THE secret to beautiful nails is proper cleaning. From the nails one can glean a  person’s health and possible symptoms of illness.

Healthy nails are characterized by smooth shells without cuts, ridges or grooves, a uniform color and an absence of spots or discolorations. Yellow discoloration of the nails, pitting, opaque or white nails, curled nails, horizontal indentations across the nails and separation of the nail from the nail bed are all signs of diseases and require medical attention.

Here are some reminders to keep your nails healthy:


* Avoid hardeners. It can do more harm than good. Most products are not properly evaluated and tested. Besides, healthy nails do not need to be hardened except for very weak or fragile nails that break off without any apparent reason. Remember, when healthy nails become brittle, they start breaking.

* Leave the cuticles. Contrary to the practice in beauty salons to remove the cuticles during a manicure session, it is better to leave the cuticles alone. Cuticles serve as a natural barrier against bacteria and fungus that attack the nail bed. Removing the cuticle by cutting it or pushing it back means removing the protection. When cuticles are not removed properly, they become red, ragged and even swollen. This practice may also cause infections that can lead to permanent nail damage.

* Lessen manicures. Frequent manicures may lead to infections of the nail bed, resulting in red, puffy areas around the nail base. Infections can stem from the use of common and unhygienic manicuring tools in salons.

* Avoid harsh shampoo. While some shampoo may give a great hair look, it can cause negative impact on the nails. For example, shampoos that are designed for oily hair are composed of some form of detergent, which strips the liquids and natural oils from the scalp. A person who already has a problem with dry, brittle nails may find the condition worsened by use of shampoo that strips oils, which can also dry the nails.