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Common Nail Care Misconceptions

by Jen Hopkins

Nail care is a rather simple and do not require a lot of expertise to do. Unfortunately, some people, especially women really want to have beautiful nails. This leads them to trying out different practices that may not even have any basis as long as they believe that it will help in making their nails more beautiful.

One practice that is often practiced but will not do your nails much good is the application of nail polish with hardener. Hardeners will only make you nails stiffer and easier to break. This is why it might be a better idea to use normal nail polish to give protection to your nails.

Another way to make your nails more resistant to damage is by making sure that they are always hydrated. Dry nails are much easier to break, especially after they have been exposed to drying agents such as soap and bleach. Be sure to hydrate your nails using hand lotion every time you expose your nails to such substances.

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 people who have ugly and broken nails, they may think that the use of artificial nails is a good idea while they are waiting for their nails to grow back. But the use of artificial nails can contribute to making nails look worse especially for those who have an infection. Bacteria and fungi can get trapped underneath the artificial nails, making them harder to get rid of. The chemicals used in attaching these nails also contribute to the weakening of your 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.

A nail salon is a good way of having beautiful nails without exerting any effort at all. One precaution that you should take when going to such establishments is their cleanliness. The use of tools for several customers exposes you to risks, especially of the customer before you had a bacterial or fungal infection. Be sure to inspect a salon's cleanliness policy before allowing them to use their instruments on you. Better yet, choose a salon that makes use of liquids and gels so that indirect contact with infected individuals is avoided.

Before doing anything to your nails, be sure to research and find out if the basis for these practices is scientifically justified. Old practices that do not have any beneficial effects to your nails should be discarded. If you are not sure with what you are doing to your nails, be sure to consult a doctor first so that you won't do anything that you might regret in the future.

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

Published August 20th, 2010

Filed in Beauty, Health