Your nails are one of the most noticeable parts of your hands and feet. Nails that are weak and unhealthy might look dull or frayed and might feel brittle, thus easily chipping or peeling. If you have toenails or fingernails that are in poor condition, you're not without hope. Several nail treatment products and lifestyle changes can help strengthen your nails and ensure a healthy and beautiful appearance.
Step 1
Avoid letting your fingernails come in contact with harsh cleaning products, warns Columbia University's health services. This includes strong soap detergents and the constant use of nail polish removers. Such chemicals might slowly eat away at your nails and weaken them.
Step 2
Slather on a moisturizer every day, recommends "Good Housekeeping" magazine. Focus on the tips of your fingers or toes, including around your fingernails and along your cuticles. The magazine says this helps combat dryness, which directly leads to nail brittleness, and keeps your cuticles looking smooth and growing healthy.
Step 3
Dab on a nail hardener, suggests the Mayo Clinic. These nail care products are often made with gelatin or keratin to help coat the nail and strengthen it. When choosing a nail hardener, any one will do except for those made with skin-irritating formaldehyde or toluene sulfonamide, says the clinic.
Step 4
Take a biotin nutritional supplement, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. The institute says dietary intake of biotin helps improve nail thickness and strength. The Mayo Clinic recommends taking 2.5 mg of the vitamin every day.
Things You'll Need
- Hand or foot lotion
- Nail hardener
- Biotin vitamin
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