Few common nail conditions and remedies to fix them
What's the story
While it is easy to dismiss off nail care as a cosmetic splurge, healthy nails speak volumes about our overall health. Taking good care of the nails helps avoid conditions such as athlete's foot, ingrown toenail, fungal infections, etc. Read on to understand how you can identify any minor changes in nail texture and the various tips to help fix them at home.
Brittle
Brittle nails: Massage with coconut oil or tea tree oil
Brittle nails are rough and are generally more prone to cracking. They can either be dry or soft and are extremely common in women. Applying lotions that contain Alpha-hydroxy acids or lanolin will help. Wear gloves while doing household chores like washing and cleaning to reduce the chances of breakage. Massaging coconut oil or tea tree oil onto the nails also helps.
Weak
Soft or weak nails can be due to chemical exposure
Soft nails bend and break easily. This could be due to chemicals or constant exposure to detergents, fabric softeners, nail polish remover or even too much nail treatment at the salon. Use gloves while doing chores and avoid chemicals on your nails. Let your nails breathe without nail paint for a week. You can also consult a doctor and have multivitamin tablets.
Ridges
Take it seriously! Ridges can point at other underlying conditions
Ridges can be a result of skin conditions like eczema or skin dryness. Vertical ridges are common in older adults and can be the result of slow cell turnover. However, horizontal ridges or beau's lines may signal at a serious underlying condition such as thyroid, diabetes, syphilis, etc. Ridges are often symptoms of other illnesses and it is important to identify the root cause.
Yellow nails
Yellow colored nails could be due to overuse of products
Yellow color in nails is pretty common and could be due to overuse of certain products such as nail polish. Leave your nails without any nail product for two weeks. Applying tea tree oil or Vitamin E on your nails before bedtime can also help to restore the color of your nails. Check with a doctor if the aforementioned remedies don't help.
Spots
White spots on the nails or leukonychia
White color can either appear as spots on the nails or can stretch as white lines around the entire nail. These lines are a common condition and usually happen due to zinc deficiency. They can also be an allergic reaction to a nail product such as nail polish, gloss etc. Stop the use of the nail product to avoid the allergy.