Tips for Healthy and Beautiful Nails

For some women, strong and healthy nails come naturally. The rest have to take extra care to prevent dry and damaged nails that split, peel or break. Eating healthy, vitamin rich diet is essential for healthier nails.
As only diet is not enough, follow these simple tips for beautiful nails.

Use a soothing cuticle cream. Good moisturizing cream nourishes dry cuticles and brittle, damaged nails with vitamin E. Massage the cream into and around your nails nightly before going to bed. You can use petroleum jelly or castor oil (rich in vitamin E) as a substitute for cuticle cream.

Massaging your fingernails stimulates blood flow to the area, helping them grow longer and stronger. Massage hands, cuticles and the nails with olive oil or moisturizing cream. Apply moisturizing lotion immediately after washing your hands.

Eat foods rich in biotin, such as liver, cooked eggs, whole grains, cauliflower and avocado. In addition to other health benefits, biotin can help strengthen and thicken nails. Lack of vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium can cause dry, brittle nails. Multivitamin and calcium supplements can prevent this problem.

Drinking enough water is good for hydrating dry, damaged nails, just as for hair and skin.

Maintain your fingernails and clean under them daily. To enhance color and make them look fresh and clean, use the white pencil underneath the edges of your nails.

While filing your nails, file in a single direction. Avoid filing nails just after having bath, as wet nails tend to break more easily. Do not share your nail file and other tools. These tools are a germ-trapper. Keep yours to yourself, and replace it often.
Over growing your nails makes them susceptible to breakage. Maintain a comfortable length.

Wear rubber gloves while performing household tasks, such as washing dishes. Hot water, detergents and cleansers are harsh on your fingernails. Even prolonged exposure to ordinary water can damage the nails.

Do not over use fingernails as tools to open soda cans, dial the phone and other tasks. Instead, use a pen or other finger like object.

Do not use nail polish remover more than once or twice a month. Moreover, never use a nail polish remover that contains acetone or formaldehyde, which can dry and damage nails. Allow s the nails to breathe for enough time when you remove the nail polish.

To cure weak, thin or peeling nails, soak them in extra virgin olive oil 10-15 minutes a day for a month. The olive oil makes them stronger.
If you pick or bite your nails, you can have open bleeding sores on your fingers. One way to heal sores on the tips of fingers and around nails is to soak or coat the fingertips in honey for 15 to 20 minutes. Honey is an antibacterial and soothing.
Ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic system suggests use of sesame oil for strengthening brittle and painful nails. Soaking nails in warm sesame oil for 15 minutes revitalizes the damaged nails.

If suffering from nail fungus or infection, use a mixture of lavender oil and Tea tree oil to treat it.