11 tips to grow strong nails

Nails provide an external sign of health: weak, brittle nails often signal a nutritional deficiency. Ignore them and you could end up with painful ingrown nails or a fungal infection. Follow these tips to ensurethey're healthy.

• To keep your nails hydrated, rub a small amount of petroleum jelly into your cuticle and the skin surrounding your nails every evening before you go to bed or whenever your nails feel dry.
• Not a fan of petroleum jelly? Substitute castor oil. It's thick and contains vitamin E, which is great for your cuticles.
• Or use olive oil – it also works to moisturize your nails.

• Wear rubber gloves whenever you do housework or wash the dishes.
• Most household chores, from scrubbing the bathroom to washing the dishes, as well as gardening, are tough on your nails.
• To protect your fingers from dirt and harsh cleaners, cover them with rubber gloves at chore time.
• For extra hand softness, apply hand cream before you put on the gloves.

• Trim your toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails.
• This is extra important if you have diabetes.

• Dry your hands for at least two minutes after doing the dishes.
• Also dry your toes thoroughly after swimming or showering.
• Leaving them damp increases your risk of fungal infection.

• Air out your work boots and running shoes.
• Better still, keep two pairs of each and switch between them so you're never putting your feet into damp, sweaty shoes, which may lead to fungal infections.

• Wear 100 per cent cotton socks.
• They're best for absorbing dampness, thus preventing fungal infections.

• To make your nails as strong and resilient as horse's hooves, take 300 micrograms of the B vitamin biotin four to six times a day.
• Long ago, vets discovered that biotin strengthened horses' hooves, which are made from keratin, the same substance as human nails.
• Swiss researchers found that people who took biotin every day for just over five months had firmer, harder nails.
• In a study, 63 per cent of people who took biotin developed stronger nails.

• File your nails correctly.
• To keep your nails strong, avoid filing in a back-and-forth motion – go in one direction only.
• Never file just after a shower or bath – wet nails break more easily.

• Massage your nails to keep them extra-strong and shiny.
• Nail buffing increases blood supply to the nail, which stimulates the matrix of the nail to grow.

• Polish your nails, even if it's just with a clear varnish. It protects them.
• If you prefer colour, use a base coat, two thin coats of colour and a top coat.
• The colour should last at least seven days but should be removed after ten days.

• Avoid polish removers containing acetone or formaldehyde.
• They're very drying to the nails. Use acetate-based removers instead.