Nail Problems And Solutions
September 14, 2009
Discoloration, brittleness and ridges are the most common nail problems. Brittle nails are caused due to household cleaning products, frequent hand washing and aging.
Brittle nails either are soft or hard. The cause of brittle and hard nails is dehydration, mainly. This is result of very little moisture around the nails. On the other hand, soft brittle hands occur due to immersion of nails in water for long time periods.
Discoloration of nails may occur due to variety of reasons. These include smoking or unwanted reaction with some cosmetic chemicals. Use of low quality nail paints also leave nails discolored. Apart from these, fungal infection is yet another common cause of nail discoloration. The toe nails suffer from nail discoloration more frequently than the finger nails.
Nail ridges are often ignored but sudden onset of vertical ridges must be shown to the doctor. This is because sudden onset of these ridges may suggest development of rheumatoid arthritis or kidney disorder. On the other hand, horizontal ridges are results of some hormonal imbalance, genetically inheritance and deficiency of calcium in the body. They may also occur due to malnutrition and persistent stress.
Solutions
If one consumes a balanced diet everyday along with vitamin and mineral supplementation half of the trouble is solved. Avoid harsh diet plans. Carry a good smelling hand moisturizer. The reason that the moisturizer should have an attractive smell is that one is motivated to use it frequently. This is very important for brittle nails.
Do not use those removers which carry acetone. The chemical tends to make the nails more brittle. Supplementation with calcium (500 mg) and biotin (300 mcg) daily in the form of pills is very helpful.
Always keep your nails clean and small. Longer nails are difficult to maintain and they usually become problematic. Pat on good quality powder on foot and hand nails. This will prevent clogging of the area with sweat.
Consumption of some drugs (diuretics) cause dehydration and worsen condition of nails. Check with your doctor to provide you with an alternative.
Nail ridges can be treated using nail buffers. These help in minimizing the ridges. A temporary method to get rid of discoloration is to get your nails bleached.
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