Healthy nails are a short cut to looking well-groomed but they do need a bit of TLC to keep them in good condition. 

Nail Health

Good nutrition will keep your nails flexible and strong and your cuticles well-conditioned. Include plenty of the following in your diet: green leafy veg, raisins, almonds and poultry, eggs, spinach, broccoli and carrots and Brazil nuts, steak and pumpkin seeds.

Exposure to water, chemicals, soaps and detergents will weaken your nails - so wear rubber gloves when cleaning.

Ridges on Fingernails

As the nail grows from the nail bed, there is sometimes a temporary disturbance in the growth, which results in a corrugated appearance or ridges - it's totally natural and nothing to worry about.

White Flecks on Nails

White flecking occurs typically when trauma to the delicate nail fold receives a knock or bang, but occasionally it can be a zinc deficiency. The NHS recommends you get 4-7mg of zinc per day from meat, shellfish, dairy, bread or cereal products.

Cuticle Care

Having healthy cuticles is a key way to ensure that your nails grow evenly and have a good colour. Nail expert Leighton Denny (opens in a new window) says, "Cuticles are often neglected and mistreated, so apply hand cream after washing hands to prevent them drying out and becoming ragged.

Neem leaf extract (used in Ayurvedic medicine for treatment of nail problems) encourage nails to grow stronger and encourages formation of healthy nail tissue.

What Are Nails Made Of?

Nails are made of keratin - a hard fibrous protein. They lie on a nail bed rich in blood vessels, which give the nail its colour. Healthy nails have a good supply of blood flowing to them and look pink. Nails grow from a matrix of active cells, beneath a fold of skin and from the lunula.
From http://spasalon.us llc