Nail "Tips"

NAIL "TIPS"

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Question:

I have heard that Vicks VapoRub will cure toenail fungus. Is this true?

Answer:

It is true! According to an article in the November 2011 issue of the AARP Newsletter ”a small study this year found that applying Vicks to the affected nails once daily helped 15 of 18 adults either cure or partially clear up their fungus. Sally Stroud, professor of nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina, says Vicks is easy to apply and worth trying before turning to more costly alternatives. Stroud also suggests wiping the affected nails with a cotton ball soaked in white vinegar, then applying the VapoRub.”

Question:

My heels seem more dry and rough than usual. What might be causing this?

Answer:

Most of us forget about taking care of our feet in the winter when we are wearing socks and boots. Our feet can get very dry from moisture absorbed by socks and lack of attention because we aren’t looking at our feet as we do in the summer. We need to take care of our feet all year because we walk on them all year. Every couple days use a foot file to smooth calluses, and use an exfoliating scrub in the shower to remove dry skin. Apply lotion to your feet daily, either before putting on socks or stockings or at night before going to bed. Schedule regular pedicures to insure your toenails are trimmed correctly and polished beautifully. Try a pair of Pedi-Sox to keep your feet warm after a winter pedicure. Having a pedicure will remind you to pay attention to your feet at home too.

Question:

I have heard that it is not healthy for nails to have polish on all the time, that they need to breath. Is this true?

Answer:

First, nails do not breath. Just like your hair, the nail you can see does not have a blood supply or nerves. It is dead tissue. This is why hair and nails can be cut and there is no blood or pain. Second, your nails are constantly growing, an average of about 1/8 inch per month. So the nail plate is constantly being renewed. The nail is porous to some extent and can absorb some substances, but there is no reason to stop using polish for a period of time or to remove products such as acrylic. If these products are properly applied and maintained, they can be used indefinitely with no negative effects. In fact, keeping a coat of polish on nails, even if it just clear polish, helps protect your nails by acting as a sealer and is often the key to growing natural nails.

Question:

In the last month I have had very painful cracks in the skin of my fingertips, especially at the corners of my thumbnails. This happens every winter. Is there anything I can do?

Answer:

Cracked and sometimes bleeding skin at the fingertips is a very common problem in our climate. When the weather becomes colder, we turn on our furnaces, which, even with humidifiers, dries out our environment more than the rest of the year. You may notice your skin, hair, even wood furniture, becoming drier due to cold dry air. The following can best help painful cracks on the fingers. Wear warm gloves whenever out of doors, even for short periods of time. Use lots of lotion during the day and before going to bed use cuticle oil. To stop cracks from hurting, put a drop of nail glue on them to seal out the air. Yes, it really works. Try nail glue on paper cuts too.

Question:

I hear men are going to nail salons now. What services do they like best?

Answer:

Although women are definitely the majority of our clients, we are seeing more men coming regularly than in the past. The favorite service is definitely our Whirlpool Pedicure. Here is what a new client had to say about his first ever pedicure. "The staff was very friendly and professional. You made me feel like I belonged there. I never realized how wonderful it is to be pampered. Many men are not aware of what they are missing out on. I just discovered that men can be pampered too. I plan to come back and I will tell other men about this."