Nail care

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Take a close look at your nails. Are they strong and healthy looking? Or do you see ridges, dents, or areas of unusual color or shape? Proper nail care is important, whether your nails are healthy or in need of special attention. Consider nail care tips, including how to keep your nails clean and trimmed and why moisturizing your nails can be helpful.

If you rely on manicures to keep your nails looking good, know what to expect from your nail care technician. If you have weak or brittle nails, understand the do's and don'ts of various nail care products. If you tend to bite your nails, think about what fuels the behavior.

Remember, basic steps can go a long way toward keeping your nails healthy.

Aug. 21, 2019

See also

  1. 3 ways to get closer to achieving your goals
  2. Make healthy habits stick
  3. 5 do's and don'ts for staying motivated
  4. Tips for being happy
  5. Tips for better sleep
  6. 6 tips for an active getaway you'll remember
  7. 7 signs and symptoms not to ignore
  8. Energy management
  9. 8 ways to improve sleep quality as you age
  10. A Very Happy Brain
  11. Acne mistakes
  12. Acne treatments: Medical procedures may help clear skin
  13. Aging skin
  14. Alzheimer's sleep problems
  15. Anger management: 10 tips to tame your temper
  16. Anger management: Your questions answered
  17. Artificial nails
  18. Back pain at work
  19. Bad food habits at work? Get back on track in 5 easy steps
  20. Be kind to yourself: How self-compassion can improve your resiliency
  21. Belching, intestinal gas, gas pains and bloating
  22. Understand sunscreen options
  23. Birth control pills for acne?
  24. Bone health tips
  25. Botox party
  26. Calcium
  27. Can COVID-19 (coronavirus) spread through food, water, surfaces and pets?
  28. Can psoriasis make it hard to sleep?
  29. Cancer-prevention strategies
  30. Cellphones and cancer
  31. Change your mind to grow
  32. Children and gender identity
  33. Sunglasses and UV protection
  34. Colon cancer screening
  35. Contact lens basics
  36. Coronavirus safety tips for going out
  37. Coronavirus: What is it and how can I protect myself?
  38. Coronavirus grief
  39. Coronavirus travel advice
  40. Plastic surgery
  41. Herd immunity and coronavirus
  42. COVID-19 and the risk of suicide
  43. COVID-19 and your mental health
  44. Long-term effects of COVID-19
  45. COVID-19: How much protection do face masks offer?
  46. Coping with unemployment caused by COVID-19
  47. COVID-19 (coronavirus): Quarantine, self-isolation and social distancing
  48. Denial
  49. Dental floss vs. water pick
  50. Desk stretches
  51. Does sunscreen expire?
  52. Domestic violence against men
  53. Domestic violence against women
  54. Double vision
  55. Dry mouth relief
  56. Electric vs. manual toothbrush
  57. Empty nest syndrome
  58. Exercise: Check with your doctor
  59. Sleep and psoriatic arthritis
  60. Laser retina scan
  61. Eye injury
  62. Feminizing hormone therapy
  63. Feminizing surgery
  64. Find meaning in the small things
  65. Maintaining healthy fingernails
  66. Flu Shot Prevents Heart Attack
  67. Focus on progress, not perfection
  68. Forgiveness
  69. Friendships
  70. Functional fitness training
  71. Overcome obstacles to your goals
  72. Healthy holiday habits: How to get back on track
  73. Gynecological care for trans men
  74. Hand drying
  75. Hand-washing tips
  76. Transgender health concerns
  77. Health issues for gay men
  78. Health issues for lesbians
  79. Healthy habits that boost happiness
  80. Healthy heart for life: Avoiding heart disease
  81. Heart attack prevention: Should I avoid secondhand smoke?
  82. Heart disease and oral health
  83. Home Health Hazards
  84. How a sleep diary can transform how you feel
  85. Reduce stress with a kind gesture
  86. Brown fat
  87. Sleep guidelines
  88. How social support spurs you
  89. How to be happy
  90. Break the busy cycle
  91. How to take your pulse
  92. How to heal cracked heels
  93. How to heal cracked skin at thumb tip
  94. How to safely go to your doctor during the COVID-19 pandemic
  95. How to sleep well during time changes
  96. How to take your temperature
  97. Hydrated skin tips
  98. Better communication tips
  99. Infidelity
  100. Injury Season for Snow Blowers
  101. Investing in yourself
  102. Job burnout
  103. Job satisfaction
  104. Keep the focus on your long-term vision
  105. Lack of sleep: Can it make you sick?
  106. Considering LASIK surgery
  107. Latisse: The answer for longer, thicker eyelashes?
  108. Leg pain after prolonged standing or sitting
  109. Lifestyle strategies for pain management
  110. Liposuction alternatives
  111. Lost in Space
  112. Making progress towards your goals
  113. Managing psoriatic arthritis at work
  114. Mammogram guidelines: What are they?
  115. Manage your health and time while balancing work demands
  116. Make over your mindset to make time for your health
  117. Masculinizing hormone therapy
  118. Masculinizing surgery
  119. Mayo Clinic Minute: Fingernails are clues to your health
  120. Mayo Clinic Minute: You're washing your hands all wrong
  121. Mayo Clinic Minute: How dirty are common surfaces?
  122. Mayo Clinic Minute: Sleep Spoiler - Tips for a Good Night's Rest
  123. Mayo Clinic Minute: The many benefits of petroleum jelly
  124. Measles vaccine: Can I get the measles if I've already been vaccinated?
  125. Medical family tree
  126. Melatonin side effects
  127. Mental health
  128. Mayo Clinic Minute: Moisturizer tips from a dermatologist
  129. Nail biting risks
  130. Nail ridges
  131. Napping do's and don'ts
  132. Office ergonomics
  133. Office exercise
  134. Oral health: A window to your overall health
  135. Oral health: Brush up on dental care basics
  136. Infographic: Organ Donation Donate Life
  137. Infographic: Paired Donation Chain
  138. Infographic: Pancreas Kidney Transplant
  139. Passive-aggressive behavior
  140. Personal health records
  141. Personalize your wellness journey
  142. Piercings: How to prevent complications
  143. Stick to healthy-eating goals at social gatherings
  144. Posture: Align yourself for good health
  145. Prescription sleeping pills: What's right for you?
  146. Pubic hair removal: Are there benefits?
  147. New Year's resolutions
  148. Safe outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic
  149. Secondhand smoke
  150. Boosting self-esteem
  151. Self-esteem check
  152. Sensitive teeth
  153. Creating a wellness vision
  154. Shaving hair
  155. Shift work and daytime sleep
  156. Mayo Clinic Minute: Shining the light on SPF in sunscreen
  157. Sitting at your desk doesn't have to be a pain in the neck
  158. Sitting risks: How harmful is too much sitting?
  159. Skin care tips
  160. Skin care tips during a pandemic
  161. Antihistamines for insomnia
  162. OTC sleep aids
  163. Sleep and weight gain: What's the connection?
  164. Sleep: The foundation for healthy habits
  165. Sleep: The healthy habit that promotes weight loss
  166. Sleep tips
  167. Sleep-tracking devices: Dos and don'ts
  168. How to trim thickened toenails
  169. Good posture tips
  170. Sun damage
  171. Fingernails: Possible problems
  172. Office stretches
  173. Age-related vision problems
  174. A look inside your eyes
  175. Back exercises
  176. Summer skin rashes
  177. Proper lifting techniques
  178. Split fingernails
  179. Standing workstation
  180. Travel and work
  181. Stepfamilies
  182. Stop multitasking and focus
  183. How to say no
  184. Sunless tanning
  185. Tanning beds
  186. Tattoo removal cream: Does it work?
  187. Tattoos
  188. Telemedicine online doctor visits
  189. Teleworking during the coronavirus
  190. Test anxiety: Can it be treated?
  191. The best foods for healthy skin
  192. Protect thin skin
  193. Thirdhand smoke: What are the dangers?
  194. Want good health? Build a solid base
  195. Mayo Clinic Minute: Tips for dealing with dandruff
  196. The benefits of gratitude
  197. Understanding gender identity
  198. Video: Travel safely for medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic
  199. Travel Safety
  200. Fitness tips for business travelers
  201. Triclosan
  202. Mayo Clinic Minute: Uncovering UPF in clothing
  203. Using if-then statements
  204. Vaccines for adults
  205. Keratoconus
  206. Forearm stretches
  207. Neck stretches
  208. Seated stretches
  209. Standing stretches
  210. Upper body stretches
  211. Fight coronavirus transmission at home
  212. What are superbugs and how can I protect myself from infection?
  213. What are your sleep busters?
  214. What is reflexology?
  215. When to brush your teeth
  216. Whitening toothpaste
  217. Air purifiers and smoke
  218. Winter Skin Care
  219. Work-life balance
  220. Wrinkle creams