llskin (@llskin)

YOUR NAILS: THE TOUGHEST KIND OF SKIN Fingernails and toenails, like hair, are appendages of the skin. A nail, or onyx, is composed of the hardest keratin. The average growth rate of an adult fingernail is approximately 1⁄8 inch per month; toenails grow more slowly. The cuticle is the small flap of skin that often hangs over the nail plate, protecting the delicate matrix below. Cuticles can become damaged due to overexposure to water, dry conditions, the application of artificial nails, and contact with detergents, dirt, and chemicals. If a cuticle is damaged, the once-watertight space under the nail fold (the deep fold of skin at the base of the nail, where the nail root is embedded) becomes susceptible to moisture and thus a potential breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. To protect your nails and cuticles, treat them kindly and wear appropriate gloves when necessary. If your cuticles do get dry and ragged, regular therapeutic soaking and moisturizing will revive them. Never cut your cuticles or even push them back vigorously, no matter how ragged they are; you will only damage them further. If you frequently suffer from cold fingertips, your nails may need extra stimulation to encourage proper blood flow. A daily nail massage with a good oil blend or a weekly at-home buffing can help. If your budget allows, a weekly professional manicure, complete with hand massage, is an indulgence to enjoy. Skip the polish if you wish. In no time, you’ll see 10 nails (and cuticles) in beautiful, tip-top condition. A weekly hand reflexology session will also improve circulation to your hands and forearms while simultaneously deeply relaxing your body and mind! Your nails, like your skin, are mirrors of your general state of health or lifestyle. A healthy nail is smooth or very finely ridged, softly glossy, and translucent pink. Nail disorders such as deep ridges or furrows, thickening, discoloration, dimples, or slow growth can indicate systemic problems like malnutrition or illness or excessive contact with dry air, water, soap, or chemicals. Even tools of the nail technician’s trade — polishes, removers, artificial nails, nippers, scissors, brushes, and orangewood sticks — can, if improperly used or unsanitary, physically harm nails or transmit bacteria and fungi. #skincare #skin #nails #beauty #makeup #health