Health & Beauty Tips For A Better Life

If a nail snaps off completely you can either replace it temporarily with a false nail, to maintain an even set for a special occasion or, better still, file the rest down to its level. This seems harsh, but in reality nothing looks more ludicrous than one stubby nail amongst a set of near talons.

You can mend a split, however, and save your nail until it has grown far enough to file by using a special nail repair glue. These glues are a slight variation of the all-purpose quick-drying household glues and should be treated with the same amount of caution. Make sure the nail is clean, dry and free from grease; then very carefully flood the split with a small droplet of glue. Quickly remove any glue from the surrounding finger with polish remover to prevent burning or skin sticking to skin. When the glue has set(a matter of minutes), file flush to the nail surface and apply nail polish to hide the join. The mend will last longer if you file the nail down a little first,to reduce the stress on the tear.

The prime cause of any irregularity in the nail is damage to the soft. living base. Knocks and rough treatment around the cuticles cause bumps and flecks, while more serious damage (trapping the nail in a door, say) can cause the nail to grow permanently derformed. Ridges are often caused by scraping the nails instead of using polish remover! Again, ill-health can leave its mark-the effects of ‘flu, for example, scarring the nail until it grows out completely, in about three and a half months.

Unfortunately, nothing can remove white flecks. But ridges can be eased by regular buffing and a coating of ridges-filler base to provide a smoother surface for your nail polish. Never attempt to file down ridges as this weakens the nails and may damage them further.

These are often caused by neglecting the cuticles, which cling to the nails and then tear as the nails grow upwards. Do not cut off the cuticle itself as it will grow back tough and more difficult to manicure. Snip away the loose flap of skin only with a sharp pair of nails scissors, then massage hand cream around the nail base.