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The nail is a keratinous plate at the ends of the fingers and toes made of a hard protein-polymer known as alpha-keratin. Alpha-keratin is also found in hair, hooves, claws, and horns. Healthcare workers often use the nails as an indicator to figure out if patients are in shock or are dehydrated. Nails can also depict physiological imbalances. www.herbsdaily.com
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Nail Care: Don't Ignore Your Nails Nails are an often overlooked part of your body. However, they are often a tell-tale sign of deficiencies in the body. Ignoring your nails would mean ignoring your general health and wellness. So what goes into standard nail care? Achieving healthy nails first requires you to learn about the structure of an average nail. The nail is a keratinous plate at the ends of the fingers and toes made of a hard protein-polymer known as alpha-keratin. Alpha-keratin is also found in hair, hooves, claws, and horns. Healthcare workers often use the nails as an indicator to figure out if patients are in shock or are dehydrated. Nails can also depict physiological imbalances. The signs of poorly maintained nails include the following: Discoloration of nails Dark streak under the fingernails Changes in shape, or curvature of nails Thinning Thickening Separation, swelling, pain, or bleeding from the surrounding skin Nails do not grow Luckily, accomplishing beautiful nails can easily be done with the right nail care routine. Here are some tips to help take care of nails: ● Cut and file your nails regularly. Though long nails may be visually appealing, the practice harbors dust, dirt, and germs that can cause sickness. Moreover, regular clipping can prevent hangnails or ingrown nails. Filing the nails helps give them a rounded shape and removes any grooves or ridges in which materials can get caught. ● Keep your hands clean and dry. Moisture attracts fungus and can quickly become a breeding ground for disease. So be sure to clean your nails as and when you observe dirt or other impurities, and periodically wash your hands. ● Moisturizer is your best friend. Hand creams are often considered a frivolous purchase. However, rubbing lotion into the fingernails and cuticles can help prevent dryness and encourage healthy, strong nails. ● Apply a topcoat or protective layer of specialized nail hardeners if you experience extremely brittle nails, as they may provide extra protection. ● Do not bite your nails. If you’ve had the habit since childhood, time to kick it. Nail-biting is the easiest way to transfer germs from under the fingernails to the mouth or even create small cuts in the fingers, causing infection and illness. It can
also cause severe damage to the nail bed, and over time result in misshapen nails. You can quit biting your nails by cutting your nails, getting regular manicures, using bitter nail polish, and manage anxiety or other triggers that may be causing the habit. Hangnails can be quite painful but don’t try to bite or rip them off. Live tissue can end up getting stripped off causing bleeding and infection. Avoid harsh nail care products. Use acetone-free nail polish removers, and read the label to make sure there are no damaging chemicals like formaldehyde, sulphonamide, and toluene present in the product. Stick to salons and nail care products that you trust. Sharing unsterilized nail equipment can spread infection, so make sure you go to a licensed professional who follows safety standards. Proper nutrition and supplementation is the key to maintaining healthy nails. Make sure you get enough protein in your diet. A lack of vitamins A, B12, and D, as well as calcium and essential fatty acids like linoleic acid, can cause dry, brittle, split, flakey, and discolored nails. So make sure to include foods or supplements containing multivitamins, biotin, and vitamin E into your diet. Finding the right nail care products might prove tricky at first, and will involve a bit of trial and error to see what particularly suits you. Like most people today, if you shop online be sure to visit trusted websites like herbsdaily etc. ● ● ● ● Nails are an integral aspect of general health. Besides being celebrated in style and fashion, having good nails is a great indicator of your overall well-being. So don’t ignore your nails, give them the TLC they deserve.
