Your Beauty Questions Answered:
Natural Nail Care
Why do I have ‘indentations’ on my nails?
These indentations are called ridges. Ridges may appear as vertical or horizontal and may appear for several reasons:
Vertical: Vertical nail ridges, which extend from your cuticle to the tip of your nail, are fairly common and often become more numerous as you age. Vertical ridges in your nails are not a health concern. Although the exact cause of such ridging isn’t known, heredity may play a role.
Horizontal: Inexperienced or heavy handed technicians may be using the cuticle pusher in the wrong angle, causing the nail to be scraped in the process. Ensure you go to a certified and skilled nail technician to ensure that this is minimised. Ridges may also be caused by certain medications.
How do I improve my nail condition?
Some people may have soft and peeling nails; or dry and brittle nails. There is a distinct difference between the two and different types of treatments are available to improve these conditions.
Soft and peeling nails: Usually caused by unnecessary pressure from (ballet) dancing, overly tight shoes or other similar circumstances. They may also be caused by over filing of the nails, pre- and post- nail enhancements.
Dry and brittle nails: Usually due to lack of moisture in the nails or excessive contact with strong chemicals like detergents.
• Daily application of cuticle oil can help to replenish loss of moisture in nails.
• Weekly praffin wax treatments will also assist in locking in moisture and improving the condition of your hands and nails.
• Specific nail treatment systems (see our Nail Rescue Programmes) are also available for more serious conditions, where you will be prescribed a daily treatment for a specific period of time, or until your nail condition improves.
Why does my nail polish peel off the next day?
Improper preparation (oil or dust not completely removed) of the nail before polish is applied may cause this to happen. Another reason is that the free-edge of the nail was not sealed properly with polish.
Why do I have callous?
Callous (dead skin) is your body’s way of protecting your skin from constant friction and pressure.
How does a credo blade work?
A credo blade functions much like a fruit peeler, and tends to remove callous with a scooping action, rather than shaving it off slowly (how a professional podiatrist will remove callouses). The use of credo blades on calloused skin tends to result in excessive removal – too much removal. And too much removal will cause your skin to be irritated which in turn causes your body to produce more callous to protect itself.
How does MissVainJane treat callous?
At MissVainJane, we advocate a much gentler approach to the removal of callous. Using small amounts of a callous softening cream, we safely and gently file away excess callous; the treatment may consist of multiple callous treatment sessions, depending on the severity. This gradual approach helps the body to adjust to its new state after each treatment. Of course, to keep callous re-growth in check and under control, a routine home-care regime is equally important.
MissVainJane recommends that a good heel therapy cream (e.g. CND Cucumber Heel Therapy) to be applied nightly after shower and maintained with regular pedicure sessions – a true long term solution to treating callouses!
How common is nail fungus?
Nail fungus is fairly uncommon. Even doctors cannot be 100% sure just by looking if someone has it until they grow a culture, and this process may take weeks or months.
How can we detect nail fungus?
It is not possible to detect a nail fungus before it happens. However, you can help prevent it from happening. If a nail fungus occurs, it will appear like a white, patchy area under the nail, as if the natural nail is pulling away from the nail bed. Do consult a doctor immediately to seek treatment. Manicures and pedicures are not advised.
What does a nail fungus infection look like?
Nail fungus infection differs and can affect anything from the color, condition, and shape of your nails. It can also affect how they feel, and may cause the nail to lift off the nail bed. Nail fungus is typically characterize by soft, white crumbly nails, distinctly different from a bacterial infection of the nail (also known as a “greenie”). If you are concerned, do seek a professional opinion from a certified doctor.
How can I tell if I have a bacterial infection of the nail?
Bacterial infections are characterized by yellow, green, or in severe cases, dark brown discoloration of the nail. It is contagious and should be treated with professional anti-fungal medication to prevent it affecting other nails. You can continue to wear nail polish and/or nail enhancement on a properly cleansed nail, depending on the severity of the infection. If you are concerned, do seek a professional opinion from a certified doctor.
Are nail fungus and bacterial infection contagious?
Yes, nail fungus can be contagious. If it is not properly taken care of, it could spread to other fingers/toes. The fungus could also spread to another person if an implement or nail file is used on a nail with a fungus and then used on that person.
MissVainJane takes very serious precautionary measures and will not perform services on customers suspected of having fungus. We strongly recommend that you see a doctor immediately to seek treatment.
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Wonderful tips. I have very soft brittle nails so I will try your tips.
Debbie aka The Real World Martha(S)
Wonderful article, is good to know those kind of informations, it article can help many people to prevent those kind of disease on nails.
Yara
outsourcing in call center
Comment:
I am speaking about the millions who are being infected through contaminated cross shared piercing, tattooing (ink), manicure, pedicure, podiatry, in less extend acne extractions and hair electrolysis needles and instruments. Health authorities are not doing what they should do to stop or prevent this public health threat. People should only use personal, disposable or correctly autoclaved tools for these procedures. With 400 million people already infected with one of the hepatitis B,C,D,G etc. viruses and many ordinary diseases spreading fast, users of shared tools need efficient sanitary rules to prevent effectively these contaminations. Users need more protection!
I agree that all equipment must be sanitary, there’s too many opportunities for cross contamination. That poses a health risk as well creates an impression that all nail studios are the same. I run a nail studio in Cherry Creek, Colorado and we have very high standards when it comes to quality as well as health concerns.