Nail care

The general and special care of fingernails and toenails plays an increasing role for various disease states, but also for the natural evolution of age. In this respect, general and special rules of conduct and therapeutic measures are recommended.

General Measures

• Trimming Nails
  • Avoid cutting the nails; they should only be cut in exceptional cases, such as when a nail is torn. It is better to file or buff them: use sandpaper-coated files to protect brittle nails. For strong nails, diamond files can also be used.
• Cuticle Care
  • Do not cut the cuticles (cutting the cuticles causes injuries and inflammation; it also promotes regrowth and causes the cuticles to harden); if shortening is necessary, you can gently push back the cuticle with a manicure tool (a wooden stick is also suitable) or a soft towel. Better yet: Soak the cuticles in cuticle remover or a finger bath; this makes it easier to push them back.
• Hand Washing
  • Wash your hands with soap or a syndet only if they are very dirty. For “normal dirt,” it’s better to use a hydrophilic, oil-based lotion (e.g., Asche Base Lotion). This cleanses and moisturizes at the same time.
• Nutrition
  • A balanced diet, because wholesome foods contribute to healthy nails.
• Work in damp environments
  • Frequent work in a damp or chemically aggressive environment leads to repetitive damage to the nail. This should be prevented by taking appropriate protective measures (e.g., by wearing suitable gloves).
• Vitamins and Trace Minerals
  • Monitor vitamin H and zinc levels and provide supplementation in case of deficiency. See also under silica.
• Protective Measures
  • In winter, wearing lined gloves is recommended. Cold weather dries out the skin, hair, and nails! Wear protective gloves when using cleaning products. These liquids often contain substances that can damage the nails.
• Nail Polish Remover
  • Only acetone-free nail polish removers—preferably oil-based ones—should be used to prevent the nails from drying out.

Special Measures

• Finger Bath (Nail Bath)
  • Soak your nails for about 3 to 5 minutes in a vegetable oil, such as olive oil or almond oil. Warm the vegetable oil in the microwave to about 40 degrees. For brittle nails, adding lemon peel oil to the soak helps.
  • Alternatively: Jojoba oil bath—warm 50 ml of jojoba oil in a water bath to about 40 degrees, then add 4 drops each of sandalwood oil, cypress oil, and lavender oil. Soak your fingertips in this nourishing oil bath for about 10 minutes.
• Care for the Nail Plate
  • Nourishing nail care products (see below:nail polishes, medical) have proven exceptionally effective, e.g., those based on a 10% urea solution. They serve to hydrate the nail plate (see also under “Nail”). Note: Over the course of a person’s life, the structure of the nail plate changes, resulting in a decrease in water-binding capacity and an increase in the brittleness of the nail substance (e.g., Visurea Nail Polish®).
  • Alternatively: Rub the fingernails several times a week with the following oil mixture. Heat 25 ml of castor oil, 25 g of petroleum jelly, 25 ml of avocado oil, 50 ml of jojoba oil, and one drop of bitter almond oil in a double boiler to 50 degrees and mix well. The mixture can be stored in a jar for several weeks.
  • Alternatively: Rub the nail plate with a mixture of avocado and tea tree oil (50 ml avocado oil and 30 drops tea tree oil) and let it sit for about 5 minutes. The oil mixture can be stored in a dark bottle (due to tea tree oil’s sensitivity to light).

Sililevo Nail ^Polish®, Allpresan Nail Care ^Oil®, Gehwol Nail ^Oil®.

1. Krüger N et al (2006) Effect of urea nail lacquer on nail quality. Clinical evaluation and biophysical measurements. dermatologist 57:1089-1094