Nail diseases can not only be painful, but also they are very embarrassing, and that is why many people strive to keep healthy nails. The root cause behind many of these diseases is the lack of moisture. Like skin, nail also requires moisture, and the absence of it can lead to many unwanted results. The moisture from your nails is stripped off because of many reasons, for instance, nails readily lose moisture when they are frequently subjected to chemicals in nail polish removers or harsh detergents which ultimately results in dry and brittle nails. Age also takes its toll on the conditions of nails. All these factors are responsible towards making your nails thinner and weaker. However, there are ways by which you can make sure that your nails are able to retain their moisture, thus making them in tip-top shape and that too with a minimum of fuss. Just follow the simple steps given below to keep your nails looking fresh.
Complexity level: Basic
Time required: 30 minutes
Resources required:
1.Small container
2.Stove
3.Saucepan
4.Paper towels
5.1/2 cup olive oil
6.White cotton gloves
7.Petroleum jelly or moisturizing lotion
Instructions:
1. Warm olive oil in a sauce pan
This method basically revolves around the olive oil, but the olive oil needs to be warm. Simply pour one and a half cup of olive oil into a saucepan and place this pan on the stove top over the flame. Let it get warm on a low setting for two to three minutes.
2. Submerge your nails into the oil
- Once the olive oil in the saucepan has reached the desired temperature, then remove it from the stove top and pour the warm olive oil into a small container.
- If the oil is quite hot, then let the temperature settle for another minute or two and then submerge your nails into the container having warmed olive oil.
- Let your nails stay there for approximately 20 minutes to moisturize. After that, remove your finger tips from the oil and with the help of paper towels, wipe the oil away.
3. Rub a layer of petroleum jelly before bedtime
You can even take some measures to ensure that your nails are able to get the moisture which they need even when you are asleep. For this you need to rub a layer of petroleum jelly on each of your nails, including your toe nails. You can even use a moisturizing lotion in place of petroleum jelly.
4. Put on a pair of cotton gloves
- The petroleum jelly which you have applied on your nails will rub off as you sleep. To avoid such thing from happening, you must put on a pair of cotton socks and a pair of white cotton gloves. This will prevent the petroleum jelly or lotion from rubbing off while you are asleep.
- Remove these socks and gloves when you wake up in the morning. Repeat this process at bedtime each night.
Frequently asked questions:
What can I do to keep my nails healthy?
There are some basic things which you need to keep in mind in order to make sure that your nails remain healthy. Some of these tips are given below, try to incorporate them in your daily regime.
1.Often the reason behind having deformities and diseases on nails is not having a balanced diet. For proper nail growth, you must ensure that your diet has plenty of vitamin D, vitamin E and calcium.
2.Some nail care products have harsh chemicals which can ruin the surface of your nails making them dry and brittle. So, you need to be careful while choosing your nail polishes, cleaners and hardeners.
3.You also need to moisturize your nails on a regular basis. This has already been discussed in detail.
4.If you are in the habit of biting your nails or using artificial nails, then you are hurting the growth of your nails. So, its better to stay away from such practices.
Quick tips
- You can even use tea tree oil in place of olive oil. It is quite a good alternative.
- After removing nail polish always apply a moisturizer to your nails.
Things to watch out for
- Do not forget to wear gloves whenever you are dealing with harsh chemicals.
- For less damaging effects, try non-acetone nail polish removers.