Our nails are made up of a protein called keratin. Keratin is a really interesting protein because it is a major component of not only our nails but our skin & hair as well. Considering how different these three things are, it is really cool that one protein can play such a large role in all three. Highly simplified, our nails are formed by keratinized skin cells. Before we go on, let's break down the different parts of the nail so we can better understand how nail growth occurs.
- Nail plate - This is the part of the nail we see & polish
- Nail bed - Skin below the nail plate. The pink tint of the nail is due to the blood vessels found here
- Cuticle - Tissue that overlaps the plate & rims the base of the nail. The cuticle protects the new growing cells of your nails
- Nail folds - Skin folds that frame & support the nail on three sides
- Lunula - The whitish half-moon at the base of the nail
- Matrix - Hidden part of the nail under the cuticle - This is where most of the action takes place
New cells are formed in the matrix. As more & more form, the older cells are pushed out, packed together & flattened to form the nail plate. This means the majority of our nails are actually dead cells. That is why you can file & trim your nails painlessly. So while adding products to your nails might improve their appearance or temporarily reinforce them greater attention should be paid to improving the health of the living cells before they undergo the keratinization process. Like any organ in our bodies, nails are an external gauge of our internal health. Doctors actually will use the appearance of nails as an aide in diagnosis - here are a few examples of what your nail appearances could reveal about your health.
I understand that isn't the answer most people want. We are used to quick fix products & instant results - hence why these products are appealing to people. But if you're patient & work on making sure your body is getting the essential components it needs for healthy nails you will eventually notice a difference. Nails need a few more things besides keratin to be healthy. Nails need a lot of vitamins, just to name a few...
- B-complex
- C
- A
- E
- D
- Calcium
- Zinc
- Iodine
- Iron
- Folic acid
If we are lacking these vitamins or our bodies are having a hard time absorbing them our nails will become dry, brittle, dull and more prone to breakage & peeling. So how do we make sure our nails have all the vitamins they need? One way is diet - a diet rich in fruits, veggies, eggs, fish, seeds, nuts, & whole grains will provide our bodies with vitamins that make nails happy. But most people aren't going to change their diet just for their nails & some people flat out can't. This is where vitamin supplements come into play. Buying all these vitamins separately will drain your wallet & is not exactly convenient. Luckily you can find Hair, Skin & Nail (makes sense now, eh?) vitamin supplements that are pre-blended to help promote nail health.
A word of caution - do not let yourself get ripped off! When I went to CVS to purchase vitamins I found many brands charging $15 & up. The most important thing to do is check the label, the generic brand had all the same vitamins as the most expensive brands for a fraction of the price. Also, check the directions. The ones I bought tell me to take three a day but I stick to one - I honestly think that is just an attempt to get you to spend more money. If you look at the the percentage of daily value taking three tablets would put you at up to a 1000% of the daily value for some vitamins - which I personally don't think is necessary. That is a personal choice - look at the percentages on your bottle & decide for yourself.
What other things beside vitamins promote nail health?
- Keep away from smoking. Smoking can cause nails to be yellow & brittle - not to mention it is gross & could kill you.
- Use those base coats! Base coats provide a barrier between your nail & polish which can prevent staining. Also, a lot of base coats also contain vitamins themselves.
- Keep those cuticles moist & avoid cutting if possible - cuticles take care of your growing nail cells so be sure to take care of them. Also, avoid getting much polish on them if you can. I plan on doing a more in-depth cuticle post in the future.
In my last post I mentioned I was working on getting some neon polishes so I could do a laser mani walkthrough - well here they are!
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| The two reds aren't neon, they were just on sale & I couldn't resist |
Thanks to my lovely girlfriend I have striping tape on the way so I'm hoping by this weekend I should be good to go. So far my seran wrap nails are still looking great - which I have to credit to the Seche Vite top coat.
Thank you to everyone who has liked my Facebook page & followed me on Twitter - it is nice to know I'm not just talking to myself on here :)
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