Top 7 Tips for Healthy Nails
That recent article on nails as indicators of overall health status makes me revisit the topic of what you can do (other than be generally healthy 
) to maintain healthy nails. Here are my top seven ideas. I’m no expert, but do have personal experience with healthy nails!
- Wear rubber gloves when doing dishes, cleaning, or otherwise exposing your hands to ongoing water. I always do this; it takes just a moment to slip them on before standing at the sink.
- Use hand lotion every night before going to bed. If you apply before bed, the lotion has maximum time to nourish without being inadvertently washed off. My favorite hand lotion is fortified with pro-vitamin b5, known to help strengthen nails and cuticles.
- Of course, don’t pick at or bite your nails (this should go without saying!)
- File correctly and regularly. Correctly means in one direction (not back and forth), with rounded edges. Regularly means not letting them get so long that they break from the pressure of use.
- Remember to gently push back cuticles once a week or so after showering (that’s when it’s easiest).
- Nourish your nails from the inside out with zinc (especially for slow growing, brittle nails) and the B nutrient biotin.
- For colorful healthy nails, use a natural polish without formaldehyde, toluene, or phthalates
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