How should I care for my nails?

Nails can be windows to your overall health. Variations in texture and color can signal underlying medical problems, but you don’t have to have any medical problems to have a problem keeping nails hardy. Some tips:

• Keep nails clean and dry. Wear cotton-lined rubber gloves when washing dishes. Repeated soaking and drying can dry your nail beds.
• Apply moisturizer to your nails and cuticles every day (this is especially helpful after every hand wash to lock in moisture). While any body lotion will do, creams with urea or phospholipids can help prevent cracking.
• Get plenty of biotin, a B vitamin known to promote healthy nails. Eat cauliflower, walnuts, and egg yolks to help increase the amount of biotin in your diet.
• Keep them polished, even if it’s just clear nail polish. This can help protect brittle nails from splitting.
• Avoid nail polish that contain toluene and formaldehyde (can cause drying and contact sensitivity); avoid nail polish remover with acetone (too drying).
• Keep nails short so they stay out of harm’s way. Don’t cut the bottom cuticle because it’s the barrier that keeps fungus, yeast, and bacteria out.
• Don’t file to a point. File your nails in one direction and round the tip slightly.
• Bring your own instruments if you get frequent manicures. Be sure your manicurist doesn’t beat up your cuticles too much; pushing your cuticles back can cause damage to the nail bed that leads to splits.
• The obvious advice: Avoid biting or picking your nails.

From The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to Less Stress, Gorgeous Skin, and a Whole New You by Amy Wechsler.

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