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Nail care is a rather simple and do not require a lot of expertise to do. Unfortunately, some people, especially women really want to have beautiful nails. This leads them to trying out different practices that may not even have any basis as long as they believe that it will help in making their nails more beautiful.

One of the most common myths that people have when it comes to the use of nail polish is that polish that comes with hardeners are better since they make your nails stronger and more resistant to damage. On the contrary, using this kind of nail polish only makes your nails more stiff thus making them easier to break when they are exposed to mechanical damage.

The best way to keep nails strong is by moisturizing them, especially after using nail polish removers. This makes sure that your nails stay hydrated. Hydrated nails are much more resistant to damage than stiff or dry ones. This is why it is always a good idea to use hand lotion whenever your nails become exposed to drying agents such as soap.

Another practice that is done my most women is the pushing back of their cuticles. Most people believe that this will help make their nails grow better. On the contrary, most dermatologists will not advise this as pushing the cuticles may cause complications. The cuticle serves as protection for your nail root, and removing this may expose the nail bed to possible infections.

For those with already broken nails, the use of artificial nails to cover them up has been practiced by a lot of people. Unfortunately, the chemicals used in making the artificial nails stick can have potentially damaging effects to your nails. The space in between your nails is also a great place where bacteria and fungi may thrive. It might be better to just let your nails grow without the use of artificial nails.

You should always remember that even though nails are constantly growing, they grow at a very slow pace. This means that having broken and ugly nails are not very easy to fix. You will have to wait several months for a broken nail to regenerate before it will go back to its normal state.

Going to nail salons to have nails done is also a relaxing pastime for most women. One thing that you should consider when going to such establishments is their policy on cleanliness. Nail salons should practice proper hygiene and cleanliness so as to avoid transfer of infections from one customer to another. Salons that use gels and creams on their customers are a safe choice as this greatly reduces the risk of getting an infection due to indirect transmission.

Nail care is not that simple once you consider all of these common misconceptions that people do. Before you do anything with your nails, be sure to know what you are doing and verify if it can really help in making your nails look and grow better. You may ask your dermatologist for help if you are not sure with your current nail care practices.