Tips for healthy nails

Do less destructive manicures, take a balanced intake of B vitamins and minerals, and don’t pick on minor problems and deal with them symptomatically. If you do these three things well, 90% of minor nail problems can be avoided.

I met a best friend a while ago who was crazy about getting extensions on her nails. She could change the style three times in two months. Every time she removed her nails, she had to wear off a layer of the nail surface. After removing her nails last time, the deck was so thin that it hurt even if she touched cold water, and there were still many white lines floating on it. The manicurist said that she suffered from excessive nail polishing and long-term hypoxia on the nail surface, and she had to take a break for three months not to touch nail polish. She still didn't believe it, so she went to Xiaohongshu and searched for "How to layer nail polish." She applied three or four layers of nail polish to her nails every day. After half a month, a bunch of small bumps appeared around her nails. She went to the hospital to check that they were periungual warts. Do you think it was unfair?

When it comes to nail polish, there are indeed two completely different opinions, and no one can convince anyone: Most dermatologists in public hospitals will recommend that healthy nails should not be painted with anything extra, especially a base coat with strong adhesion, which will block the ventilation holes on the deck surface. Over time, nails will easily turn yellow and become brittle; but practitioners in regular nail salons will recommend that it is best to apply a layer of non-added care oil every day to isolate the corrosion of alkaline substances such as detergent and laundry detergent. In fact, there is nothing wrong with either of these views. It all depends on your life situation - if you wash dishes and clothes at home every day, and use various detergents, applying a layer of mild nail polish can indeed play a protective role. If you stay in the office every day and touch the keyboard at most, there is no need to add burden to your nails.

Many people think that their nails are not good so they buy various armor essences and apply them on their nails. To be honest, this is basically an IQ tax. Our nail plates are actually dead cells that have been completely keratinized, and no nutrients can penetrate into them. If we really need nutrients, we have to get them from food. I had a dense dimple on my fingernail before. When I went to see a doctor, the first one said I was zinc deficient and told me to eat more shellfish and red meat. The second person said I was short of B vitamins due to staying up late for a long time and told me to stay up less late and eat more whole grains. I tried it at home for two weeks, drinking a bowl of oatmeal every morning and eating grilled oysters every now and then. Those little pits really slowly receded with the new nails. Oh yes, some people say that the more crescents on your nails, the healthier you are. This is really a misunderstanding that has been passed down for many years. The size and number of crescents are only related to the growth position of your nail matrix. People who are born with the nail matrix at the back have fewer crescents. As long as your nails are uniform light pink, have smooth edges, and no obvious faults or bumps, there is no big problem.

There are a few pitfalls in daily life that you really shouldn’t step on. I’ve stepped on several of them myself. For example, if you have a barb, don't tear it off with your hands. I had my hand torn off once before. It swelled for three days and I couldn't even hold a pen. I applied iodophor for three days before it disappeared. The correct way is to soak your hands in warm water for five minutes. When the barb is soft, just cut it off with sterilized nail scissors. Don't cut too deeply, and don't pull the surrounding skin. There are also dense blisters next to the nails that are very itchy. Don't apply dermatitis ointments to relieve the itching. It is most likely sweat herpes. If it is mild, it will be cured by applying calamine lotion for a few days. If it is severe, you need to see a dermatologist. Don't apply hormone ointments on your own, which will make it chronic.

Oh, there is another trick that many people fall into. Don’t cut your nails too bald, especially the corners on both sides. It is best to leave a small margin of about 1 mm, otherwise the newly grown nails will easily dig into the flesh and become paronychia. My brother used to always cut his nails cleanly, but last summer he got paronychia, which was so painful that he couldn't even put on his sneakers. He ended up going to the hospital and had half of his nail pulled out, which was terrible.

In fact, there are really no fancy tips for growing your nails. Most of the time, if you don’t mess with them too much, they will grow well on their own. If your nails suddenly have strange discoloration, bumps, or itching, don't just search for home remedies and try them yourself. Go directly to the hospital to get a dermatology number. It costs about ten yuan and is more reliable than any wild trick.