Winters are here and now is the time when you start taking care of your skin on an extreme level so that it doesn’t get damaged due to dryness or due to sun rays. But, have you ever thought of taking care of your nails? If not, then you have to start taking care of them now. The season change can be harsh on your nails. Cold weather can cause dryness to your nails and also can make them brittle.

Signs of Healthy Nails:

• Pinkish-white nail plates
• Remember that cuticles exist and don't cut them!
• White tips and nails are of uniform length.
• The prominent white area at the base of the nail is shaped like a half-moon (lunula)

How to check if your nails are unhealthy:

• Peeling or splitting may be caused by dryness or a vitamin deficiency.
• Tiny white spots typically indicate excessive nail painting or nail biting.
• The cause of horizontal grooves may be stress, illness, or jamming your finger.
• Removal or biting of the cuticles may cause red, inflamed skin surrounding the nails.
• The presence of spoon-shaped nails may indicate anemia or iron insufficiency.

However, things don't have to be this way. You can maintain your talons in prime shape by taking care of your hands during the winter months. Here are seven simple winter nail care tips from our experts to keep your nails healthy and strong.

1. Give your fingernails a rest: If you apply nail varnish on a regular basis, it will only decrease the beauty and also contain lots of toxic chemicals. It is also said that these chemicals are not good for your nails. Every nail polish often contains three to eight chemicals that are bad for your nails. Formaldehyde, which is employed as a hardening agent, is one of them.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t wear nail polishes at all, there are still some brands that take care of and avoid such chemicals. Applying nail polish every time can also block UV light, which is healthy for your nails.

2. Do not use Nail polish remover containing Acetone: Use an acetone-free remover when you're ready to give your nails a rest from varnish.

Acetone-containing nail polish removers can be rough on the nails and dry them off. Instead, acetone-free nail polish remover is kinder to the nails and helps avoid peeling and breaking.

3. Always take care of Cuticles: Cuticles always help in maintaining the beauty of your nails. One of the most common ways to maintain the beauty of your nails is cuticle oil. During the winter season, you should use cuticle oil on regular basis.

The cuticle oil will help the cuticle area look and feel better. The massaging motion will aid in promoting nail development and providing blood and nutrients to maintain healthy nails.

4. Always remember to Hydrate your nails: We often forget that during winter our nail plates can get dehydrated which can result in the peeling and splitting of nails or fray edges.

Hand sanitizer use on a regular basis has the potential to make it worse. Therefore, always apply moisturizer after, and reward yourself with a hand-at-home treatment mask once a week.

5. Be gentle while filing your nails: If you want to ignore the nails breaking down, always keep them at a reasonable length. Remember to file them, they should not be too long as it will cause easy breakage of nails.

Always remember to lightly shape the nails. Use long sweeping motions from one side to the center, then from the other side to the center. To prevent weakening the nails, avoid filing deeply into the corners.

6. Wear Gloves while doing any rough work: Wearing gloves while doing any rough work will protect your hand and nails from any harsh chemicals.

Without gloves, washing dishes in hot, soapy water can weaken nails. Getting them in the dirt while gardening will demand a level of cleaning that you should try to avoid.

Similarly to this, when it's cold outside, keep in mind to put on a pair of mittens or gloves. It will prevent the wind and cold air from undoing all of your moisturizing efforts.

7. Check the polish's labeling: Make sure you're using or purchasing a quality product. As not all nail polish brands are made equal, much like cosmetics and skincare. Such toxins are bad for your nails, so you should avoid polishes that contain dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, and toluene.

Conclusion:

Just as you may increase the clarity of your skin or the luster of your hair by changing your diet, you can also improve the health of your nails because they are formed of a protein called keratin. Falcone suggests supplementing your diet with vitamins and nutrients like biotin, vitamin E, and fish oil. He also suggests eating foods high in protein such as beans, salmon, and nuts. One thing all experts can agree on is that if you find the formula that works for you, your nails will be stronger and clearer as a result.

Also, don't assume that you can skip the top coat. This step is equally crucial since the top coat preserves the polish's color and gives your digits the much-needed gloss finish. In order to prevent chipping and prolong the life of your manicure, you should apply a fresh layer of top coat every three days.

Always keep in mind to clean your nail instruments. Like you wash your makeup brushes, do the same with your nail tools.  You should always wash metal utensils with soap to prevent nail infections. After that, clean it with soap, and wash it with water. Rub it down with rubbing alcohol after cleaning.

A regular replacement of disposable instruments like emery boards should also be remembered. When replacing a worn-out tool is so simple and only costs a few dollars, there is no reason to keep using the worn-out one. Hope you will now take care of all the steps and will always remember to love your nails.