Stains- this can come from different sources like wearing dark color nail polish, nicotine for starters. To remedy this use a base coat so the dark color won’t stain your nails or letting your nails soak in denture-cleaning tablets for a few minutes.
Nail Biting- If you bite your nail not only will you nails never grow but they will look really bad. Some tips are to carry an emery board with you so you will have a way to fix your nails without biting them. Another way is to apply a bitter-tasting nail cream, which will remind you that if you bite them you wont like the taste.
White Marks- this can be caused by injury or pressure to the nail matrix. The nail matrix is the area under the cuticle where the new growth happens. Unfortunately you can’t get rid of them but you can cover it up with a dark color.
Ridges- this can come from picking and pushing at your nails. To help your nails along when you have this condition before applying your nail polish buff the nail surface and then wipe the dust away and apply a coat of ridge filler.
Splitting- brittle nails can be caused by genetics, mishandling of your nails and overfilling and overbuffing. To strengthen your nails you can take biotin tablets and apply hardener.
Another important thing is to have the correct tools on hand and to avoid activities that may hurt your nails. According to an article in Better Nutrition there are basic tools that you need to have it order to keep your nails in shape. These are nail brushes, hand cream and/or oil, emery boards, nail files, scissors and clippers. (Cates, 1998)
Once you have the tools you need to know what actions to avoid which hurt your nail growth (Newburger & Sander, 2002):
1-Wear gloves indoors and outdoors- wear rubber gloves when doing household work and going outside especially during the winter time so you wont lose moisture.
