Below you'll find some basic tips on nail care. For more instructions on how to care for your particular nail type, visit NutraNail.com. There you'll find products and regimens suited for every nail problem.
Color | Supplements | Maintenance | Ways To Protect Nails
Keep nails at a length appropriate to the size of your nail bed and your activity level. Nails should extend no more than 1/3 the length of your nail bed.
Nails absorb and lose water and moisture 100 times faster than skin. So it’s especially important to moisturize your nails as well as your hands. Always apply a good cream moisturizer after having your hands in water, especially when using household detergents or cleaners. You can also massage a drop of olive oil into your bare nails every few days or whenever you change your polish.
Excessive filing can weaken the edges of nails, causing them to peel. Keep filing to a minimum. If you really need to shorten your nails, clip them first, then smooth out the rough edges with a file or buffer.
File nails only when dry. Then use a buffer to smooth out rough spots.
NEVER file nails back and forth across the tip of your nail. This will weaken the nail, causing it to split and chip. File nails toward the center, first from one side, then from the other.
Avoid filing deep into the sides of your nails. This also tends to weaken them. Allowing the sides to grow makes them appear longer and they will wear better.
Never cut your cuticles. This will make them come back thicker and faster. Instead, keep them well-moisturized and use a crème cuticle remover. Use a cuticle stick to push them back gently.
To soften stubborn, dry cuticles, make your own quick and easy soaking solution by adding a few drops of honey or moisturizer to a small bowl of warm water. Then soak nails and cuticles for 2 to 5 minutes, massaging them as they soak.
Dark polishes can discolor nails, so you should always wear a base coat under them and never leave the color on for more than a week. Nicotine also causes skin and nails to yellow. To reduce yellowing, apply a whitening toothpaste with peroxide to each nail with a cotton swab and let it sit for a minute or two. Also try rubbing fresh cut lemons on clean nails or soaking them in denture cleaning-tablets; this works amazingly well.
This is typically a stress reaction. When you get the urge to bite, try substituting a different form of oral gratification, such as chewing gum or a mint. A split or chipped nail is a common trigger for biting nails, so try carrying a nail file with you at all times. As soon as you get a nick, file it off so you won't be tempted to play with it and bite it off. Weekly manicures are a good way to deter nail biting; if your nails always look nice, you will be more self-conscious of them and not want to destroy your manicure.
This is one of the most difficult conditions to correct and can be caused by several factors. Generally, extremely dry, dehydrated nails will split. Just think of a piece of wood. Without moisture, it splinters and splits apart. Moisture is like glue that fills in the spaces between the nail cells to keep them together.
Use a moisturizing nail cream or olive oil or one of Nutra Nail's 5 to 7 Day Growth treatments, to keep nails well-conditioned. Massage any one of these products into the nails and cuticles as often as possible, especially after washing hands. Other culprits that can cause splitting nails are drug reaction, a condition called lichen planus (red itchy bumps), and in rare cases iron and protein deficiencies. Some diseases can also cause nails to split, like patella syndrome.
A severe trauma to the nail can also cause nails to split, and if the nail bed is permanently damaged, it will never be eliminated. The best you can do in this case is to camouflage it by filling the split with nail glue, powder, and nail wrap, then file it down to a smooth finish. In any case always see your doctor to get a professional opinion and advice on treatment if a nail condition looks like it is more than just an external problem.
Red is the most popular color for nails, and with so many shades to choose from, what is best for your nails? To start, look at the shape and size of your fingers. If you have short or pudgy fingers it may not be your most flattering shade. Red tends to make short or pudgy fingers look even more so. To help fingers look longer and slimmer, a neutral shade would be better. Something closer to your own skin-tone will also help visually elongate fingers.
If you have wide, flat nails, a little trick you can use to give the illusion of length is to apply nail color mainly to the center of the nail. Leave a thin line of unpolished area to either side of the nail. This will help minimize the width of the nail and slenderize it.
When you choose a red nail polish, consider your skin tone. If you have fair skin, look for a cool-based berry-toned red. If you have an olive complexion look for warmer reds with a yellowish-based red.
There are clinical studies that have shown that taking 2500 to 3000 mcg of the supplement Biotin can improve the quality of new nail growth, making nails thicker and stronger. This is a long-term measure to help nails condition and prevent nail problems; results can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months, taking the supplement every day. Biotin is a B vitamin; ask your pharmacist for Biotin Forte. Always ask your doctor before taking all medications to check for any contraindications.
*Consult with your physician prior to taking supplements.
Filing nails helps get rid of snags and tears before they become a broken or torn nail. Only use nail files with a grit between 240 and 300 for natural nails. Anything smaller will be too coarse, and anything higher will work more like a buffer.
Always use a hand cream after washing hands. Make sure you put it on the nails and massage it into the nails and cuticles. If you get into this habit you will rarely develop nail and cuticle problems. Try not to put your hands and nails in water for long periods of time as water dehydrates nails and weakens them.
Give yourself a quick manicure every week. It's relaxing, and a little bit of maintenance will reap big rewards in the long run. Very few people are born with beautiful, healthy looking nails. Most attractive natural nails are the result of consistent nail care and maintenance.
Treat your nails like jewels, not tools. It is natural for you to want to use your nails as a tool to perform a variety of everyday tasks, but try and refrain… for your nails' sake. With a little practice, you can learn to use your knuckles, the pads of your fingers and even the backs of your hand to do most household chores. Here are some helpful alternatives to using your fingernails:
- Use a pencil or pen to do limited pushing activities, dialing a phone number or turning a computer on and off.
- Choose household tools that take the workload off the hands and fingertips. Use a duster with a handle instead of a cloth that you have to push with your hand.
- Slide items off a smooth surface with the edge of your hand instead of picking at them with your fingernails.
- When putting on pantyhose, don't use the fingertips. Keep index fingers turned under and use the middle portion of the thumb to pull them up.
- For work activities such as typing, operating a cash register or adding machine, use the pads of your fingers rather than the tips of the nail whenever possible.
- Never open letters or packages with the tips of fingers. Using a letter opener, scissors or a small craft knife is a great way to save nails and polish from snags and chips.
You really need to become aware of everything your hands and nails encounter and should wear the appropriate gloves to do the job to help protect nails. Household chemical agents can really dry out and weaken nails dramatically, so wear heavy-duty rubber gloves. For gardening, using gardening gloves will help prevent nail breaks and discoloration, plus provide a barrier against bacteria and infection. For arts and crafts, use surgical gloves to get the fine control you need and to prevent getting stains on nails from paints.
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