avoid chipping/stubbing injuries and dirt accumulating. But be careful not to cut too deep as this can lead cuts and infection.
6 – Be doubly careful if you have diabetes: Chipped nails and cuts on the feet can be very dangerous if you have diabetes. Nerves get damaged with diabetes and sensation from the patient’s feet decreases. As a result, cuts and injuries can go unnoticed till a major infection occurs. In many cases, amputation is required to stop the infection from spreading to the rest of the body.
7 – Manicure and pedicure: Though seen largely as a luxury, manicures and pedicures are actually a good way to ensure nail health. These treatments are particularly effective for ingrown toenails. If you are feeling adventurous, you can try a fish pedicure. It is believed to be very effective even for serious dermatological diseases like psoriasis. Be very careful though, about the hygiene of the parlor. If the equipment and instruments are not washed thoroughly after each use, chances of exposure to disease-causing organisms are very high.
8 – Paint: While we are on the topic of grooming, here is one more tip you will be happy to hear. Nail paints do a good job of protecting your nails. If ever you needed an excuse to indulge, this is it. If you do not want to fret too much over colors, a colorless top coat would also do. But do not keep the same coat of paint for than a week at a time.
9 – Nail polish remover: Now that we have polished those nails, we also need to remove it. But be weary of removers that contain formaldehyde or acetone. These are very harsh chemicals and can damage your skin.
Make sure your diet is nail healthy. Diets deficient in proteins, zinc, sulfur, biotin and B-complex vitamins can lead to brittle nails and hair fall. Include dry fruits, milk, egg, soy and pumpkin and sesame seeds in your diet. Also do not ignore changes in the appearance of nails. We cannot stress this more. As already stated in our list of nail health tips, changes in color and appearance of nails can be indicative of a number of conditions from heart disease to even cancer. Get nail deformities and infections immediately examined by your family physician if not a dermatologist.
– Punit Pania