Solutions For Common Nail Problems
"Common Nail Problems". Who hasn’t suffered from brittle nails? Maybe you’ve been getting one hangnail too many or are experiencing irritating white spots on your nails.
If you’re wondering what you can do to get your nails back in shape and looking fabulous, it helps to know the cause of your nail problems and what solutions you can use to treat the issue.
Common Nail Problems
Are your nails looking a little yellow? The cause may be due to not using a base coat underneath your nail polish. If this isn’t the case and you’re still experiencing yellow nails, you may be suffering from an icky fungal infection.
For nail fungus, make an appointment with your doctor who can prescribe or recommend an over-the-counter medication that will treat and cure the fungus.
For an at-home approach, you can try to lighten your yellow nails by using nail polish remover that contains lemon juice - or a similar ingredient - that will bleach the color or you can purchase a special nail whitening scrub that uses a mild abrasive to scrape off the yellow tinge.
Brittle nails are one of the most annoying nail problems to have. For people who have brittle nails, you’ll have to pay extra attention to your nail care routine and what you use on them.
There are a few ways that nails can become brittle. A poor diet can result in weak and brittle nails as well as excessive sun exposure.
If you use a nail hardener that contains the ingredient formaldehyde, you’ll want to find a different type to use, since this ingredient actually creates a drying effect on the nails.
Instead, opt for a nail hardener that has a waterproof coating that is formulated to seal in moisture and keep out the dirt and water. Also try to avoid using nail hardeners consistently for long periods of time.
Nothing can make your fingernails look unkempt than hangnails. The typical causes of hangnails include constantly biting and picking the nails, exposing them to harsh chemicals and detergents, as well as neglecting your nails.
One way to take care of your hangnails is to use a sharp cuticle clipper to remove the hangnails. Don’t take off too much or else it may bleed and lead to infection.
After removing the hangnail, allow the cuticle to heal before applying nail polish, nail polish bottle or other products.
If you want to remain free of hangnails, make sure to moisturize your hands and nails often. You can use hand cream, lotion or cuticle oil to massage your cuticles.
White spots on the nails can be unsightly. The spots often appear on the nails when too much pressure has been applied to the nail’s matrix by extreme pushing on the area. This can occur during a manicure as well as while doing normal, everyday activities.
Receiving an injury to the nail can also result in a white spot. To treat this condition, simply allow the nail to grow out, which will push the white spot up and eventually off of your nail once you cut it.
While getting your nails done ask the manicurist to be gentle when dealing with your nails, especially beneath the cuticles since white spots appear easily where new nail growth is located.
A New Take on Nail Care Tips
Just about every man and woman has heard about what you should and should not do when it comes to your nails.
Whether you’re trying to grow them out, make them stronger or simply want to have healthier nails, it’s always fun to find new tips and tricks to get the nails you desire.
Both men and women alike will find the following tips fun and some may be unlike any you have ever read or heard of before.
Brittle Nails
Brittle nails can throw a monkey wrench into any nail care routine. In order to enjoy nails that are strong, healthy and happy, try one or all of the following tips:
- Petroleum Jelly: You’d be surprised how much petroleum jelly can do when it comes to treating brittle nails. Apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly to your entire nail and cuticles once to twice a day or as needed. To make sure you don’t forget, carry a small tube in your pursue or keep it handy in your car or office at work. After a few weeks of daily application, you’ll start to notice a difference in the look and feel of your nails.
- Lip Balm: For you lip balm lovers out there, you can now use this item for more than just alleviating dry, chapped lips. Rubbing waxy lip balm onto brittle nails three times a day helps to protect, condition and seal in moisture that brittle nails lack.
- Vitamin E: A great moisturizer for brittle and weak nails is vitamin E. You can purchase vitamin E in many forms. For use on the nails, vitamin E oil is ideal.
- Sun Block: While out and about, brittle nails can stay protected by applying sun block directly onto the nails and wearing gloves while doing hands-on activities such as washing dishes or gardening. Keep brittle nails away from too much sun exposure, chlorine and other harmful chemicals that can make brittle nails worse.
Pampering
With the following nail care tips, you’ll never have to step foot into a salon!
- Wet your fingertips in water and dip them into a bowl of cornmeal. Massage your hands, nails and cuticles gently for 2-3 minutes and then rinse with warm water. Afterwards, buff your nails with a nailbrush and apply hand cream for hands and nails that are soft, clean and moisturized.
- Mix one packet of unflavored gelatin with one tablespoon of petroleum jelly and store in an airtight container at room temperature overnight. When it’s ready, massage the mixture into your nails daily to help them grow long and strong. Rinse with warm water afterwards and moisturize.
- To ensure smooth, healthy cuticles, mix white iodine and castor oil equally and massage the mixture onto your cuticles daily.
Nail Polish
Try the following to make your next manicure a hit:
- To keep your polish on longer, apply a little vinegar to your nails before nail polish.
- To dry your polish faster, dip your fingers in cold water.
- To prevent acrylic nails from dehydrating and coming away from the nail plate, apply almond oil to your nails daily.
You can always leave a few comments in the comment section below and share the article with your friends to help them learn more about solutions for common nail problems.
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