What is the Healthiest Manicure to Get?
Strong, healthy nails are both beautiful and an indicator of overall good health. For optimal manicure services that will benefit your nails, look for salons using non-harmful nail polishes and removers without harmful chemicals.
Moisturize your nails and cuticles regularly to maintain optimal health, or consider taking supplements like biotin that strengthen them further.
Material
Many nail polish ingredients contain drying agents that can damage keratin in your nails over time, while UV lamps used during some gel manicures have also been linked with skin cancer risk. Therefore, for optimal nail health it may be best to go bare!
If you can’t give up polish entirely, choose natural or non-toxic options instead of traditional ones. Look for 3-free or 5-free polishes which don’t contain harmful chemicals.
As an alternative, try getting a shellac or acrylic manicure that uses gel glue without UV light curing – these options tend to be less damaging if removed properly (i.e. soaked), while still giving your nails enough breathing room. Nail wraps and stickers are another good way of getting that long-lasting shine without using remover on them – giving length and color without harming natural nails!
Shape
The ideal manicure will employ treatments that don’t harm natural nails and instead focus on strengthening weak and brittle ones, since these often break more easily.
Nail shapes can also help strengthen them. A square nail with rounded edges is more likely to reinforce its tips while an inverted triangle may catch on objects and break, and visually elongating your nails.
A sculpted manicure is another nail treatment designed to strengthen and support their strength and structure, but not everyone may benefit from having one done. As this option can be quite costly and require forms for shaping nails before application, it may not be suitable for those with very short nails.
Japanese gel manicures provide a more natural appearance and feature polish that’s gentle on nails while being packed with essential nutrients for healthy nails.
Color
Nails are made up of keratin proteins that provide protection and softness to our fingers and toes, while protecting from injuries. Healthy nails should have uniform color with no ridges or pits present; discolored or brittle nails could indicate health problems in their own right.
Choose a nail salon that sterilizes all tools before giving you any service, particularly if you’re getting a gel manicure under UV light curing conditions, which may dry and damage nails over time. Wear sunscreen or an acetone-free remover as an extra measure against UV exposure during this process to protect yourself further.
Try a paraffin wax manicure to hydrate and moisturize the skin around the nails while strengthening them over time. Regularly moisturize with cuticle oil or hand cream and limit chemical exposure by wearing gloves; nail strengtheners that contain nutrients like biotin can also support growth and strength of nails.
Feet
Nails have long been considered a “window to our health.” When our nails become dry, brittle and cracked it is usually an indicator that something is wrong – from chronic illnesses such as diabetes to diet issues or stress levels.
Nails can serve as an indicator of overall nail and skin health. Healthy, strong nails with vibrant natural colors indicate that you are eating healthily, getting plenty of exercise, using appropriate skin care products, and getting regular manicures and pedicures.
For optimal nail health, selecting the most healthful manicure requires selecting treatments that are gentle and do not contain toxic ingredients. Luckily, more non-toxic options are becoming more available such as 5- and 10-free nail polishes made of quality ingredients without harmful chemicals; in addition, some salons now provide Dip Manicures which may last longer without UV light curing required by traditional polishes.