Looking after your nails

Covered in washing up liquid, coated with chemicals and abused daily for a variety of applications. Everything from being used as a scraper to giving pleasure in the bedroom! There is no wonder after all that our finger nails are susceptible to breaking. Hot baths and a lack of humidity in the air can also cause our poor nails to peel, crack and split.

Broken nails can cause considerably pain and irritation. Here are some ideas to shorten the time it takes for your nails to heal and to keep your them in good health.

Broken nails should be trimmed quickly with nail clippers, if your nail does get broken, cut your nail right back as this will prevent the break or split from progressing along the rest of your nail. Broken extensions can be easily fixed by your nail technician.

If the nail is torn and raw, consider covering the nail in a plaster after first applying anti bacterial solution to prevent infection. For a less serious split, no plaster is necessary and the heat and moisture that a plaster adds could be detrimental for the health of your nails.

When clipping nails, cut them straight across. Rounding the edges of your nail can potentially cause an ingrown nail.

When doing the washing up or other household chores, wear gloves. Heavy cotton gloves are preferable as they are breathable. Only wear rubber or vinyl gloves for wet work like cleaning. Cotton gloves also absorb any moisture which is great for the health of your nails.

Regularly apply hand cream or plain petroleum jelly, hand creams that contain 10% urea are ideal. Trapping and protecting the natural moisture of the nails will make them less brittle.

Seldom does a broken nail require medical attention. However serious injuries such as fingertips being shut in a car door should be considered carefully. If you are in extreme pain or see any symptoms of swelling, infection or excess blood make sure you are treated by a qualified medical professional. Consult a doctor if you see blood under your nails, if the pressure is not released it can damage the root of the nail. Don't be alarmed if your nail goes black, it probably looks worse than it is!

Eating healthily and exercising improves the health of all parts of your body including your nails. Biotin is a vitamin available at most chemist which has been shown to strengthen nails, but do expect immediate results, it may take six months to see results.