How to maintain healthy nails

In fact, there are really not so many fancy nail care routines. The core is to save the effort and protect the nail bed and nail matrix, which is more effective than applying any amount of expensive nail polish.

A while ago, I helped a friend who often does manicures to deal with paronychia. She had her nails done every three weeks for more than half a year. During the removal, the manicurist wore off nearly a third of the nail surface in order to stick it firmly. In the end, the nails were so thin that the pink flesh underneath was visible. It hurt even when touching hot water. The swelling took almost two months to subside. Later, she stopped all manicures and did not apply any nail care products. Sanyue herself grew back to a healthy pink and moist state, and was very firm.

There are very mixed opinions about nail protection on the Internet. Some people say that you must apply a layer of nail polish every morning and evening to strengthen the nail surface. Some friends who are dermatologists told me that as long as the nail matrix at the base of the nail is not damaged, even if the nail surface is worn out, it can slowly repair itself by giving the nail a window period of two or three months. Most of the extra nail polish is just to isolate external stimuli and is not necessary.

You must have used dish soap and laundry detergent when doing housework, right? These alkaline detergents are like "degreasing" nails, dissolving the original protective oil layer on the nail surface. Nails will naturally become dry and brittle, and may break when broken. Wearing thin rubber gloves when doing housework is much more effective than applying ten layers of nail polish afterwards.

I've been stupid before. When I saw a barb growing around my nail, I ripped it off with my hands. Half of the skin was ripped off in one go. It hurt so much that I gasped in pain. I also had pus and infection for several days. Later I found out that the barb is caused by the lack of water and oil in the skin around the nail. Don't tear it off. Just soak it in warm water for two minutes and cut it all off with sterilized scissors. When you apply hand cream, apply it on your nail. It's much more cost-effective than the nail oil that is hundreds of dollars larger.

There are also many people who say that taking biotin and collagen can nourish nails. A sister around me said that it is really not easy to split nails after half a month. Some friends in the nutrition department said that as long as you are not picky about food and eat enough meat, eggs, milk, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables, your body is not lacking in these nutrients. Extra supplements are not only useless, but too much supplement may also burden the kidneys, which is not worth the gain.

By the way, don’t always use your nails as tools. My ex-colleague used to use his nails to pick out express tape and open can lids. Last time, his nails were cut directly into the nail bed, which caused a lot of blood. Later, there was a shallow dent in the newly grown nails. It took almost a year to completely disappear. If you don’t pay attention to these small habits, no matter how much care you take, it will be in vain.

If you really like doing manicure, it’s not impossible. Leave a week’s window before each treatment to let the nails breathe. When removing the nails, don’t let the manicurist grind the nail surface. If your nails are so thin that they hurt when you touch them, stop for half a year and give your nails a break. It’s better than anything else.