Want strong, healthy, beautiful nails? We all do. But even if you get regular manicures, it’s still important to practice good nail hygiene. Here are a few tips for properly caring for your nails.
Keep Nails Dry and Clean
Ensure your nails are clean and dry throughout the day to prevent them from becoming a haven for bacteria, which thrive in wet, dirty conditions.
Cut Nails Straight Across
Keeping your fingernails cut is essential, but how you cut them is equally important. Nails should be cut straight across to avoid issues such as ingrown nails.
Pay Attention to the Polish
Certain nail polishes contain harsh ingredients that can negatively impact your nail health. Plus, if you’re always wearing polish, you could be suffocating the nail underneath. Always check the polish label and give your nails a proper break between manicures to breathe.
Don’t Push Your Cuticles
Your cuticles are essential to the health of your nail. While pushing them back is standard practice at nail salons, it’s something you should avoid when possible. When you push the cuticle back, you remove your nail’s protective sheath, allowing bacteria and other problems to develop.
Keep Your Tools Clean
When was the last time you washed your nail clippers? It’s probably been a while. Keeping your nail tools as clean as your hands is essential to your nail health. Ideally, you should be washing them with soap and water and wiping them down with rubbing alcohol between uses. When you don’t clean these tools, you increase your chances of transporting bacteria.
Keep Your Hands Moisturized
Before you go to bed and/or immediately after you shower, you should moisturize your skin, specifically your hands – especially during the winter or dry periods. Like your skin, your nails can dry out, making them cracked or brittle.
Don’t Rip/Bite Your Nails
If you have a hangnail, are particularly stressed, or otherwise feel the urge to rip or bite your nails, stop yourself. When you harm the nail, you’re also hurting the skin and tissue underneath and around it, which can cause ingrown nails and other issues.
Use these tips to keep your nails healthy and looking and feeling their best!
This was a very informative article about nails and so much I needed to hear. Thanks so much!!
Thanks for the information on nail care. Learned so much that I will use to help get my nail s back in shape. Thanks so much!