Baths for nails with baking soda, rubbing lemon juice, iodine – all these popular means to strengthen nails in fact spoil them. I gathered truly effective tips and recipes.
The fact that you can care for your hands decently and at home, we have already discussed in the article “9 best recipes spa hand care at home”. Now I want to find out whether you can actually improve the condition of nails at home without expensive salon procedures. I decided to find out what in general is the nail. “Nail plate – is a layer of keratin, between which there are thin layers of fat and water. Their balance determines the health and beauty of nails, – explains Lin Smith, Teacher Training Centre manicure Alessandro International.— If the nails are withered and contain little fat, they will be thinner and break. If you constantly contact with water, the nail plate will absorb it, swell and delaminate. Of course, endocrine disorders also change the state of the nails, but in the first place all the same is a mechanical and chemical damage “.
How to strengthen your nails?
Here are the main nail health conditions:
– Try to keep the nails as little as possible in contact with water and means of household chemicals: wash the dishes with gloves and do not overdo with the baths for hands. “So popular among the people baths with soda – is emergency and ancient method of treatment of ingrown nails and disinfection – explains Lin Smith. – With the strengthening of it has nothing to do “.
– For home manicure, choose a glass nail file with a high abrasiveness. And do not “file” side ends of the nail: it hurts the plate and leads to delamination.
– Always use a good moisturizing cream, and ideally basic natural oils. Nails are derivatives of the epidermis and they need food. Choose creams with a high content of vitamins A and E, lanolin and always make a oil mask for nails.
– Do not abuse all sorts of extension and gel, let rest your nails . Long wearing synthetic materials, their constant correction lead to thinning of nails.
–in the salon you can make your nails longer and strengthen them, but only those that are initially in good condition, and which will keep the gel or acrylic. Otherwise, it will bring only harm.
– Do not believe the myths about the dangers of varnish – a good varnish will help minimize the impact of the environment. “Colored or clear coat will perfectly protect nails, – says Lin Smith. – Choose varnishes from category big3free/ which containing no toluena, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate “.
– Especially carefully look after a skin of hands and nails in winter.
As a rule, weak nails exfoliate, break and do not grow at the same time. However, it also happens that the problem is only one. Here are recipes and tips for each specific case.
Nails exfoliate
Possible cause could be: a lack of the essential fatty acids, especially linoleic.
What to do: to enrich the diet with vegetable oils. About how to choose a really quality oil, read our article “The most useful vegetable oil”.
Procedure: mineral sealing. Soak a little sea salt and gently massage nails with it, using a piece of flannel or a soft suede. Shake off salt residues. In a bowl, melt a little beeswax, add a few drops of oil of grape seed and evening primrose. The same piece of fabric carefully rub the mixture into each nail. Then lightly polish them with a soft nail file. Repeat every two weeks.
Recipe: Mix a tablespoon of honey, cocoa butter and coconut. Liberally grease the hands with this mixture, rubbing it into fingernails, rinse in 5-10 minutes. In an ideal it is worth to do this procedure at night: to grease the hands, wear cotton gloves and go to sleep.
Nails break
Possible cause could be: Hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), low levels of hemoglobin in the blood.
What to do: eat more juicy greens (such as spinach), turnips and white cabbage, eat wheat germ (see. “Sprouts: perfect breakfast”). Consult an endocrinologist – you may need to take vitamin B.
Procedure: wrapping. You will need ready silk stickers, they are sold in any manicure shop. Polish the nails to a shine, gently move the cuticles with a wooden stick. Moisten each piece of silk in rose water and in turn gently wrap nails – patch must stick and become transparent. In conclusion, once again polish. This way you can quickly “fix” the nail and prevent damage to others.
Recipe: in a tablespoon of sea salt, add a drop of essential oil of myrrh, lemon and pepper. Add a little water to make the mixture slightly softened. Then immerse the tips of the fingers and gently rub into each nail fragrant salt. This procedure can be repeated two or three times per week.
Nails do not grow
Possible cause could be: severe stress, chronic inflammatory diseases or lack of protein.
What to do: reconsider the diet may it lacks the protein products. In addition, it is very useful to do exercises for the hand – it will help to improve the local blood circulation and stimulate nail growth.
Procedure: strengthening with Biogel. It can be done in the salon, but much cheaper – at home. You will need to buy a set of tools: a primer itself Biogel (nutritional composition, 70% consists of proteins) finish varnish and a small UV lamp. Here is order of actions: move the cuticle, disinfect hands and degrease the nails with a special compound. Then apply a primer and one or two thin coats of bio-gel, do not forget to dry in the lamp each layer. Wipe nails acetone free nail polish remover, lubricate cuticle with olive oil. Then apply a finish varnish and dry again. Biogel perfectly strengthens nails and stimulates their growth.
Recipe: Prepare a mask for the nails: a teaspoon of almond and olive oil, pulp of tomato, 4 drops of essential oil of rosemary. Liberally lubricate with the mixture nails and fingertips within 5-7 minutes rinse.
Finally, there are two unpleasant facts. First, widely advertised vitamins for nails are virtually useless. “Nails are, roughly speaking, dead tissue, as well as hair. And all the nutrients (vitamins, minerals), the body sends the organs which functionally need them, and the nails almost get nothing”, —explains Lin Smith. Second, it is impossible almost to make firm and strong the weak and thin nails by nature. “The thickness and length of the nail root – matrix – is laid genetically, it can not be changed, – says Lin Smith. – But if the good by nature fingernails suddenly stopped growing, began to break down, it is necessary to take action. ” What – you now know perfectly.
