Nail Care Should not just be Based on Tradition

Different people have different beliefs when it comes to taking care of their nails. This is especially true for women who are obsessed with making their nails look beautiful. They have a lot of different myths and misconceptions about nail care that sometimes, it often results in them damaging their nails instead of taking care of them.

One practice that is often practiced but will not do your nails much good is the application of nail polish with hardener. Hardeners will only make you nails stiffer and easier to break. This is why it might be a better idea to use normal nail polish to give protection to your nails.

Another way to make your nails more resistant to damage is by making sure that they are always hydrated. Dry nails are much easier to break, especially after they have been exposed to drying agents such as soap and bleach. Be sure to hydrate your nails using hand lotion every time you expose your nails to such substances.

The pushing back of cuticles is also done by a lot of women as they believe that this will help the growth of their nails. But this is also one practice that should not be done as the cuticle serves as protection for the nail bed. Removing this is not advised by dermatologists and it exposes you to risks such as infection.

For those with already broken nails, the use of artificial nails to cover them up has been practiced by a lot of people. Unfortunately, the chemicals used in making the artificial nails stick can have potentially damaging effects to your nails. The space in between your nails is also a great place where bacteria and fungi may thrive. It might be better to just let your nails grow without the use of artificial nails.

Unfortunately, nails grow at a very slow rate, around 0.1mm per day, so you will really have to wait a long time before broken nails will go back to their original state. This is why you should try preventing damages from occurring so that you won't have to experience this.

Going to nail salons to have nails done is also a relaxing pastime for most women. One thing that you should consider when going to such establishments is their policy on cleanliness. Nail salons should practice proper hygiene and cleanliness so as to avoid transfer of infections from one customer to another. Salons that use gels and creams on their customers are a safe choice as this greatly reduces the risk of getting an infection due to indirect transmission.

Before doing anything to your nails, be sure to research and find out if the basis for these practices is scientifically justified. Old practices that do not have any beneficial effects to your nails should be discarded. If you are not sure with what you are doing to your nails, be sure to consult a doctor first so that you won't do anything that you might regret in the future.

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