Tips For Well-groomed And Strong Fingernails

Fingernails can easily break, split or tear. Often there is a lack of nutrients behind it, but also a lack of care.

Well-groomed and  strong fingernails  are practically the “figurehead” of our hands. You can read a lot from them, for example malnutrition, incorrect care or diseases.

But how do you get healthy, strong fingernails ? What is important for that?

Things to know about fingernails

Our nails are made of keratin. Keratin is a protein-containing substance from which horn is formed.

The horn of a cow, the claws of a cat, the feathers of birds, the scales of reptiles, the spines of hedgehogs and our nails are all made of the same building block: keratin.

The body therefore needs protein to build up keratin because that is the main building block of keratin and Vitamin B7, which is also called vitamin H or simply “biotin”.

A balanced diet therefore promotes good growth of skin, hair and nails. There is a lot of biotin in whole grain products, legumes such as soybeans or lentils, nuts, egg yolks, yeast, liver and rice.

Nails grow 0.5 to 1.2mm a week. Each nail has a different speed. Perhaps you have already noticed: the nail of the middle finger is the fastest!

Where do brittle or cracked nails come from?

If the nails are splintered and brittle and there is no fungal disease, this indicates that the person has a lot of water contact with their hands , because water leaches the nail substance.

The person may have a job where their hands often get wet, from cleaning, washing, or other frequent water exposure. Regular nail care after contact with water can prevent this.

Even nail polish remover dry nails from extreme! Proper care of the nails is then important.

If the nail is discolored yellow, thickens and breaks into a crumbly shell, then nail fungus is present. It usually only occurs on one nail and can be treated without any problems.

If the nails are pale, shimmering almost transparently and not beautifully richly rosy, this can either indicate a circulatory disorder in the fingers, from which smokers and diabetics in particular suffer.

If the person is neither a smoker nor a diabetic, iron deficiency can also be behind it. Only a doctor can determine this with a blood test.

Well-groomed strong fingernails: the best advice

If your diet is balanced and healthy, you should have a good basis for healthy and well-groomed fingernails. If there is a mineral deficiency, you can easily work out how long you have to be patient until the nail has grown out completely.

If your nails are brittle and there is no disease, it is up to the care. We recommend the following tips:

Oil for strong fingernails

Like our skin, nails need oil to retain their elasticity and moisture. Frequent hand washing, contact with detergents or a job (or hobby) with a lot of water contact can lead to the nails “leaching out”.

Regular oil baths help them to remain elastic and thus break and splinter less quickly.

All you need is a high-quality vegetable oil. Please do not use any oil made from mineral oil components! These do not penetrate the skin, nails or hair, but remain on the surface as a “lubricating film”. A care effect is not achieved by oils containing paraffin.

When choosing the oil, make sure that it does not have a coloring effect, otherwise you risk discolouring your nails!

Coloring oils include: pumpkin seed oil, walnut oil, castor oil, but also some types of olive oil. Non-coloring and ideal for nail care are:

• sesame oil
• almond oil
• Avocado oil
• Jojoba oil

Oils that are particularly well absorbed by nails, skin and hair are jojoba oil (with natural sun protection factor 4!), Almond oil and sesame oil.

Almond oil in particular is the best choice for sensitive skin, as its composition is particularly similar to human fats.

Oil bath for strong, well-groomed fingernails

Once you have decided on a good vegetable oil, all you have to do is pour it into a small bowl and then bathe your fingertips (or toes in the case of toenails) in it.

The longer the oil can act, the better. At best, use the oil bath in the evening in front of the television and let it soak for a full length of the film.

Then massage your fingertips, especially the area around the nail root. This promotes blood circulation and ensures healthy nail growth.

Then wipe off the excess oil or oil the entire body with it. You can extend the exposure time by putting on thin cotton gloves for the night.

Daily nail care for strong fingernails

The oil bath takes time and rest, which not everyone always has enough of. To prevent cracked and brittle fingernails, get used to applying cream to your hands after every contact with water and treating your nails in particular.

Also with the hand cream, make sure that it consists of vegetable oils and not mineral oil in order to maintain the care effect.