Having a good nail care go far beyond just manicures and nail polish. It’s not only important to have a regular and thorough nail-care routine to remove harmful germs and bacteria, nail care is also an important part of personal grooming. Some care and attention is definitely needed to maintain the health of the nail. There are many factors that can affect the health of your nails.
Common Nail Problems
When there is abnormal nail change, it is generally not due to your diet unless you are suffering from severe malnutrition. Sometimes nail problems indicate a nutritional imbalance.
Brittle nails can be due to iron deficiency or nutritional deficiencies or the result of age or too much or too little moisture. Spoon-shaped or upturned nails can be also be due to iron deficiency or as a result of repeated trauma.
When you clip the nail too short or wear ill-fitting shoes, it can lead to an ingrown toenail. If you have white spots on the nails, it can be due to a deficiency in zinc. Good sources of zinc will include shellfish, meat, nuts, whole grain and root vegetables.
Ridging of the nails can be due to eczema, psoriasis or other skin problems but the most common reason is due to aging. Nail injury and rheumatoid arthritis can also cause vertical ridges.
Toenail and fingernail fungal infections can cause inflammation around the nail (paronychia) as well as nail lifting problem. The nail may turn thick, crumbly and yellowed. You might see white or black, powdery discoloration of the nail plate’s surface. Fungal nail infections account for nearly one-half of all nail problems. It may occur at any age but is more common in older individuals. Diabetic patients are more likely to develop a fungal nail infection.
Nail lifting may also occur with other skin conditions like eczema (including hand dermatitis), psoriasis, and lichen planus and other underlying medical problems, including thyroid disease, pregnancy, and rarely some forms of cancer. Other possible causes of nail lifting are injury to the nails, use of nail cosmetics, and aggressive manicures.
Consult a doctor if your nail lifting becomes bothersome. Your doctor will evaluate the condition and may perform tests for infection and prescribe antibacterial or anti-fungal treatment if fungal infection is present.
Fungal infections of the nails are common among the older individuals, associated with athlete’s foot. Bacteria nail infection will usually lead to inflammation of the region of the finger or toe from which the nail plate originates. Such inflammation may be short term or it could be may a long-term problem or one that is chronic – keeps coming back.
Your doctor is most likely to prescribe a topical steroid or anti-fungal medication and/or an oral anti-fungal medicine or antibiotics. You can also consume a supplementary of zinc for a period of six months to help improve the condition.
The Importance of Nail Care
Many people pay close attention to how their hair look but do not care much for their nails while there are some who understand the importance of caring for their nails as they know that nails are an important part of our body and are our handy helper. Our nails not only help us do things like scratching an annoying itch or picking up coins from the ground but they also protect the fingers and toes.
Therefore it is important to take good care of your nails. Here are some simple and easy tips to get your nails in good shape:
Keep them short and clean, trim them in the shape of the tip of your finger and cut your toenails straight across.
After washing your hands and feet, dry them well. Change your socks daily. Apply moisturizer lotion on your fingernail when your hands feel dry. And more importantly, eat healthy balanced diet to maintain good nutrition, take selected supplements to keep your nails strong and healthy.