Fingernail Health - Tips Of Keeping Your Fingernails Healthy

Is your fingernails healthy? Tips on keeping your fingernails healthy and glowing.

Healthy fingernails are ruddy and have luster, and the skin around the nails will generally be soft. Healthy nails are smooth, without ridges or grooves. They're uniform in color and consistency and free of spots or discoloration. Healthy nails are made up of the same protein (keratin) that is in your hair and skin. The part of your fingernail that is visible is called the nail plate; the nail bed is the skin underneath.  Healthy fingernails contribute to the beauty of our hands and can serve as one of the defining points of our personal style and fashion. Keratin (a type of Protein) containing fat and water goes to the formation of our nails and influence the overall health of our nails.

Nail beds and cuticles are also important things. Keep them healthy and have them well manicured. Nail polish deteriorates, chips and breaks off the nail surface. The time it takes varies based on the age of the polish, its adherence characteristics, health of the nail and the wearer's activity. Nails are largely composed of a special kind of protein called keratin and need adequate supplies of dietary protein to stay strong. Some say that calcium is also essential for beautiful nails.  Vitamin D is necessary for optimal intestinal calcium absorption. Magnesium increases bone mineralization and may help support healthy bones throughout the aging process. Vitamin E also helps protect body fats from becoming rancid due to free radical activity. Rancid fats may cause premature aging and degenerative problems in the body.  

Nails need moisture just like your skin does. Rub lotion into your nails when moisturizing your hands. Nail salons have sprung up in nearly every community, and women are spending a lot of time and money on their nails. While many settle for artificial nails, the natural nail, nicely manicured, is still more desirable. Nail biting due to a nervous habit can damage healthy fingernails.

Nail biting may result in the transportation of bacteria that are buried under the surface of the nail that are hard to clean and easy to get in the mouth. Likewise, broken skin on the cuticle may be susceptible to microbial and viral infections. Nails expand when they absorb water then contract like an accordion when they dry.

Prevent future cracks by rubbing moisturizer that contains alphahydroxy acids or lanolin into nail tips, or massage vitamin E oil into cuticles as another moisturizing agent. Use nonacetone polish remover to prevent overdrying. Preventive Medicine is the key to a long, healthy life filled with vitality.

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