Nail care: what to do regularly

Having beautiful nails, even without varnish, means having smooth, shiny nails, free of small skin and other annoyances. To achieve this result and keep it over time, it is essential to treat your nails regularly.

Basic care is indeed very simple, it consists of:

• soften and push back the cuticles, in other words the small skin at the base of the nail
• cut and file his nails
• polish them

Do a homemade nail treatment

Home nail care aims above all to give them a beautiful appearance. For this, a few small tools and natural products allow to obtain an excellent result. Bring yourself:

• a small bowl of hot soapy water
• a small boxwood stick to push back cuticles (they are sold in supermarkets or drugstores)
• possibly a cuticle cutter. Ask your pharmacist for more information, as it is often confused with a nail clipper. It is also possible to find a 2 in 1 tool, regrowth and cuticle cutter.
• A nail file and possibly nail scissors
• a vegetable oil (castor oil for example)
• a polisher

Immerse your fingers in the bowl of soapy water for at least 5 minutes, this will soften the cuticles. Dry your hands then, with the boxwood stick, gently push the cuticles back on the edge of the nail. If your cuticles are too long, cut them very carefully with a cuticle cutter.

If your nails are not too long, file them, always in the same direction, in other words without going back and forth. This bad habit can indeed double them.

If your nails are too long and you want to cut them shorter, first use nail scissors to give them the shape you want. Then file them to even out the edges.

Then apply vegetable oil to your nails and cuticles. Castor oil is known to accelerate nail growth, it is also nourishing and therefore ideal for such care.

Finally, on the surface of your nails, use a polisher. A first side will smooth the surface of the nail and the second side will polish it, for a shiny and healthy appearance.

Nail care in case of infection

The fingernails and the area around the fingernails are prone to infection. Pulling a skin on the edge of a nail can lead to a small infection which, if not treated with an antiseptic, can lead to the formation of a whitlow. In other words, a very painful swelling and, ultimately, dangerous to health if not treated with an antibiotic. It is therefore absolutely necessary to consult your GP without delay.

In case of annoying small dead skin on the side of a nail, disinfect nail scissors and cut them off at the base of the skin.

Men’s nail care: the minimum necessary

Even though men’s nails don’t necessarily need to shine, they do need to be cared for regularly. In particular to prevent them from being too long or in poor condition.

Trim your nails at least every ten days, or according to your own growth cycle. Do not cut too short either, or you could injure yourself. The nail should slightly overhang the edge.

Finally, regularly use a special brush to remove residue from under the nails.

Toenail care

Less exposed than the hands, the toenails still require care. The greatest risk for them comes from the closed environment in which they are all day. Just like the fact that we don’t necessarily pay attention to it, especially in winter.

The care of the nails of the feet is similar to that of the hands. Cut them very regularly, although the toenails grow much slower. However, being harder and thicker, especially the thumbnail, use a suitable file.

Toes should be inspected regularly to avoid ingrown toenails. In case of pain or doubt, and if you are unable to cut your nails properly, consult your doctor who will refer you to a chiropodist if necessary.

Similarly, do not hesitate to consult if one of your nails changes color, it could be a fungal infection.