Helpful Tips for Healthy Nails

Much like other aspects of modern beauty, such as hairstyle and makeup, your attention to your nails says a lot about you and your personal style. As a result, nail salons have boomed in popularity as more people than ever before seek to adorn themselves with beautiful, professionally manicured nails. That’s why many aspiring nail technicians elect to attend nail tech school in West Palm Beach, FL, to kick-start a career in the beauty industry.

While services such as manicures and pedicures are key to maintain healthy, gorgeous nails that get noticed, everyday care and maintenance are also important. Nail technicians learn the key concepts of daily nail care in school, but anyone can put that knowledge to use to improve the quality and health of nails. Keep reading to learn a few helpful tips that can help you maintain healthy nails. Moisturize the Cuticle and Nail Bed One of the first things a student learns in nail technician school is that nail health is facilitated by cuticle health. While there’s not a great deal of medical data to support the belief that moisturizing nail beds leads to healthier nails, it’ll make your cuticles look better. When your nail beds aren’t properly moisturized, it can increase the risk of nail breakage. Therefore, it’s important to regularly apply oil to the cuticles to prevent chipping, splitting, and breakage. Avoid Hardeners While it may seem that a harder nail would be desirable and durable, many nail hardening products can do more harm than good for overall nail health. First, they don’t necessarily produce the result of harder nails, and there’s no clinical or scientific evidence that they work. Also, artificial hardeners can make nails so hard that they become brittle. Healthy nails should be flexible to better deal with everyday stresses, so avoid hardeners altogether unless your nails are exceptionally weak. Biotin Is Your Friend Biotin, which is a member of the B family of vitamins, plays an integral role in nail health. Not only does it promote nail thickness, but it can prevent splitting and cracking. To get the maximum benefit, the biotin needs to be prescription strength and should be taken in dosages of at least 2.5 milligrams per day. Avoid Acetone Another common nail care chemical to avoid is acetone, which is often used as a nail polish remover. While acetone is effective at stripping polish from nails, it also strips away nutrients in the nails and leaves them brittle. That means that you’ll experience more cracking and splitting as the result of acetone use, so it’s best to use non-acetone nail polish removers when possible. Use Fine Grit Emery Boards Using rough emery boards on your nails may expedite your daily nail care, but it can also wreak havoc on the integrity of your nails. Rough emery boards can create tiny cracks and fissures that degrade overall nail health and lead to breaks over time. Instead, seek fine grit emery boards that will provide a gentler effect. Also, when filing, it’s important to remember that you should only file in one direction. Use Nail Tips, Not Extensions Nail extensions may give you the look you want on a short timeline, but they’re not great for the health of your nails. They can lead to bacterial or fungal infections that can cause permanent damage to the nails. If you just can’t wait to grow out your nails to the desired length naturally, then opt for the less problematic nail tips. While tips won’t eliminate all the potential problems associated with extensions, they will reduce the risks because less of the nail’s surface area is involved. You don’t have to be a graduate of a nail tech school in West Palm Beach, FL, to maintain your nails like a pro. Use these tips to guide your daily nail care regimen, and you can get the healthy nails you want in no time. If you’re interested in a career as a nail technician, contact Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers at (561) 547-6333.