Healthy nails are pretty nails – something worth considering if your nails never seem to look good. Fortunately, nails don’t need a lot to be healthy. The most important thing is to avoid those activities and substances that damage nails. There are also a few pro-active things you can do to help foster good health. No, I don’t mean costly supplements, exotic-sounding nail creams, or expensive salon treatments. What I’m talking about are easy, common sense types of things that don’t take a lot of effort, thought, or money.

Massage has a reputation for being a frivolous, feel-good kind of thing we treat ourselves to on birthdays or Mother’s days. And that’s too bad, because massage can stimulate blood flow, encourage oxygen to reach body tissues, and help us relax, placing it firmly in the realm of everyday health care. Massage also encourages increased blood flow to the fingers and toes. To massage your nails, reach for some heavy hand cream, massage oil, baby oil, or even olive oil. Place a drop or two of the product at the base of the nail, and rub it into the cuticle, up the nail folds, and onto the nail plate itself. Nail massage has a secondary benefit: the massage lotion or oil moisturizes the nails, cuticles, and surrounding skin so that nails stay strong and flexible enough to fend off breaks and the surrounding skin remains supple and hangnail-free.