Interesting facts about nail care

I thought it would be fun to check out what is going on the web today about nail care and how its changed over the years. 

 “Another growing trend in the nail accessories market is nail art, such as decorative designs applied on fingernails and toenails. A rising percentage of women are interested in decorating their nails and adding creative touches to traditional manicures. Designs run the gamut, while currently leaves, flowers, geometric patterns, spots, stripes, stars, music patterns, and half-moons are popular. At-home nail art is increasingly gaining popularity among women, especially with those below the age of 45.”

What is interesting is how they stated below the age of 45.. gee I am over 50 and I can't help but have fun wearing glitter of all things! lol But then they went of to say:

'Similar to lip makeup, girls are introduced to nail products at young ages, often before their teen and tween years,' says Shannon Romanowski, beauty and personal care analyst at Mintel. 'The popularity of nail products is partly due to the abundance of options these cosmetics offer—special effect polishes, nail art, etc. Girls can create a whole different look relatively easily.'

Nail product usage rises to 97% for girls aged 12–14, and 14% of all teen and tween girls use nail products on a daily basis. Mintel research found that the popularity of nail products among teens and tweens is consistent with the overall strong performance of the nail care and color category, which saw growth of roughly 72% between 2007 and 2012.

Health benefits? What a idea huh? Would you believe that there is such a thing as a benefit for wearing acrylic nails.. BUT...

Acrylic nails help conceal or fix broken, damaged, short, or bad nails. It also helps prevent people from biting their nails, breakage of nails, and protect splits. They are used when people are not able to grow the length and strength of natural nails that they desire. This problem can be solved by using certain nail techniques such as nail tipping, sculptured nails, nail wrapping, or acrylic overlays. However Acrylic nails usually make natural nails weak, thin, and breakable when removed.

Health Risks

If fitted properly, artificial nails are usually not problematic. However long term use and poorly fitted nails can seriously damage the nail bed and hamper natural nail growth. The most common problem associated with artificial nails is a bacterial infection that may develop between the false and natural nail.

When artificial nails are applied to the natural nail surface, minor types of trauma to the artificial nails which can happen from something as harmless as scraping a nail against a firm surface can cause separation of the nail from its nail bed. This allows bacteria and fungus to potentially enter the separated area setting up an infection. In fact, some hospitals won't allow their employees to have fake fingernails due to the risk of harboring infection which could be transmitted to patients. Several deaths of premature infants were blamed on an acrylic nail infection transmitted to the babies by a nurse in the late 1990s. Infection can also be a risk when you have nails applied by a disreputable nail salon that doesn't follow sanitary practices.

There is concern over the flammability of ingredients used to make acrylic nails. It is suggested that they be kept at a distance from hair straighteners, dryers or curling irons, as well as from heat and flames when cooking, in order to avoid potential flame hazards.

In an occupational health standpoint, there could be hazards to nail salon workers who are exposed to the chemical fumes from artificial nails, during their entire work shift. Though the usage of methyl methacrylate has been outlawed, ethyl methacrylate is continued to be used for artificial nails, and can cause contact dermatitis,asthma, and allergies in the eyes and nose. Nail salon workers also face exposures to other chemicals used, such as toluene, dibutyl phthalate, andformaldehyde

Nail Care Tips For Brittle Or Weak Nails:

Toughening up weak nails can be challenging. However, brittle or weak fingernails can be protected and the risk of breaking or splitting can be reduced. Nails should be kept short and should be filed using a nail drill because longer nails are prone to breaking or splitting. Along with applying moisturizer to fingernails as mentioned, wearing cotton gloves when going to bed should also be considered since the moisture will get sealed in the nails this way. The fingernails should be kept moisturizers by applying a thin coat of clear nail polish to them. The use of nail polish remover should be limited. Nail remover should not be used more than once a week. When it needs to be used, an acetone-free variety should be chosen. A doctor should be consulted about taking biotin supplements. According to some research, biotin can help brittle or weak fingernails become stronger.