Healthy nails equal healthy hair

Hey Darlings,
I know a lot of you get manicures regularly, meaning every two weeks or so but if you're like me and your nails grow incredibly quickly and sometimes get in the way, then there is a good chance they can crack and split before your next visit to the hair salon and that's when all hell breaks lose. Being natural means your fingers are your best tools. Hangnails and jagged edges can pull and snap your hair. Broken hair strands mean split ends and split ends mean less length retention. So I did a little research on what to do to keep my nails healthy at home

I found an article by Mayo Clinic called "Fingernails: Do's and Don'ts for healthy nails". Here are a few tips I got from the article:

"To keep your fingernails looking their best, follow these simple guidelines. 

  Do:

• Keep your fingernails dry and clean. This prevents bacteria, fungi and other organisms from growing under your fingernails. Wear cotton-lined rubber gloves when washing dishes, cleaning or using harsh chemicals, and avoid long soaks in the tub.
• Trim and file your fingernails regularly. Use a sharp manicure scissors or clippers. Trim your nails straight across, then round the tips in a gentle curve. It might be easiest to trim and file your fingernails when they're soft, such as after bathing.
• Use moisturizer. When you use hand lotion, rub the lotion into your fingernails and cuticles, too.

Don't:

• Abuse your fingernails. To prevent nail damage, don't use your fingernails as tools to pick, poke or pry things.
• Bite your fingernails or pick at your cuticles. These habits can damage the nail bed. Even a minor cut alongside your fingernail can allow bacteria or fungi to enter and cause an infection.
• Pull off hangnails. You might rip live tissue along with the hangnail. Instead, carefully clip off hangnails.
• Ignore problems. If you have a nail problem that doesn't seem to go away on its own or is associated with other signs and symptoms, consult your doctor or dermatologist for an evaluation."

 Check out the entire article if you're interested and remember to glance at your nails before running your fingers through your hair. Although you may be tempted to touch, reaching for a nail file first can possibly save you some length in the future.