Do your fingernails feel more brittle, look discolored, broken, or have other damage? Regardless of the type of injury, there's no need to worry because the truth is, nail health can be improved by applying the various methods listed in this article. First of all, monitor the scale of the damage. After that, immediately consult a doctor if the injury is severe. Then, make sure the strength and moisture of the nails are also always maintained by applying moisturizer regularly and soaking the nails in natural oils. Improving your diet is also a powerful way to maintain the health of your nail bed, you know!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Coping With Injury On The Spot
Step 1. Assess the severity of the injury
Before deciding on a method for treating nails, first understand what the damage is like. For example, observe if there is a change in the shape of the nail and its color, especially as a yellowish or greenish nail can indicate an infection. Feel the surface of the nail to detect the presence or absence of a lump there.
- By recording the condition of your nails in detail, it will be easier for you to monitor the progress and healing process in the future.
- If your nails are yellow or green in color, you most likely have a yeast infection. See a doctor for appropriate treatment recommendations.
- If you find white patches on the surface of your nails, you most likely have a build-up of keratin in your nails or a deficiency of vitamins and minerals (such as zinc or magnesium). See a doctor for a complete blood count and get a more accurate diagnosis.
Step 2. Treat the wound that forms
If your nails are split or broken, immediately clean the affected area with running water and soap. Then, clean the area with rubbing alcohol, and apply a small amount of antibiotic cream or gel to the nail bed. If the injury is large enough, make sure you cover it with a bandage. On the other hand, if the injury is minor, it is not necessary to bandage the nail to expose it to direct air, but make sure that it is always kept clean.
Step 3. Check with a doctor
If your nails are damaged by a physical injury, the best thing you can do is to have them checked by a GP. After that, the doctor may ask you to do an X-ray scan and identify if the damage has spread to the bone. Also see a doctor if the nail does not heal after being treated independently for three weeks or more. Your doctor can confirm or rule out an underlying health problem, such as kidney problems.
In fact, there are quite a number of diseases that can affect nail health. Kidney disorders, for example, can cause nails to build up nitrogen-removing products and damage their condition
Step 4. Prevent the spread of fungal infections
After receiving a diagnosis of a yeast infection from your doctor, do your best to keep the infection from spreading. Remember, fungal infections can spread from your fingers to your toes or eyes, as well as to other people.
- Wear gloves to prevent infectious infections.
- Do not cook or serve food to others during this time.
- Keep your hands clean and treat any torn or peeling skin around the nails.
- Apply the antifungal cream according to the instructions given by the doctor.
Step 5. Get emergency help
If the nail is cut too deep and the bleeding doesn't stop, or if a large part of the nail appears to be separating from the skin behind it, don't wait too long to see a doctor! With the help of a doctor, secondary infections that may occur can be easily prevented.
Sometimes, a nail injury indicates a crack in your finger. Generally, your doctor will ask you to do an X-ray or MRI scan if the crack is visible
Method 2 of 3: Improve Nail Health
Step 1. Don't wear nail polish for a few weeks
Constantly wearing nail polish can make it difficult for your nails to breathe and increase the risk of bacteria, fungus, and dirt building up. Therefore, clean the nail polish and don't put it on again for 2-3 weeks. After that, observe the condition of the nails. If your condition improves and you want to get back to wearing nail polish, at least choose nail polish fortified with vitamin A and other nutrients.
Found a small white spot on the surface of the nail? These spots indicate a build-up of keratin that can be corrected by temporarily stopping nail polish
Step 2. Cut nails short and trim them regularly
Although it sounds contradictory, in fact nails that are often cut and trimmed can grow faster, stronger, and healthier, you know! Therefore, use special scissors to shorten your nails, and make sure you always trim your nails according to their natural shape. After that, file the tip of the nail slowly with a horizontal motion and consistent pressure until the size of the nail begins to shorten.
- Repeat the process every few days to make sure your nails are just a little past your fingertips, not more.
- Use the soft part of the file to smooth the surface of the nail. Besides being able to make nails shiny, this method can also increase blood flow to the nails! After that, apply nail cream to make it healthier.
Step 3. Moisturize your nails regularly
Try to find a cream, serum, or gel specifically designed to moisturize your nails. Then, apply the product throughout the day, especially after you wash your hands. At night, apply as much moisturizer as possible to all parts of your hands, then wear cotton gloves or socks to trap the moisture and prevent them from drying out from exposure to the air.
Hand washing can make the texture dry. To protect the moisture of your skin and nails, always apply moisturizer after washing your hands
Step 4. Soak your nails
In a medium bowl, combine warm water and 4 tsp. sea salt. Then, soak your hands in the solution for 10 minutes. If you want, you can also soak your hands in a bowl of warm milk or olive oil. After that, apply moisturizer to your nails to speed up the healing process.
Step 5. Use a tea bag
First of all, prepare a small paper tea bag, then try to cut it a little. Then, coat the damaged nail with a transparent basecoat, and place the tea bag piece on the surface of the injured or broken nail. Gently press to release the air inside, then coat it again with liquid coating or transparent nail polish. This method can cover up a broken or split nail instantly, but make sure you keep a close eye on the condition to make sure no infection has developed.
Leave the tea bag on your nails for one week. If necessary, replace the tea bag with a new one afterwards
Step 6. Apply tea tree oil
With its antifungal properties, tea tree oil is the perfect option for treating brittle, discolored, or odd-smelling nails. To use it, you can simply apply a few drops of tea tree oil to the damaged nails twice a day. Repeat the process until the condition of the nails looks better.
- If your nails or skin get irritated after interacting with tea tree oil, try applying lemon juice with the help of a cotton swab. The acidity in the lemon should help kill the fungus growing on the nails.
- If your doctor prescribes you an antifungal medication, make sure you use it instead of natural remedies. Remember, antifungal creams prescribed by a doctor are the most effective against yeast infections.
Method 3 of 3: Nail Care
Step 1. Wear gloves when interacting with hazardous substances
Before cleaning your house, always wear a pair of gloves made of latex or thick plastic so that the corrosive substances in cleaning products don't risk damaging your nail bed.
Step 2. Use cleaning products that are friendly to skin and nails
Be aware that the chemicals in many antibacterial products, nail polish, and cleaning wipes can potentially irritate your skin and nails. Therefore, make sure you always buy cleaning products made from natural ingredients or ingredients that do not risk causing irritation. Avoid products made of ammonia, hydrochloric acid, sodium hypochlorite, or leachate.
Step 3. Try to break the habit of biting or peeling nails
Remember, both of these actions contribute quite a lot to the nail damage you may experience afterwards. Therefore, try to stop it and if necessary, coat the nails with a liquid that tastes bad, such as lemon juice. Today, there are also nail polishes that are specially designed to prevent users from biting their nails, you know!
- A person can even bite his nails while sleeping, you know! To prevent a similar situation from happening to you, try covering your hands with socks or gloves before going to bed.
- If you feel that biting your nails has become an addiction for you, don't hesitate to consult a mental health professional.
Step 4. Take a biotin supplement
These days, pills or multivitamins containing biotin can be easily found in pharmacies or supermarkets that sell health products. Try taking a daily biotin supplement to strengthen your nail bed. While the results won't be visible in an instant, this is a method that has proven to be effective without risking further damage to your nails or breaking them. Generally, biotin supplements need to be taken for 4-6 months to show maximum results.
Step 5. Eat the right foods and drink as much water as possible
To maintain healthy nails, increase the intake of vitamins A, B, C, and E in the body which are proven to be able to maintain the strength of nails and cuticles. For example, you can increase the intake of olive oil and eggs, or a quality multivitamin that contains all four vitamins. In addition, make sure you also drink at least eight glasses of water every day so that the body is not dehydrated, the nail bed is not brittle, and the cuticles are not dry.
Step 6. Change the nail polish carefully
In fact, the main ingredient in most nail polish removers, namely acetone, can easily erode the nail bed if not applied properly. Therefore, make sure you don't use too much acetone to clean the nail polish, and apply the acetone to a cotton swab instead of pouring it directly onto the nail.
Step 7. See a manicurist
If your nails are damaged, try getting professional help to fix them. Tell the problem you are facing and ask for the appropriate treatment recommendations. If possible, also massage your hands to increase blood flow to the nail and speed up the healing process.
Instead, massage your hands and nails using coconut oil or another oil to moisturize the nail bed
Step 8. Be patient
Generally, new nails will grow within 3-6 months. Therefore, be patient to wait that long before seeing any real progress. Avoid the temptation to speed up the nail growth process using aggressive methods to keep your nails from getting worse.
Tips
- To avoid infection and speed up the recovery process, wash your hands regularly and don't forget to apply nail oil or moisturizer afterward.
- In addition to taking conventional medicines, there is no harm in consulting the problem you are facing with an acupuncturist or alternative medicine expert. Usually, an alternative medicine specialist will examine your hand to diagnose other health problems you may also be experiencing.
