Body Care Facts & Health Tips

Long nails can add a lot of oomph, if you are trying to look drop dead gorgeous from head to toe. But growing long nails naturally can be pretty tough, because it requires a lot of patience and maintenance. The easy option is thus, to go for acrylic nails. Though this cosmetic procedure of increasing your nail length is pretty easy and not too expensive, the question you may have is whether it is safe.

After all there are collateral risks with any sort of cosmetic procedure and acrylic nails are no different. But the good news is that if the procedure is carried out by and expert and you maintain your nails properly, there should not be any problem.

Though there is very little risk involved in the process, you cannot rule out the possibility of a nail infection. This happens when there is a gap between your actual nail and the acrylic extension. But how can a gap develop between the two?

Well, this may happen purely by accident, but you cannot rule out the possibility all the same. If the nail gets bumped or jarred the gap may appear. This crevice between the two portions of nail becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, because of moisture available from the exposed skin.

An infection may also occur if your salon uses non-sanitized tools for completing the process of acrylic extension. The signs of infection include thickening and discoloration of the natural nail. You should immediately consult a dermatologist when this happens.

Your skin may also be allergic to the chemicals used for acrylic extension and you may develop dermatitis. This is indicated by redness and swelling around the nails and you may have to see a doctor in this case too.

So, you may have understood by now that your choice of salon plays a key role in ensuring that acrylic nails do not cause any problems for you. If you are more interested in saving money, than safety and hygiene, maybe you should drop the idea of getting acrylic nails!

And if you have to get acrylic nails, go for a reputed licensed salon which comes with a personal recommendation from a friend who has availed their services. Here are few other things you should evaluate before choosing a salon:

• The nail technicians should have individual licenses.
• Nails should be sanitized (ideally using autoclaving) and both you and the technician should wash hands with an anti-bacterial soap before commencing the procedure.

The chemical used for the process is also crucial in ensuring safety. Low end salons may use methyl methacrylate or MMA, which a banned substance in most countries. This substance is not safe for acrylic extensions because it can cause allergies and does not result in strong bonding between the natural nail and the extension.

That is why safe nail extensions are done with ethyl methacrylate or EMA. This chemical gives you acrylic nails which are strong, but at the same time can be removed easily when you want.

Hope you now have a better idea about the safety of acrylic nails.

There are some health problems which are never too serious but yet, can cause a fair bit of pain and discomfort. Ingrown toenails are one such condition, wherein your nails grow into the skin in the sides or one side of a nail grows over the side of the skin. When this happens, infection can follow suit and very soon, you may end up at a clinic getting treated for the problem. Therefore it is wiser to prevent ingrown toenails from appearing in the first place.

Yes, ingrown toenails can actually be prevented, though not always. For example, if your toenails are large, the problem is congenital and cannot be avoided. Repeated trauma to the toe, which causes the nail to be pitted against skin, may also give rise to this problem. But this problem can be prevented.

If you are developing ingrown toenails due to actions such as running you may be well advised to reduce your exertions or use protective footwear, so that the nail is not affected by wear and tear.

The most common cause behind ingrown toenails is, however, an incorrect way of trimming nails. If you have never paid too much attention to cutting toenails, you should do so now!

The best way to prevent this from happening is to cut straight across all toenails. Take care not too cut nails too short, because this can give rise to ingrown nails. The ideal way to cut toenails is to always leave some above the nail-bed and not cut down to the nail-bed. Also smooth-out all sharp edges left after cutting the nails, with the file.

In case you have got very thick toenails, it may be a better idea to just file them to reduce their size, instead of trying to clip them. Alternatively, you can use a cuticle remover. Rub it into the cuticles and nail bed and let it remain for about 10 minutes. This should soften the nail considerably. Also make sure that you are not using a small finger nail clipper to cut toenails. The wrong clipper can cause a lot of problems too!

After you have clipped/filed nails completely, you should clean the nails and the surrounding skin to remove bits of nail and other debris which can get stuck in your skin. Then, as an added measure, you can pamper your feet with footbaths and moisturizers. This will ensure that your skin and nails remain soft and there are no problems in cutting it the next time.

If you have a history of ingrown toenails, you need to be extra cautious to prevent their occurrence from time to time. Not only do you need to clean your feet regularly and cut nails carefully, your choice of footwear is also very important. Avoid wearing boots with pointed toes because they will exert extra pressure on the toenails and cause them to grow under the skin instead of the right direction.

Just remember to implement all that has been discussed here, and you should be able to prevent ingrown toenails.

The early signs of toenail fungus infection are pretty mild and may cause you to ignore them. But as soon as your nails start getting discolored, or become thicker than usual and crumble easily, you should start treating the toenail fungus without further delay. This is because if the situation worsens you may experience immense pain and the need to get medical help. Thankfully there are some home remedies for toenail fungus which make your job really easy.

Tea tree oil is a powerful antiseptic and fungicide that can combat toenail virus. You can:

• Apply a mixture of undiluted tea tree oil and olive oil on the affected area.
• Put a few drops of the oil on the toenails and massage the area regularly.
• Use a mixture of equal quantities of olive oil, thyme oil and tea tree oil to apply directly on the nail. Allow this mixture to stay for 10-15 minutes before scrubbing the toenail with a toothbrush which you no longer use. This will help the mixture cover the nail and get underneath the nail as well. Moreover scrubbing will remove the decaying top layer of the nail, which contains the fungus.

You can continue using these treatments, not just until your nails become visibly healthy, but even weeks after that, so that the fungus dies completely. If any traces of the fungus manage to survive, you may be looking at a renewed attack on your toenail. A potassium hydroxide smear test is usually required to tell whether you are completely free from fungus in the toenails.

Treatment with tea tree oil can work if your infection has yet to become severe.

You can also treat your infected toenail with a mixture of warm water and apple cider vinegar. Mix both these liquids in a small tub/basin, in equal amounts and soak your toenail in this mixture for at least 15 minutes. After you are done, dry the nail thoroughly and use a hair dryer to remove moisture completely. This is important because fungus thrives in moisture.

The acidic property of apple cider vinegar will help in restricting the growth of fungus and gradually eliminate it as well.

A mixture of apple cider vinegar and moderately ground rice flour can be used as an exfoliating scrub for toenails affected by fungus. Exfoliation helps removes dead cells from the nails and the surrounding skin, where fungus thrives. Apply the mixture on the affected area and gently scrub for the next 5-10 minutes. This will effectively remove dead cells and fungus lying beneath them.

After this, rinse your feet well and dry it out. Then you can massage your feet with equal amounts of olive oil and lemon juice, which will soften the skin and help keep the fungal infection in check.

At home, you can also soak affected toenails in Listerine mouthwash or a mixture of mouthwash and vinegar. The mouthwash itself is a powerful antiseptic which can eliminate fungal growth.

Hope you find all these toenail fungus home remedies useful!