Keratin and Its Role in Nail Plate Strength

Keratin is a fibrous protein that makes up the main structure of nails, hair, and the outer layer of skin. Without keratin, the nail plate would not have its durability, elasticity, or protective function.

The nail plate consists of several layers of tightly packed keratin cells, which provide:

• Strength and resilience,
• A smooth, even surface,
• Protection from external damage.

When keratin is healthy, nails are clear, smooth, and strong. If the keratin structure is compromised, nails become brittle, dull, and prone to peeling or splitting.

Factors That Weaken Keratin

There are several common reasons why the keratin structure of nails can be damaged:

• Chemical exposure – harsh cleaning products, frequent gel or shellac removal.
• Mechanical stress – aggressive filing, impacts, or improper cutting.
• Lack of care – insufficient moisture or protective oils.
• Poor nutrition – low protein, vitamin, or mineral intake.
• Environmental factors – extreme temperatures or frequent hand washing without protection.

Strengthening the Keratin Structure

Keratin cannot be directly “applied” from the outside, but its quality can be supported through proper nail care:

• Gentle manicure techniques – avoid excessive cuticle removal or rough filing.
• Nourishing oils – such as jojoba, almond, or vitamin E oil.
• Hydration – regular hand and nail creams prevent dryness and cracks.
• Protection – wearing gloves when cleaning or washing dishes.
• Balanced diet – sufficient protein, biotin, zinc, and iron intake.

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Caring for the Cuticle

What is the Cuticle

When people ask what is the cuticle, they often picture the skin at the base of the nail that sometimes becomes dry or ragged. In reality, the cuticle is one of the most misunderstood parts of the nail unit. Knowing what is the cuticle and understanding its role is essential for keeping nails healthy, preventing problems, and protecting the nail matrix from damage.

What Is the Cuticle? Explained in Simple Terms

The cuticle is a thin, transparent layer of dead skin cells. It grows out from underneath the Proximal Nail Fold (PNF) and sticks to the nail plate. The PNF is the band of living skin at the base of your nail. The nail plate is the hard part you see and trim.

Think of the cuticle as a delicate, see-through strip of clingfilm. Sitting on top of the nail plate, it marks the point where the nail meets the skin. Unlike living skin, the cuticle has no blood vessels. Softer than normal skin, it is only partly keratinized.

• Proximal Nail Fold (PNF): The protective living skin at the base of the nail. It acts like a shield for the nail matrix, which is the hidden part under the skin that makes new nail cells.
• Nail Plate: The visible, hard nail surface made of layers of keratin. It grows out from the nail matrix and carries the cuticle with it.

What the Cuticle Is Not

Many people think the cuticle is the thicker skin you can see sitting on top of the PNF, but that is not correct. That thickened skin is usually hyperkeratosis, not cuticle.

Hyperkeratosis: A thickening of the outer layer of living skin caused by an overproduction of keratin. On the nails, this can happen when the PNF becomes dry or irritated and starts producing extra layers of skin. It feels rough or crusty and can be reduced with gentle care, but it is not attached to the nail plate.

The real cuticle always attaches to the nail plate, never to the living skin above it. If it is on the nail plate, it is cuticle. If it is on the PNF, it is hyperkeratosis.

The Role of the Cuticle in Nail Health

The main purpose of the cuticle is protection. It acts as a natural seal between the nail plate and the PNF, blocking bacteria, fungi, and chemicals from entering the gap and reaching the nail matrix.

An infection or injury to the matrix can permanently affect nail growth. That is why scientists compare the cuticle to a gasket on a jar lid. If the seal is broken, unwanted substances can get inside.

Nail Matrix: The hidden section under the skin where new nail cells are made. If injured, it can cause ridges, dents, or permanent nail deformities.

How the Cuticle Forms

Research shows that special stem cells located at the back edge of the PNF near the nail matrix called the eponychium produce the cells that become cuticle. These cells move forward from under the PNF and attach themselves to the nail plate as it grows out.

Normally, the cuticle is only two or three layers of cells thick. However, if the eponychium area is injured or irritated, the cuticle can become temporarily thicker, sometimes reaching up to five or six layers.

Risks of Over-Manicuring

Some people like the look of nails with the proximal nail fold completely removed. But cutting or scraping away too much can cause problems. Removing the cuticle too aggressively weakens the protective seal. This makes it easier for bacteria and fungi to get in. The result is a higher risk of infection and inflammation around the nail.

Because the cuticle is made of dead tissue, you can carefully remove it from the nail plate without causing bleeding. However, it is important to be gentle and avoid damaging the living skin of the PNF.

Caring for the Cuticle

Healthy cuticles keep nails strong and reduce the risk of infection. Here are some simple ways to care for them:

• Moisturize regularly: Use a good nail and skin oil or a rich hand cream daily to keep the area flexible and prevent dryness.
• Soften before care: If you want to push back the cuticle for a neat look, soften it first in warm water or with a cuticle remover product.
• Push gently: Use a soft tool like a rubber cuticle pusher rather than a sharp metal instrument.
• Avoid aggressive cutting: Trim only loose, dead skin that is clearly detached from the PNF.
• Protect from chemicals: Wear gloves when cleaning or using harsh products to avoid irritating the cuticle and PNF.

Myths About the Cuticle and Nail Care

Myth: The cuticle is the same as the skin around the nail

Truth: The cuticle is dead skin attached to the nail plate, while the skin around the nail is living tissue.

Myth: Removing the cuticle makes nails healthier

Truth: The cuticle’s job is to protect the nail matrix. Over-removal can make nails weaker and more prone to infection.

Myth: Nail and skin oil is just for looks

Truth: Oils keep the cuticle soft and prevent it from lifting, which helps maintain the protective seal.

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What Causes Poor Foot Circulation?

Proper circulation is essential for maintaining healthy feet. Your feet rely on a steady flow of oxygen-rich blood to nourish tissues, promote healing, and regulate temperature. When circulation is impaired, it can lead to a range of issues, from discomfort and cold feet to more serious complications like non-healing wounds or infections. Common signs of poor circulation in the feet include numbness, tingling, cold sensations, discoloration (bluish or pale toes), swelling, and slow healing of cuts or sores. Ignoring these symptoms can worsen underlying conditions and increase the risk of more severe health problems. Podiatrists play a critical role in identifying and addressing circulation issues. With their expertise, they can pinpoint the cause of poor circulation and develop personalized treatment plans to improve blood flow and enhance overall foot health.

How Does Poor Circulation Impact Your Feet?

The feet are especially susceptible to the effects of poor circulation due to their distance from the heart. Reduced blood flow can result in:

• Coldness and Numbness: A persistent sensation of cold or numb feet, even in warm environments.
• Discoloration: Feet may appear pale or bluish due to lack of adequate blood supply.
• Slow-Healing Wounds: Minor cuts or sores on the feet may heal slowly, increasing the risk of infection.
• Pain and Cramping: Muscle cramps or pain during activities like walking, which subside with rest—a condition known as intermittent claudication.

Causes of Poor Circulation in Feet

Several conditions and lifestyle factors can lead to reduced blood flow to the feet:

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a common circulatory problem where narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs. In the legs, this can cause pain during walking (claudication), coldness in the lower leg or foot, and sores that won’t heal.

Diabetes and Its Effects on Circulation

Diabetes can lead to atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in the arteries, which restricts blood flow. This increases the risk of PAD and can result in slow-healing wounds and infections in the feet.

Lifestyle Factors

• Smoking: Tobacco use damages blood vessels and impairs circulation, significantly increasing the risk of PAD.
• Sedentary Habits: Lack of physical activity can lead to poor circulation and contribute to the development of PAD.
• Obesity: Excess weight strains the circulatory system and is a major risk factor for both diabetes and PAD.

Genetic Predispositions

Certain genetic factors can increase susceptibility to circulatory issues, including PAD. For example, specific gene mutations like factor V Leiden can lead to an increased risk of blood clots, which can impede circulation. Understanding these causes is essential for the prevention and effective management of poor circulation in the feet.

What is Raynaud’s?

Raynaud’s phenomenon is a condition characterized by episodic narrowing of the blood vessels, leading to reduced blood flow to extremities such as the fingers and toes. This vasospastic response typically occurs in reaction to cold temperatures or emotional stress.

Impact on Blood Flow to Extremities

During an episode, the small arteries supplying blood to the skin constrict excessively, limiting blood supply to affected areas. This results in a sequence of color changes:

• Pallor (White): Diminished blood flow causes the skin to turn pale.
• Cyanosis (Blue): Prolonged lack of oxygen leads to a bluish hue.
• Rubor (Red): Upon rewarming or relief of stress, blood flow returns, causing redness.

These color changes are often accompanied by sensations of coldness, numbness, tingling, or pain in the affected areas.

Triggers

Common triggers for Raynaud’s episodes include:

• Cold Exposure: Contact with cold air, water, or objects can precipitate an attack.
• Emotional Stress: Stressful situations may induce symptoms.

Treatment

Management strategies focus on reducing the frequency and severity of attacks:

Lifestyle Modifications:

• Warming Strategies: Keeping the body warm, especially the extremities, by wearing gloves and warm footwear.
• Stress Management: Employing relaxation techniques to mitigate stress-induced episodes.

Medications:

• Vasodilators: Drugs such as calcium channel blockers can help dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow.

In severe cases, additional treatments may be necessary, and it’s essential to consult a healthcare provider for personalized management plans.

Understanding Chilblain’s

Chilblains, also known as pernio, are inflammatory skin lesions that develop after exposure to cold, damp conditions. They result from an abnormal vascular response, where small blood vessels constrict excessively in response to cold, leading to reduced blood flow. Upon rewarming, these vessels may expand too quickly, causing blood to leak into surrounding tissues and resulting in inflammation and skin lesions.

Symptoms

Red, Itchy, Swollen Patches: Affected areas, commonly the toes, exhibit red or purple discoloration accompanied by itching and swelling.

Blistering or Ulceration: In severe cases, the skin may blister or develop ulcers, increasing the risk of infection.

Causes

• Prolonged Exposure to Cold and Damp Environments: Extended exposure to cold, moist conditions can precipitate chilblains.
• Vascular Response to Temperature Changes: Rapid rewarming after cold exposure can cause blood vessels to expand too quickly, leading to leakage of blood into surrounding tissues and resulting in inflammation.

Prevention and Treatment

• Keeping Feet Warm and Dry: Wearing warm clothing and insulating the feet helps prevent chilblains.
• Topical Treatments or Medications: Applying corticosteroid creams can reduce inflammation. In persistent cases, vasodilator medications like nifedipine may be prescribed to improve blood flow.
• Consulting a Podiatrist for Recurring Cases: Persistent or severe chilblains warrant professional evaluation to rule out underlying conditions and to develop a comprehensive treatment plan.

By adopting preventive measures and seeking appropriate treatment, individuals can effectively manage and reduce the occurrence of chilblains.

Diagnosing Poor Circulation

Identifying poor circulation is essential for effective treatment and prevention of complications. Podiatrists use a combination of physical assessments, diagnostic tools, and patient history to determine the extent of circulatory issues.

Common Diagnostic Methods

Physical Exams

Healthcare providers examine the feet and legs for signs of poor circulation, such as discoloration, coldness, swelling, non-healing wounds, and changes in nail or skin health. Palpation of pulses in the feet and ankles helps assess blood flow to the extremities.

Blood Flow Tests

• Doppler Ultrasound: A non-invasive test that uses sound waves to measure the speed and direction of blood flow in arteries and veins. It helps detect blockages or narrowing in blood vessels.
• Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI): This simple test compares blood pressure in the ankle and the arm to assess for peripheral artery disease (PAD). A lower ratio indicates reduced blood flow to the legs and feet.

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How to Keep Your Feet Bacteria Free

You take off your shoes at the end of a long day and wonder what in the world that smell is. You’ve got stinky feet. It’s something that most of us run into at least once in our adult lives, and it is typically those of us who love wearing shoes sans socks, especially in the summer. That smell you notice is most often caused by bacteria and sweat. The combination turns your shoes from fresh to foul and your feet from healthy to help me! Left unchecked, bacteria on the feet can lead to staph infections.

The good news is that you don’t have to visit a professional salon to get and keep your feet in peak condition. There are several things you can do at home to keep bacteria at bay.

1. Baking Soda Bath

Nothing feels quite as good as having a foot soak. It’s a great way to relax, and it can also be a great way to remove bacteria from your feet. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of baking soda in 4 to 5 liters of hot water. Soak your feet for about 20 minutes and then rub with a pumice stone. Follow with your favorite cream and put on your socks. Do this every day for a week, take a break for a week and so on, for a total of three treatments.

2. Wear Socks

As much as you may hate to do it, wearing socks can help prevent bacteria build-up on your feet and in your shoes. Socks will absorb the sweat from your feet, keeping your shoes nice and dry. Even thin, no-show socks are better than none.

3. Dry Your Feet Well

Drying your feet well isn’t important only for people with diabetes – it benefits everyone. After you bathe or shower, take time to dry your feet with an absorbent towel, paying particular attention to between your toes. Follow up with a great moisturizing cream or lotion.

4. Wear Shower Shoes

Summer is a great time of year to stock up on cheap shower shoes or flip-flops. Wear these anytime you will be walking across areas where other people walk with their bare feet. Pool surrounds, locker rooms and public showers all contain bacteria. Wearing flip-flops will help prevent the bacteria from transferring to your own feet.

5. Change Your Shoes

We all have a favorite, go-to pair of shoes. If you find yourself wearing the same pair everyday, consider purchasing another pair of the same style. This way, you aren’t wearing the same shoes everyday, allowing bacteria to build up so quickly. Additionally, consider spraying the inside of your shoes lightly with an aerosal that kills bacteria and let them air out overnight. Source

Nail Art For Halloween

 

 Happy Halloween! Here are some tutorials on fun halloween themed nail art to try! 

What Are Nails Made Of? And Other Things You Should Know About Your Nails

Your nails are made from a protein known as keratin, unlike bones, which are made mostly of collagen. Keratin protects nails from damage by making them strong and resilient. Keratin forms the cells of your hair and skin, too. It also forms cells that are a key part of many glands and that line internal organs.

1. Your visible nails are dead

Nails start growing under your skin. As new cells grow, they push old ones through your skin. The part you can see consists of dead cells. That’s why it doesn’t hurt to cut your nails.

2. But they need blood flow to grow out and create the “nail”

Tiny blood vessels, called capillaries, sit under the nail bed. Blood flowing through the capillaries helps nails grow and gives them their pinkish color.

3. Nails do have feeling — sort of

The nails you can see are dead and have no feeling. However, a layer of skin under the nails, called the dermis, has sensory nerve endings. These send a signal to your brain when pressure is applied to your nails.

4. Fingernails grow about 3.5 millimeters each month

And toenails grow about 1.5 millimeters per month. Those are the averages for healthy adults. Whether you’re getting proper nutrition and how well you take care of your nails can affect the growth rate.

5. Your nails stop growing when you die, though

Although the myth about nails growing after death isn’t true, there’s a reason it exists. After someone dies, their skin dehydrates and shrinks, making it look like their nails grew.

6. Men’s nails grow faster

Their hair grows faster than women’s, too. The one exception is during pregnancy, when a woman’s nails and hair might grow faster than a man’s.

7. So do the fingernails on your dominant hand

If you’re right-handed, you might’ve noticed the nails on that hand grow faster than on your left and vice versa. This could be because that hand is more active.

8. Seasons influence growth

Nails grow faster in summer than in winter. Not much research has been done about why this happens, but one study involving rats found that cold weather stunted their nail growth.

9. How much you use your hands affects growth, too

Using your hands a lot makes your nails more prone to minor trauma from things like tapping them on a table or using a keyboard. This promotes blood circulation in your hands, stimulating nail growth.

10. Your nail color can change according to your health

About 10 percent of all dermatological conditions are nail-related. Yellow, brown, or green nails usually mean you have a fungal infection. In some cases, yellow nails are a symptom of a thyroid condition, psoriasis, or diabetes.

11. White spots on your nails aren’t actually a sign of calcium deficiency, though

White spots or lines are usually caused by minor injuries to your nail, like from biting them. These spots are typically harmless and will grow out.

12. And stress can really affect your nails

Stress can cause your nails to grow more slowly or even temporarily stop growing. When they start growing again, you might have horizontal lines across your nails. They’re usually harmless and will grow out.

13. Nail biting is the most common “nervous habit”

Also called onychophagia, nail biting usually doesn’t cause long-term damage. However, it raises your risk of getting sick by spreading germs to your mouth. Damage to the skin around your nails could cause infection, too.

14. You really do need to let your nails “breathe”

To keep nails healthy, take breaks from using polish or having artificial nails. Using and removing these products can be hard on your nails, so taking a break from them helps nails repair themselves.

15. You can blame your parents for how thick (or thin) your nails are

Nail growth and other nail characteristics partly depend on your inherited genes. Other factors include your age and health status.

16. Cuticles do have a purpose

This small sliver of skin at the base of your nail protects the new nail from germs as it grows through your skin. You shouldn’t cut your cuticles. Doing so removes the important barrier that helps prevent infection.

17. Nails separate primates from other mammals

Primates, including humans, have nails instead of claws as well as opposable thumbs. This gives humans more agile hands that allow us to grasp things better than other mammals.

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