Having beautiful nails is not necessary only for looking good, but they need to be clean for health purposes too. Just like your skin and hair, you need to take care of them so that they are healthy looking. They are exposed to environment and there are many ways by which your nails get damaged. Thus, here are a few tips that are easy to follow to keep your nails look great and keep them healthy!

Care for your cuticles: During a manicure avoid trimming your cuticles. They are meant to be the barrier for bacteria and when you cut them, it may result in painful infections. With the help of a cuticle pusher, you may moisten them and push them back, but do not cut them totally. Even when you are having a conventional manicure make sure that you protect your cuticles by dabbing some olive or almond oil so that the reaction of chemicals that come in contact with your skin becomes minimum.
Use moisturizer: Even your nails need to be moisturized and hence while you rub lotion on your hands put some of it on your nail and cuticles too. By using hand wash regularly you tend to dry your nail bed. Thus, after every wash, it is necessary that you use some moisturizer. If possible, use some coconut oil for rubbing on your nails. You can use cuticle cream too and rubbing that every day on your cuticles will help in keeping them moisturized.
Provide nutrients to your nails: Yes, even your nails need nutrients to be healthy. Take biotin that is also referred as vitamin H. Studies reveals that it helps in preventing nails from becoming brittle. It may not grow your nails faster, but it provides the necessary support to your nails so that they do not split, crack or tear away.
Wear gloves to protect your nails: Make it a practice to wear gloves while you are working with detergents, whether during dishwashing or anything else. Detergents have harsh chemicals that will leach away nutrients and moisture from your nails. Thus, it s better to protect before than taking care later.  Prevention is better than cure  you know!
Avoid using harsh polish: In nail polishes, you will find toxic chemicals like toluene, dimethyl, dibutyl phthalate, and camphor, diethyl phthalates, and formaldehyde. These nail polishes are dangerous for health. Instead try alternatives that do not contain such chemicals and are easy on your nails. Before you purchase them read the label carefully.
After following all these, if still you are not satisfied with the quality or health of your nails, it is better to get advice from an expert.

5 Simple Tips for Great Looking Nails

Tennis toe is also known as runner s toe since athletes are mostly runners; skiers and tennis players also get this injury often. Due to its ugly appearance, tennis toe is also known as a black toenail. This injury causes bleeding under the toe along with moderate to heavy pain. Although it is not considered to be type 1 serious injury, it can still force an athlete to abstain from participating in any events. The blood from the toenail might take its own sweet time to get out of the way. As a result, the recovery time for this injury can last for weeks together. This, unfortunately, is also an ideal condition for infection to set in.

How does it happen?
This condition may arise because of the friction between the toenail and the running shoes or constant downward pressure on the toe. In case if the shoe is tighter than normal, it can damage the toenail. If on the other hand, the shoe is very loose, it can result in similar condition due to heavy pressure on the nail. Tennis toe can also arise in a situation, if the toe constantly bangs the shoe from inside. Extreme hot weather may also result in toe swelling. Finally, one may encounter tennis toe if a blow is faced on the toe. Irrespective of the cause, the blood clots inside the nail resulting in swelling and pain. Too much damage might result in falling off of the toenail altogether.

Treatment plan:
1. If the tennis toe is minor, the injury resolves all by itself
2. The toenail should be clipped together to ensure that it does not result in any friction with the shoe.
3. During the injury, it is advised that a person wears bigger size shoes with wider toe space so that it does not result in any further irritation.
4. If the toenail is torn, make sure to tap it up so that adequate protection is there from outside forces.
5. In case the injury is serious a doctor might have to intervene and drain the blood with a surgical instrument.
6. Another medical solution is to remove the toenail surgically, drain the blood and tape it up for a good one week until new nail formation takes place.

Precautionary measure:
1. Running shoes should be at least half a size bigger than the normal size.
2. Toenails should be regularly trimmed in order to avoid any injury.
3. If a person has a tendency of sweating too much, it makes sense to wear a pair of socks at all times.
4. While running, shoe laces should be tightened to avoid sudden friction between the toe and the shoe resulting into tennis toe.

Tennis Toe - How it Should be Treated?

Have you ever come across a person with usual toes, toes that are mysteriously curled or bend upwards, downwards or inwards? As strange and intriguing as it may appear, the condition can be quite painful and is known as toe deformity. In toe deformity, the foot bone is unusually and abnormally positioned, resulting in pain and discomfort.

Toe deformity in a person can be of different types. It can be:

Hammer toe: This is one of the most commonly observed toe deformity. A hammer toe is characterized by the curling or bending down of the second toe at the proximal interphalangeal joint (the middle toe joint). The toe may further bend up at the distal interphalangeal joint (joint adjacent to the toe tip) or the metatarsophalangeal joint (meeting point of the foot and the toe) as well. In hammer toe, the awkward alignment results in a slight elevation in the joint of the middle toe. A hammer toe is often seen accompanied by a bunion (a bony bump or a deformity formed at the joint that links the foot with the big toe).
Mallet toe: Mallet toe mostly affects the second toe (other toes may be affected). The deformity results in bending down of the toe at the distal interphalangeal joint (appears like a mallet).
Claw toe: The deformity affects all the toes, with the big toe being an exception. Here, the toes bend up at the metatarsophalangeal joint and bend down at the distal interphalangeal joint. The deformity results in the toes curling down towards the floor (appears claw-like).
What causes Toe Deformity?
There can be many factors responsible for toe deformities.

Toe deformity in a person may be congenital (present from birth).
It can also be an outcome of medical conditions such as arthritis (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis), stroke, heart attack, diabetes, an injury, an accident, or wearing wrong footwear.
Toe deformity can also be hereditary.
Signs and symptoms:
The symptoms for Toe Deformity (hammer toe, claw toe, and mallet toe) include

There is redness, pain, and swelling in the affected part of the toe. In claw toe, however, there may or may not be pain associated with the condition.
A person faces difficulties in straightening the toe.
In hammer toe, corns, and calluses appear on the middle joint (top) of the affected toe.
In mallet toe, ulcers may occur on the toe (in diabetic patients).
Treatment:
Initially, toe deformity appears flexible, where movement around the affected joint is possible. However, if left unattended, the condition can become severe and rigid, thereby restricting the movement (in the affected area). Treatment for toe deformity depends on how severe the condition is.

In most cases, the treatment involves wearing custom-made shoes, fitted with supports (cushions or pads) and wider toe box.
Using of tapes and splints may be helpful in correcting and repositioning the deformed toe.
Patients with excruciating pain benefit immensely from cortisone injections.
Corn pads can be used to deal with corns and calluses better.
Toe stretching exercises are highly effective.
If severe cases or extreme rigidity, doctors may opt for surgical treatments like arthrodesis, tendon transfer, arthroplasty, to name a few.

Toe Deformity- What Causes It And What Are Its Treatment Options?

We grow up thinking of our nails as dead cells and pay attention to them only to trim them once a week. If you re a woman, this might extend to painting them in different hues. However, the shape, texture and natural colour of your nails along with the rate at which they grow says a lot about your overall health.

Homeopathy is an effective way of treating nail disorders as it addresses the root cause of the problem. This form of treatment has negligible side effects and hence, can be used over a long period of time. However, homeopathy should never be used to self medicate. This is because a homeopathic prescription depends on the symptoms presented and the personality of the patient.

Here are a few changes in your nails that could be signs of health disturbances.

Horizontal ridges: White horizontal ridges across your nails are developed when there is a pause in the growth of the nail. They could be an indication of an injury or a symptom of a serious illness. These are also known as Beau s lines or Mee s lines. Beau s lines are developed due to psoriasis, diabetes, circulatory disease or a severe deficiency of zinc. Mee s lines can be a result of arsenic poisoning, malaria, leprosy, Hodgkin s disease or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Vertical ridges: This is a common sign of aging and is usually nothing to worry about. However, in some cases, it could be a sign of vitamin B12 or magnesium deficiencies.
Spoon nails: If the edges of your nails curve upwards and take on a spoon-like look, it could be a sign of anemia, excessive iron absorption, heart disease or hypothyroidism.
Pitted Nails: Dents or pits in your nails are usually a sign of psoriasis. It could also be a symptom of tissue disorders such as Reiter s syndrome or autoimmune diseases like alopecia areata.
Dark nails: If you notice dark,discoloured patches on your nails, consult a doctor immediately. This could be due to melanoma which is the most dangerous form of skin cancer.
Yellow Nails: Smoking and excessive use of acrylic nail polish are the two most common causes of yellow nails. However, if your nails are thinand crumbly along with being yellow, it could be a sign of a fungal infection. In rare cases, yellow nails could also be a sign of thyroid disorders, diabetes or psoriasis.
Clubbing: Nails that are enlarged and curved downwards are said to be clubbed. This is typically a sign of low levels of oxygen in the blood. It could also be symptom of lung disease, liver and kidney disorders, AIDS and inflammatory bowel disease.

Nails - Can They Indicate Any Illness?

Research has shown that nail paint contains chemical substances that can be harmful to the body. These chemicals can enter the body through the pores of the nails. The health eradication is applicable for people who are applying on their nails and salon workers who apply nail art to their clients, day in and day out. Here is one must know before applying the beautiful shades of color on the nails:

What are the harmful agent present in nail paint?
There are three dangerous industrial chemicals that are mixed with nail paint that is dibutyl phthalate, toluene, and formaldehyde. Owing to their notorious health implications, these chemicals are known as toxic-trio. Toluene is used as a solvent in nail polish that aids smoother finish and holds the pigment together from separating inside the bottle. It, however, affects the reproductive system and the central nervous system. Similarly, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde can cause a problem in breathing, internal hemorrhage etc.

Health Hazards: Regular to health care products-nail paint, in particular, can have a wide range of health implication. From skin irritation to an eye injury, allergic reaction to breathing problems once can face a lot of problems that are totally uncalled for. Research also indicate that regular exposure to nail paint crop up neurological problems, impair the process of body development, affect the reproductive system etc. Research conducted by the Cancer Prevention Institute, California showed that there is an increased risk of cancer for people who work at beauty care salon due to their increased exposure to beauty products.
Problems related to pregnancy: Frequent nail paint can lead to a premature pregnancy. Some other problems related to pregnancy include undersized babies, spontaneous birth of the baby and preterm delivery. There have been too many instances of failed pregnancies witnessed among beauty salon workers. Some other symptoms that are related to mail paint exposure that is seen during pregnancy include chronic headaches, very low appetite, lethargy etc.
Way forward: It is evident that nail paint can pose a serious threat to women in general. The best way to go forward is to choose a nail paint that has a low toxicity rating- preferably within 2. This can be a little challenging since most beauty products do not portray the toxicity rating. If the latter is not mentioned in the body of the product, go for a product, that states the absence of chemical product. Organic nail paints can be the best alternative to address the challenges of conventional nail paint.
However, the availability of organic nail paint is still a challenge. Not many companies sell it, the consumer base for these beauty products are thin as well.

Nail Paints - 3 Reasons You Must Stop Using Them!

Nails are an important part of your physiology, although they are mostly used for either utilitarian purposes such as gripping or for beauty purposes such as nail decorations. Nails themselves can go through infections which need not have underlying causes and thus can cause damage to that part of the tissue. One such disorder of the nail is onycholysis.

What is onycholysis?
This is a disorder where the nail on the finger or the toes starts to separate from the skin below. This happens little by little and usually starts at the tip and then progresses backward. The further back it progresses, the more nail tissue it destroys. While the entire nail may not be detached from the nail bed, parts of it may chip off, showing the tissue underneath.

Symptoms of onycholysis:

Jagged border between the pink flesh of the nail bed and the yellow edge of the nail
Detached nails become opaque, yellow or may turn green in color
Nail may become irregular in shape and size
Bits and chunks of nails can break off easily
Primary causes for onycholysis:

Let's look at some of the primary causes of onycholysis:

Frequent trauma - if you have a profession or work at home where you constantly require tapping away, it might cause minute injuries to build up within the nails and the fingers. Tapping on keyboards is one area where you could get repetitive trauma like this.
Manicure problems - many salons may aggressively try to clean the underside of the nails and in the process, slowly dislodge the nail form the nail bed and cause onycholysis. This has known to be the case with many people.
Water immersion - if you have work where your nails are immersed in water for long periods of time, this could also affect the development of onycholysis.
Skin diseases - certain skin conditions can also end up giving onycholysis. Psoriasis and contact dermatitis are other conditions that may lead to onycholysis as a consequence.
Allergy to nail glue - many makeup artists and customers have complained that certain brands of nail glue can also cause allergies resulting in onycholysis.
Medications - medications meant for the treatment of other ailments within the body can have the unintended consequences of causing onycholysis.
Treatment-
The underlying problems need to be corrected which may cause onycholysis. Once the underlying problem is corrected, onycholysis usually corrects itself. The nail may take some time to re-grow but will grow back on its own eventually and may take 4 to 6 months to cover the entire affected area again.


All About Onycholysis

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