How to maintain your nails?
In addition to the aesthetic benefit, having well-maintained nails is a sign of good hygiene and limits the risk of fungal infections.
Nails can also reflect our state of health and in particular our cardiorespiratory state. Finally, certain deficiencies in trace elements or minerals can have an impact on the condition of the nails.
Healthy nails have a smooth, pink and translucent nail plate; both hard and flexible. Their maintenance requires a balanced diet, regular care, hygiene and daily attention.
- Cut your nails regularly, preferably after bathing or showering, which softens them.
- Brush the tips of the fingers and the top of the nails every day using a nail brush, water and soap to avoid the proliferation of bacteria under the free edge and the accumulation of residue in the furrows. nails. The brush should be rinsed under running water, allowed to air dry, and changed regularly.
- Wear gloves when doing housework:
a pair of rubber gloves to protect hands from detergent products;
a pair of thin cotton gloves to absorb moisture between the skin and the rubber. - Avoid the use of manicure tools, a source of micro-trauma to the nail. For example, excessive and too frequent pushing back of cuticles can cause infections. Using a boxwood stick to clean the free edge of the nail can cause the nail plate to detach.
- Use colored varnishes and false nails with caution:
do not use colored varnish without prior application of a protective base;
avoid the application of false nails, which involves the use of glues or resins which weaken the nail and attack the skin, or contact a professional manicurist. - Adopt a varied and balanced diet, rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. Certain nutrients are particularly favorable to nail health.
How to cut them?
It is advisable to cut your nails while respecting certain rules.
Cut your nails straight: the corners should form a right angle, which you can round slightly using a file. Cutting corners or trimming nails too rounded increases the risk of ingrown toenails.
Do not cut them too short: leave at least 1 millimeter of white at the end of the nail.
Gently file the free edge to prevent nails from catching on textiles.
Podiatrist chiropodists generally recommend the use of tweezers rather than scissors or nail clippers; and the use of a cardboard file, which is less aggressive on the nail than a metal file.
In case of problems ?
What to do in case of soft, brittle, split nails, classic nail problems.
When the nails seem weakened, it is necessary to both remove the aggressive factors and compensate for any possible nutritional deficiencies.
To strengthen them:
- Cut nails short.
- Wear gloves when doing housework.
- After washing your hands, moisturize your hands and nails using a treatment. Regularly soaking your fingertips in a bath of olive oil or olive oil and lemon juice can also strengthen them.
- If necessary, apply a strengthening treatment to the nail plate, taking care to avoid the cuticles.
- Ensure that the diet is varied, balanced, and provides all the essential nutrients for nail health
- Favor protein sources rich in sulfur amino acids (cystine, cysteine and methionine) which promote the production of keratin. These amino acids are found in fish, hard cheeses, especially Parmesan, cooked ham, beef, chicken, eggs, soy flour, almonds, lentils.
Nail and nutrition
Our daily diet is decisive for the appearance of our nails.
We recommend :
- a varied and balanced diet is essential to their strength and health;
- An unbalanced or poorly diversified diet results in soft, brittle, white-streaked, pale or yellowed nails.
Certain nutrients promote nail growth and health. As part of a balanced diet, they contribute to their beauty.
Proteins are necessary for the formation of keratin which makes up the nail plate. They are provided by fish, eggs, meats, whole grains, legumes and dairy products.
Zinc and copper are said to stimulate nail growth.
Zinc is found in seafood, fish, eggs, red meat.
Copper is present in seafood, wheat, oats, soy, snails.
Iron and magnesium maintain the strength of the nails.
Foods rich in iron: meat, offal, fish, eggs, pulses.
Sources of magnesium: fish and seafood, whole grains, green vegetables.
Vitamin A helps strengthen nails. It is particularly concentrated in certain foods of animal origin: fish, fish oils, offal, cheese, milk, butter (to be consumed in small quantities).
Beta-carotene, essential for the assimilation of vitamin A by the body (precursor of vitamin A) is provided by:
- red and orange fruits and vegetables (carrot, tomato, pumpkin, apricot, melon, mango, etc.);
- dark green leafy vegetables (watercress, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, etc.);
- egg yolk, salmon, shrimp, chicken.
Vitamin B5 improves hydration of the nail tablet. It is found in fruits, vegetables, meats, offal, egg yolks, mushrooms, whole grains, legumes.
Vitamin B8, in combination with vitamin B5, increases the strength of nails. This vitamin is present in brewer’s yeast, cauliflower, mushrooms, legumes, eggs, carrots, tomatoes, spinach, oranges, apples, sea fish, white meats, milk cow, dairy products.
Essential fatty acids are essential for the growth and strength of nails. They are present in vegetable and fish oils.
Antioxidant vitamin E protects nails from premature aging. It is contained in hazelnuts, almonds, vegetable oils, wheat germ, whole grains, fatty fish, butter (consume in small quantities).
In general, antioxidant compounds (vitamin E, vitamin C and flavonoids) present in abundance in fruits and vegetables promote better resistance of nails to external aggressions: sun, tobacco, pollution.
Nail and varnish
There are different types of varnish, each with a specific application technique.
There are cosmetic varnishes, which allow you to color the nail and make its surface brighter; treatment varnishes, which aim to improve the quality of the nail plate.
In addition to their aesthetic interest, cosmetic varnishes can protect nails from wear (especially surface abrasions). However, some precautions for use are necessary.
- Before any application of a colored varnish, apply a protective base: it will protect the nails from yellowing linked to the pigments of certain varnishes.
- Varnish and base should be removed weekly using nail polish remover, preferably acetone-free.
Dermatologists and podiatrists also recommend leaving nails bare from time to time, without varnish, in particular to be able to observe the actual condition of the nail.
The application of a varnish is done using a precise technique:
- Remove all traces of the previous varnish (even transparent) using a cotton pad soaked in nail polish remover (preferably without acetone).
- If you want to push back the cuticles (skin that covers the edge of the nail), do it after bathing or showering, massaging gently with your fingertips. If you prefer to apply an emollient oil, only leave it on for a few seconds.
- Apply a protective or possibly treating base (soft nails, brittle nails) without spilling onto the cuticles
- Apply the varnish from the base of the nail towards the free edge, letting the brush slide. Always avoid cuticles and nail folds.
False nails
The application of false nails must respect certain rules.
There are two types of false nails: capsules and acrylic resin nails.
Capsules are preformed nails glued to the nail.
The glue used can alter the keratin of the nail or cause distant allergic reactions (face and eyelids). If kept in place for too long, false nails can cause the tablet to peel off or cause abnormalities in the nail surface.
When applying acrylic resin nails, the resin is applied directly to the nail and shaped to the desired length.
These prostheses may be subject to intolerance: dermatitis of the eyelids, of the back of the fingers, inflammation of the contour of the nail, detachment of the nail plate. It then takes several months to recover a normal nail.
Left in place too long, these false nails can also lead to the formation of air bubbles under the nail, possible sources of mycosis development.
The filing operation preceding the installation of false nails is extremely delicate: excessive filing risks weakening the nail plate.
To apply false nails as well as to remove them, it is recommended to contact a professional manicurist.
However, it is not recommended to wear false nails all the time.
