Get Stronger, Healthier Nails with Natural Care

While having beautiful nails, for some people, is simple part of their daily routine, other people don’t really care about how their nails look, or how to take care of them.  But if you’re having problems with your nails, you likely will want to solve them quickly and effectively.

Types of Nail Problems

Whenever your nails are healthy, they generally grow uniformly without many irregularities.  They’ll grow with a “natural” color.  But whenever there is some sort of problem with your nails, you will be able to recognize it by a change in color, thickness, or fragility.

One of the most common types of problems with nails is ingrown nails, followed by fungal infections.  However, there are also other problems, like brittle nails, or nails that peel off layers, which could create changes in the health of your nails.  That’s why it is important to recognize the causes in order to choose the most appropriate treatments.  

Nail fungus

Medications for this type of infection is called onychomycosis.  Anytime fungus appears on the nails, they could take on a yellow tone, or become thicker.  Sometimes nails can even turn gray or green, and if the problem is left untreated the nail could even fall off.

There are natural remedies, however, that are effective at controlling nail fungus, along with recommendations that you can use to help fight it.

Tea tree oil: This is a natural antiseptic that can be effective at treating nail fungus.  Tea tree oil has been shown to be just as useful against fungus as prescribed medications.  Apply one drop of tea tree oil to the affected nail, two times a day.  If the nail has grown thicker, we recommend filing it down first and then applying the oil.  It’s best to do this after a shower or bath, when the nails are softer.  Be careful with this oil because it is highly concentrated and could irritate the skin arround the application site.  Apply only to the affected nail.

Recommendations: No not remove the cuticle of your nail.  This procedure used to promote nail growth will also leave your nails more vulnerable to infections.  One important recommendation is to keep your skin dry from moisture and sweat.  Try to change your socks at least once a day, if not twice a day, if you experience excessive sweating.  This will make you less likely to develop fungal infections.

Fragile nails

Fragile nails break easily, or are very thin.  Often times women complain about having fragile nails because it makes it harder to grow them out.  This problem could be caused by certain nutritional deficiencies in the diet.

Include foods rich in biotin: This is a complex B vitamin, vitamin B7.  It is found in animal products, such as liver, oily fish, and egg yolks, as well as legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.  This vitamin is also recommend to improve hair growth, but it also promotes healthy nails grow stronger.

Primrose oil: This oil is rich in healthy fatty acids and can help strengthen nails.  That’s why we recommend including it in your diet or as a supplement.  It’s also a good idea to consume oily fish rish in omega-3 fatty acids.

Consume foods rich in Zinc: Walnuts, whole grains, sea food, meat..all are good sources of this mineral.  A zinc deficiency could cause markings or white dots on the nails.

Olive oil: Warm a bit of olive oil up and dip your nails in it daily.  This will keep the skin under and around the nail moisturized, thereby preventing flaking.  Remove the excess oil and allow it to dry.  If you do this at night, try to wear thin cotton gloves while sleeping.

Follow recommendations for fragile nails.  This could solve your problem, because often times nails grow weak because they have been exposed to a harmful substance.

Wear gloves: Whenever you’re going to use a home treatment, or you’re going to use soaps and lots of liquids, try to wear gloves to protect your hands from the moisture.

Do not use polish or polish remover: Painting your nails and removing the polish with regularity will cause the nail to weaken.  Often times the components in these products damage and dry out nails.  This makes them more fragile.

Avoid fake nails: Although this may seem like a perfect option for your short, delicate nails, it isn’t.  Your nails may look more beautiful, but these fake nails are glued to the real nail.  This weakens the real nail, making it more prone to infection.  Use of fake nails is commonly a cause of fungal infections in women.

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 08/29/2018

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