Informative Articles


Nail Care Myths that should be Abolished

by Jen Hopkins

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 of the more common myths when it comes to the use of nail polish in nails is that polishes that contain hardeners will help you have stronger nails. This is not usually the case as using hardeners will only increase the stiffness of your nails. When this happens, it becomes more prone to breaking, even after just a small amount of stress is applied to it.

The best way to keep nails strong is by moisturizing them, especially after using nail polish removers. This makes sure that your nails stay hydrated. Hydrated nails are much more resistant to damage than stiff or dry ones. This is why it is always a good idea to use hand lotion whenever your nails become exposed to drying agents such as soap.

Another practice that is done my most women is the pushing back of their cuticles. Most people believe that this will help make their nails grow better. On the contrary, most dermatologists will not advise this as pushing the cuticles may cause complications. The cuticle serves as protection for your nail root, and removing this may expose the nail bed to possible infections.

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.

Nail care is not that simple once you consider all of these common misconceptions that people do. Before you do anything with your nails, be sure to know what you are doing and verify if it can really help in making your nails look and grow better. You may ask your dermatologist for help if you are not sure with your current nail care practices.

Learn more about hand and nail care. Visit Jen Hopkins's site, www.NailCareSecrets.com, where you can find out all about nail care and what it can do for you.

Published August 12th, 2010

Filed in Beauty, Health