Preventive measures to protect your nails should be taken and these have been listed in the tables on Hand and Nail Care: DOs and DO NOTs.
Nail care products can enhance the appearance of your hands and feet, yet at the same time they are harsh and may damage the nails over time.
Nail Polishes
Nail polishes have been promoted as beautifiers, hardeners, and protectors. They beautify the nails by coloring them and have become a fashion accessory. Most polishes have similar chemical ingredients; nitrocellulose and resins are used to provide glossy, hard finishes, Polishes do not actually strengthen the nail. Some contain ingredients, such as nylon, which make the polish itself stronger.
Nail polishes contain ingredients that can be very irritating to the skin and may cause allergic reactions. For this reason it is advisable not to touch the skin until the polish has adequately dried (at least two hours). If you are in a hurry try putting your freshly polished nails under cold running water for 3 to 5 minutes This hardens the polish quickly.
Nail Polish Removers
Nail polish remover, are not good for your nails. In order to effectively remove nail polish, strong solvents are used such as acetone, which leach oil and moisture from the nails leaving them hard and brittle. This is the case even with removers containing conditioners or oils.
Nail polish removers may also be very irritating to the skin. Avoid contact with other parts of your body, particularly the face, when using nail polish removers and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. Try to control the amount of remover you use by touching up your nail polish rather than removing and reapplying new coats.
Nail Hardeners
Nail hardeners may do more damage than good. Although they harden the nails, they may also irritate the skin around the nail, discolor the nail, cause the nail to detach from the nail bed, and may even cause hemorrhaging under the nail.
Cuticle Removers
The cuticle protects the root of the nail from which our nails grow and should not be removed. For this reason, the use of cuticle removers is riot recommended. They also contain very strong alkaline chemicals which are extremely irritating to the skin. The cuticles may be trimmed to avoid hang nails and to keep the hands looking well groomed.
Nail Creams and Cuticle Softeners
These products are essentially the same as moisturizers. Some of them are chemically enhanced with urea but otherwise they are not unique. Regular use of a hand cream, such as Norwegian Hand Formula will serve the same purpose.
