Nails get weak when they dry out and become brittle. Because your nails don't have any muscles or fat, they can't retain water like the rest of your body. To nails, keep them moisturized and protected. If you have brittle nails now, don't worry. With a few simple home remedies, you can strengthen your nails in no time.
Lemon Juice
Mix equal parts of egg white (one egg), olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl. Soak your nails in this mixture for about 15 minutes every day. The vitamins and nutrients from the egg white and lemon juice will help strengthen your nails, and the olive oil will help moisturize them. The acid in the lemon juice will strip away the shine from your nails, but that will come back in no time and your nails will be much stronger. You'll start to see results in two weeks.
Iodine
If you're not allergic to iodine, go to your local pharmacy or nutritional store and buy a concentrated form of liquid iodine. Pour the liquid into a bowl and soak your nails in the solution for 30 minutes. Take the solution off with acetone or nail polish remover. Only do this two to four times a month because large amounts of acetone can dry out your nails, making them more brittle.
Tea
Mix 2 tsp. of the tea of your choice with a pinch of salt and a few drops of wheat oil. Apply this mixture to your nails for five minutes and then wipe it off with a dry cloth. Repeat this procedure daily.
Reduce Nail Polish Remover
Frequent manicures can cause brittle nails. The acetone in nail polish remover is one of the chemicals that dries out nails. Try not to use nail polish remover any more than once a week to help prevent dry, weak nails.
Olive Oil
A big problem in people with weak nails is that they have dry nails. Olive oil can help moisturize the nails. Warm half a cup of olive oil and put some onto your nails. Make sure to massage it in thoroughly, covering both the top and underside of your nails. Keep the oil on your hands for about 15 minutes and then wash it off with water. Do this daily. You can even do this three to four times a day.
Gloves and Petroleum Jelly
Another way to moisturize your nails is with petroleum jelly. Put a healthy coating of petroleum jelly on your fingernails and then cover them with cotton gloves as you go to sleep. This treatment is especially good for the winter when nails tend to dry out more quickly. Wash the jelly off when you wake up in the morning and repeat the procedure every night.
Keep Nails Short
The shorter your nails are, the stronger they tend to be. If you have really weak nails, cut them down to size and grow them out using techniques to grow strong nails.
Protect Your Nails
If you do a lot of work with your hands, you may notice that your nails get damaged easily. It's best to avoid picking difficult things with your nails (soda can tops), and using your nails in replace of tools. For example, you shouldn't try to use your nails as a screwdriver. Keep gloves on when you're doing heavy house and yard work.
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