Nail care

General measures

• Shorten nails
  • Avoid cutting the nails, only in exceptional cases, e.g. if a nail is torn, it should be cut. It is better to file or mill: sand blade files to protect brittle nails. Diamond files can also be used for strong nails.
• Cuticle care
  • The cuticle should not be cut (cutting the cuticle provokes injuries and inflammations; it also promotes regrowth, furthermore the cuticle is hardened); it would be possible, if shortening is necessary, to push back the cuticle carefully with a manicure tool (a wooden stick is also suitable) or a soft towel. Better still: soak the cuticle with cuticle remover or finger bath, this will make it easier to push back the cuticle.
• Hand washing
  • Cleaning the hands with soap or a syndet only in case of heavy soiling. For "normal dirt" it is better to use hydrophilic oil-containing lotion (e.g. ash base lotion). This cleans and cares at the same time.
• Nutrition
  • balanced diet, because wholesome food is reflected in healthy nails.
• Wet work
  • Frequent work in a humid or chemically aggressive environment leads to repetitive damage to the nail organ. They are to be prevented by appropriate protective measures (e.g. by wearing suitable glove material.
• Vitamins and trace elements
  • Control of vitamin H and zinc levels and subsitution in case of deficiency.
• Protective measures
  • In winter, wearing lined gloves is recommended. Cold dries out skin, hair and nails! Protective gloves when using cleaning agents and detergents. These liquids often contain substances that can damage nails.
• Nail polish remover
  • Only acetone-free, preferably oil-based nail polish remover should be used to prevent the nails from drying out.

Special measures

• Finger bath (nail bath)
  • Bath the nails for about 3 to 5 minutes in a vegetable oil, e.g. olive oil or almond oil. Heat vegetable oils in the microwave to about 40 degrees. For brittle nails, lemon peel oil helps as a bath additive.
  • Alternative: Jojoba oil bath - heating 50 ml jojoba oil in a water bath to about 40 degrees, adding 4 drops each of sandalwood oil, cypress oil and lavender oil. Bath the fingertips for about 10 minutes in this nourishing oil bath.
• Care of the nail plate
  • Nail care cosmetics (see below nail varnishes, medical) e.g. on the basis of a 10% urea solution have proved to be excellent. They serve to hydrate the nail plate (see also under nail). Remark: During the years of life the structure of the nail plate changes with the consequence of a decreasing water binding capacity and an increase of the brittleness of the nail substance (e.g. Visurea Nail Polish®).
  • alternative: rub fingernails several times a week with the following oil mixture. 25 ml castor oil, 25 g vaseline, 25 ml avocado oil, 50 ml jojoba oil and a drop of bitter almond oil are heated to 50 degrees in a water bath and mixed well. The mixture can be stored in a jar for several weeks.
  • Alternatively: Rub nail plate with a mixture of avocado - and tea tree oil (50 ml avocado oil and 30 trpf. tea tree oil) and let it act for about 5 min. The oil mixture can be stored in a dark bottle (tea tree oil is sensitive to light).

Sililevo Nail ^Polish®, Allpresan Nail Care ^Oil®, Gehwol Nail ^Oil®.

1. Krüger N et al (2006) Effect of urea nail lacquer on nail quality. Clinical evaluation and biophysical measurements. dermatologist 57:1089-1094