Nail care: how to care for your nails and cuticles

You don't have to paint your nails to make them look neat

Dirty, bitten fingernails are a big turn off, but fear not – it’s a simple bit of grooming to tackle. Read our guide to nail care to learn how to care for your nails and cuticles.

Your nails are an indicator of your general health, and if you use your hands a lot when you talk then they’re also going to get plenty of attention from the person you’re trying to attract. Practise good nail care and you’ll do just fine. If you’re looking for toenail care tips, head here.

How to get rid of grime from your nails

No need for grimy mitts. Just give your hands a scrub with mild soap and warm water before you go out, using a nail brush to get the gunge out from under your nails. Oil on hands and under nails can be got rid of with a bit of swarfega, or other cleansing agents.

How to treat nail infections

If your nails go crumbly and whitish or yellowish and separate slightly from the nail bed then it could be a fungal infection. Speak to your doctor, who can prescribe an anti-fungal paint to get rid of it. If you get hangnails or loose skin down the side of the nail, trim it off with sharp scissors to reduce the risk of the skin tearing or infections getting into the skin.

Basic nail care

• Wash hands with mild soap, using a nail brush.
• Soak the hands in warm water for a few minutes to soften the cuticles (the bits of skin at the bottom of the nails).
• Very gently push back the cuticles if they are long and ragged.
• Trim the nails to the same length, cutting off any snaggy or spikey bits.
• File the ends of the nails to smooth them off.
• If your hands are dry, apply some hand cream (it doesn’t have to be the stuff that stinks of flowers).

Don’t bite your nails

Bitten nails aren’t exactly seductive, if you’re struggling to stop, try using an anti-biting nail paint. It tastes absolutely disgusting, but that’s the point, it will stop you putting your fingers in your mouth so often.

Professional nail care

If learning how to care for your nails and cuticles sounds a bit too much like hard work, you could always consider heading to a nail salon. Just make sure the salon you choose takes health and safety seriously.

Nail facts

• Nails grow roughly 1mm each week.
• Lose a nail completely and it’ll take half a year to grow back.
• The longest fingernails ever recorded belonged to an Indian man who sported 48-inch-long specimens.
• Up to 45% of blokes bite their nails.
• The rate at which your nails grow can be slowed down by illness, or sped up by stress and hot weather.
• Your diet dictates the condition of your nails. For extra-strength, eat food rich in calcium, iron and zinc.
• White marks on the nail are due to knocks, and are not a sign of calcium deficiency.
• Strong soaps and detergents can dry out nails and cause them to split. Wear rubber gloves when using detergent or doing the washing up.

Share your nail care tips over on our discussion boards. Take a look around the rest of The Mix’s ‘your body’ resources here.