FACIAL MASSAGES

INTRODUCTION

One of the ancient forms of healing technique is through massage therapy which was followed by all in the early times. There are several benefits of facial massages and it is also conveyed that simple and do it yourself massages done routinely can make the skin look firmer, smoother and younger always. This is possible as with massage, tension is releases, the fine lines and wrinkles are reduced, circulation increased, moisture balance maintained, impurities diminished, facial muscles tightened and finally resulting in a radiance skin.

The different ways through which massages benefit us are by making the skin smoother, radiant and also firmer. These are by:

• Toxin and impurity release
• Fine lines and sagging skin minimized and removed.
• Tension released.
• Radiance of the skin is maximized.
• The moisture balance of the skin is normalized.

There are simple steps for facial massages which can be done easily at home. Otherwise there are many massage centers and therapy outlets which are present everywhere to get the real professional massage.

Facial massage has proved to have several benefits such as relieving migraine, premenstrual syndrome, stress, headaches and even sinus congestions. The entire massage may include either a portion of the body or the entire body. Facial massage is usually done with hands especially the fingers there are even devices which are used for performing the facial in spas and saloons.

Tips to grow healthy nails

Tips to grow healthy nails

Apart from beauty, regular maintenance of nails is essential for retaining our general health condition. Compared to men, women are more concerned about maintenance of their nails. However the fact remains that both men and women should take equal care about regular maintenance of their nails.

Ideal, healthy nails would be transparent and pink in colour. In fact increased blood circulation gives pinkish appearance to the nails. So the basic attempt of any person should be to maintain their nails pinkish and transparent in nature. Equal importance should be given to finger nails and toe nails.

Here are a few tips to grow and maintain healthy nails:

• Clean, healthy and protein rich diet has a direct impact on the general health condition of one’s nails. Food enriched with vitamins especially vitamin B 12 and B 5, Potassium, Calcium, Zinc and Iron will help you to maintain healthy beautiful nails. Try to include Almonds, Spinach, Celery, Yogurt, Broccoli, Fish, Onion, Whole Grains and the Eggs in your regular diet. Apart from this, regular intake of lots of fruits, raw vegetables and other fiber rich foods will help one to maintain healthy beautiful nails.
• Like skin, plenty of water intakes are essential for making one’s nails strong and healthy.
• If you have brittle nail problem it is better to avoid using alcohol based nail polish.
• Vitamin A rich food is ideal for curing nail brittleness.
• It is a proved fact that proteins, folic acid and vitamin C are helpful in treating hang nail problem.
• To avoid problems of dryness and darkening of nails, Vitamin B 12 is very helpful. If you are suffering from darkening and dryness of nails take Vitamin B 12 supplement.
• A white spot on nails is a common problem. In take of Zinc is a remedy for that.
• Persons suffering from cracks on nails are recommended to take plenty of liquid food including fresh juice and water. Fresh carrot juice enriched with calcium and phosphorous is helpful in treating this problem.
• Red skin around cuticles is a problem that is caused due to poor metabolism. To increase one’s metabolism, include lot of pulses in your regular food.
• Apart from minerals, vitamins etc. essential fatty acids also play an important role in making one’s nails healthy and strong.
• One should avoid excessive use of nail removers as it causes dryness to nails.
• Constant contact with water may adversely affect the growth and strength of nails. When you are engaged in washing dishes always remember to a use rubber gloves.
• Nails should be allowed to breath. So avoid wearing nail polish continuously.
• Never try to pick nail polish.
• Cutting of cuticles may invite bacterial infections.
• Corners of nail should not be filed.
• Whenever you go out, make it a habit to wear sun block creams on your nails also.
• Make it a habit to clean your hands and nails thoroughly every day. For washing hands use warm water. It would be more effective if you can find a few minuets to soak your hand as well as feet in lukewarm water every day. You may add a few drops of lemon juice in this water. Use mild soaps and soft brushes to clean finger and toe nails. Cuticles are to be massaged using a moisturizing cream.

Hence, nails are major protective layer of our body and have to be taken great care in looking after it. Spending little time on your nails once a week, can give you beautiful and healthy nails in a few months time. Be practical and continue the process for ever. Protect your nails from being brittle as the chances for it to break are increased. The nails of a person can talk a lot about the attitude and cleanliness of the person. This is especially true in case of toe nails. Therefore it is very important to keep our nails clean and dirt free as the nails also serve to transmit various diseases. Educating yourself about the importance of nails and also the role played by it can make you more aware of these features thus enhancing pretty and healthy nails forever!

Tips to grow healthy nails

Tips to grow healthy nails

Apart from beauty, regular maintenance of nails is essential for retaining our general health condition. Compared to men, women are more concerned about maintenance of their nails. However the fact remains that both men and women should take equal care about regular maintenance of their nails.

Ideal, healthy nails would be transparent and pink in colour. In fact increased blood circulation gives pinkish appearance to the nails. So the basic attempt of any person should be to maintain their nails pinkish and transparent in nature. Equal importance should be given to finger nails and toe nails.

Here are a few tips to grow and maintain healthy nails:

• Clean, healthy and protein rich diet has a direct impact on the general health condition of one’s nails. Food enriched with vitamins especially vitamin B 12 and B 5, Potassium, Calcium, Zinc and Iron will help you to maintain healthy beautiful nails. Try to include Almonds, Spinach, Celery, Yogurt, Broccoli, Fish, Onion, Whole Grains and the Eggs in your regular diet. Apart from this, regular intake of lots of fruits, raw vegetables and other fiber rich foods will help one to maintain healthy beautiful nails.
• Like skin, plenty of water intakes are essential for making one’s nails strong and healthy.
• If you have brittle nail problem it is better to avoid using alcohol based nail polish.
• Vitamin A rich food is ideal for curing nail brittleness.
• It is a proved fact that proteins, folic acid and vitamin C are helpful in treating hang nail problem.
• To avoid problems of dryness and darkening of nails, Vitamin B 12 is very helpful. If you are suffering from darkening and dryness of nails take Vitamin B 12 supplement.
• A white spot on nails is a common problem. In take of Zinc is a remedy for that.
• Persons suffering from cracks on nails are recommended to take plenty of liquid food including fresh juice and water. Fresh carrot juice enriched with calcium and phosphorous is helpful in treating this problem.
• Red skin around cuticles is a problem that is caused due to poor metabolism. To increase one’s metabolism, include lot of pulses in your regular food.
• Apart from minerals, vitamins etc. essential fatty acids also play an important role in making one’s nails healthy and strong.
• One should avoid excessive use of nail removers as it causes dryness to nails.
• Constant contact with water may adversely affect the growth and strength of nails. When you are engaged in washing dishes always remember to a use rubber gloves.
• Nails should be allowed to breath. So avoid wearing nail polish continuously.
• Never try to pick nail polish.
• Cutting of cuticles may invite bacterial infections.
• Corners of nail should not be filed.
• Whenever you go out, make it a habit to wear sun block creams on your nails also.
• Make it a habit to clean your hands and nails thoroughly every day. For washing hands use warm water. It would be more effective if you can find a few minuets to soak your hand as well as feet in lukewarm water every day. You may add a few drops of lemon juice in this water. Use mild soaps and soft brushes to clean finger and toe nails. Cuticles are to be massaged using a moisturizing cream.

Hence, nails are major protective layer of our body and have to be taken great care in looking after it. Spending little time on your nails once a week, can give you beautiful and healthy nails in a few months time. Be practical and continue the process for ever. Protect your nails from being brittle as the chances for it to break are increased. The nails of a person can talk a lot about the attitude and cleanliness of the person. This is especially true in case of toe nails. Therefore it is very important to keep our nails clean and dirt free as the nails also serve to transmit various diseases. Educating yourself about the importance of nails and also the role played by it can make you more aware of these features thus enhancing pretty and healthy nails forever!

Preventive measures against nail problems

Preventive measures against nail problems

As the inflection to nails may lead to serious problems like nail falling, thickening of nails etc, it is better to avoid these by taking a little care of your finger and toe nails on a regular basis.
Following are some tips to prevent nail disorders that may occur due to are our negligent attitude towards nails:

• Undergo routine nail treatment

If you want to keep your finger and toe nails healthy and disinfected, you have to undergo a routine nail treatment without any fail. It simply requires a few minutes to give your hands, feet, finger and toe nails a special care and attention through a wash using mild soap and lukewarm water.

While doing so take care to clean areas under nails especially during rainy season. Use a soft brush to remove dirt particles from the areas around the nails. The soft bristles of the brush will provide a massaging effect to your nails. This will help to increase blood circulation in this area.

• Check for swelling, discoloration, cracks, cuts and redness of nails

Never take a negligent attitude towards any disorders like swelling, discoloration, cracks cuts or redness of nails. These could be indications of trouble to your internal organs. Discoloration of nails can be a symptom of diseases like diabetes, liver or kidney failures or it can even be a symptom of heart problem. So whenever there is an unusual colour change on your nails provide immediate attention to it. Diabetes patients should take utmost care of the wounds, cuts, and cracks that may appear on nails to avoid complications.

• Keep your nails neatly trimmed always

A neatly trimmed nail will rule out the possibility of bacterial infection under the nails and there by transferring directly them to one’s mouth. If you can make this a habit you can save your self from many diseases.

• Avoid cutting down to the corners of the nail

While you are shaping nails take care of not to cut down to the corners of nails. There is a chance for getting infected.

• Avoid digging the sides of nails

You do not have to dig the sides of nails to remove dirt from there. You can safely remove dirt from this area by applying diluted Hydrogen peroxide.

• Corners of nails should not be filed

Filing of corners of nails may weaken the nails

• Drop the habit of nail biting

The habit of nail biting will transfer bacteria to mouth and weaken the nails as well. Nails are meant to protect finger tips. Excessive biting may expose finger tips. The main cause behind hang nail is nail biting. You can avoid this by dropping this habit.

• Apply sun block cream on your nails whenever you go out

Too much exposure to sun light or ultra violet rays is damaging to nails also. Like skin, nails also demand protection from harsh sunrays by application of sun block creams.

• Massage your nails

Not only the skin but also the nails require some massaging to improve its texture by increasing the level of blood circulation. Give an occasional massage to your nail by rubbing it.

• Drink plenty of water

Plenty of water intakes is essential for the health of skin as well as nails. Drink at least eight glasses of water every day. This will prevent your nails and skin from becoming dry.

• Take care of the size of your shoes

Commonly men who are wearing tight, undersized shoes in hot and humid weather conditions are seen to be affected by ‘athlete’s foot’ disorder. You can prevent this problem easily by avoiding undersized shoes and by changing socks when ever you feel that they are wet. Change to cotton socks. If possible walk bare-footed at home. Always keep your feet dry.

• Avoid constant contact of nails with water

In the situation where you have to soak your fingers in water for a long time, protect your nails by wearing gloves. If you are engaged in dish washing you can prevent the detergent from getting under the nails vertical splitting of nails b using rubber gloves.

• Follow a healthy diet

Including protein rich food in your regular diet will improve health of your nails. Vegetables like broccoli, carats, spinach etc. will help you to improve your over all health condition. Food enriched with vitamins like B12 and B5 will help you to prevent nail from brittling. Milk is essential to provide enough calcium to strengthen your nails, teeth and bones.

• Nail is not a tool

Do not use your nails as a tool. Jamming of nails in doors and things like that is a common problem arising out of using nail as a tool. It may ultimately lead to black nail and falling off of nails.

• Never walk bare footed in public places

Those who are walking in public places without wearing shoes will be affected by Onychomycosis.

• Do not use manicure or pedicure equipments used by others

Using manicure and pedicure tools used by others without sterilizing them may lead to serious health problems. Avoid the situation by ensuring that the equipments are sterilized when you visit a beauty saloon.

CHEMOTHERAPY AND YOUR NAIL

चेमोठेराप्य एंड यौर नील

Nails and hair are of the same nature. Chemotherapy that usually results in falling of hair affects the nails also. Extra care for nails is a must for the patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy may cause appearance of lines on the nails of the patients. Appearance of line always relates to the cycle of chemotherapy. These lines will disappear along with the natural growth of the nail. In some patients multiple lines can be seen as an after effect of chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy may even cause pigmentation on nail. Discolouration of nails also is a side effect of chemotherapy. Nails may even show a tendency to brittle and the growth of nails may not be the same as in a normal person.

Take extra care of the areas around the nails and cuticles. The areas around the nails may become extremely dry and the cuticles in a loosened state. Never attempt to pull out the cuticle as it may result in serious complications. To remove the loosened parts of cuticles use a sharp, clean nail scissor.

As a result of chemotherapy, your nails may sometimes completely come out of the nail bed. Like hair, nails also will grow back in due course of time. Till your nails grow back, you will have to take extra care of the exposed part of the nail tips as these areas are highly vulnerable to infections. You have to keep this area clean to avoid infections. Keeping nails short and neatly trimmed will help you to avoid the chances for infections. Shortly trimmed nails are less prone to infections

While you clean your nails and hands, if possible, use cuticle removal creams or lotions to remove cuticles. After applying these creams you can gently push off the cuticles with the help of an orange wood stick.
You have to drop the habit of nail biting especially while undergoing chemotherapy. To avoid unconscious attempt to do so keep your nails wrapped under a piece of clean cotton cloth.

Massaging your hands and nails using a moisturizer will help you to avoid the irritation that may cause due to dryness arising out of chemotherapy.

Wear gloves while doing house hold works especially while using detergents or doing activities like dish washing as excessive contact with water may invite bacterial infections. While undergoing chemotherapy, your nails may not be able to withstand a bacterial infection.

Nail moisturizers are good to keep your nails without too much drying. You can use nail polish to protect your nails. Take care to avoid acetone based nail polish removers to avoid further drying up of the skin around the nail.
It is not safe to use artificial nails while you are under going chemotherapy. Acrylic and other artificial nails may aid in accumulation of infectious bacteria under nail.

Bring your own tools while you are approaching a beautician for manicure to avoid the complications of infections, how ever clean your beauty salon is.

Finally, never fail to see your doctor soon after you detect any sign of inflammation or infection on your nails. Failing to do this may lead you to incurable complications as the body will be weak with poor immunity after chemotherapy.

BACTERIAL INFECTIONS

BACTERIAL INFECTIONS

Bacterial infections to the nails, a very common cause to nail deformity, can be identified by swelling, pain, discoloration of nails, appearance of pus under nails and deformation of nails. Nails may appear red in colour while infected by bacteria.

These symptoms occur when bacteria enter in to the skin that surrounds the nail. Nails are so designed by Mother Nature so as to resist any probable invasion of bacteria under normal circumstances. However cracks and other injuries to cuticles or to the skin under the nails may open a gate way to bacteria to infect the nails and the protected areas under it.

Common causes for bacterial infections

• Aggressive filing of nails using sharp metallic objects while under going manicure or pedicure. Rude file of nails cause damage to the nail bed and tips thereby creating cracks which would enable the bacteria to attack.
• Digging of the sides of the nail using sharp tools to remove dirt from the sides and under side of the nails. This can open up small cracks on the sides and underside of the nails which can result in bacterial infections and once they enter the skin it will start attacking the healthy tissues and there by causing acute pain and discomfort in the affected areas.
• External shocks and injuries resulting in cracks and breaks on the nails allows the entry of bacteria into the body thus causing infections.

Bacterial infections that affect the nail folds are clinically known as bacterial paronychia. This may cause acute pain in the affected area. Swelling, erythema and discomfort in and around the nails are the most commonly seen symptoms of bacterial paronychia. Presence of pus in the affected area is another common symptom of the disease. It is not safe to treat this condition without consulting a doctor. Bacterial paronychia some times requires drainage of the pus accumulated in the affected area.
Chronic paronychia and some other types of nail bacterial infections normally appear as a result of recurring nail-fold inflammation. Allergic reaction to the skin around the nails caused by the use of some cosmetics products, excessive dryness caused to the skin around the nails by frequent use of acetone based nail polish removers and following unscientific methods for manicure and pedicure can be cited as the most common causes that lead to chronic paronychia.

NAIL FUNGAL INFECTION

NAIL FUNGAL INFECTION

As the very term indicates fungi causes fungal infections on nails. If left unattended fungal infections get aggravated and can result in acute pain. Appearance of small spots, white or yellow in colour, is the first symptom of a fungal infection. With the spread of fungus into the deeper parts of your nail bed, nail will start to thicken. Discolouration and crumbling of nail are some other common symptoms of nail fungal infections

Wearing sweat shoes continuously for long hours and too much exposure of nails to moisture can be cited as the primary causes for nail fungal infections.

The fungi that create infections to nails are clinically known as dermatophytes. Apart from dermatophytes, yeasts and molds can also cause infections to nails.

These types of fungi live in warm moist conditions and easily get into your skin through minor cuts between your nail and nail bed while in such an environment. Swimming pools and showers are the places where you can see them commonly.

Compared to finger nails, toe nails are more prone to fungal infections as the feet often remain in moist conditions as a result of wearing sweaty socks or closed foot wears for long. It is in these conditions that the fungi like to live. Therefore, one should take utmost care to wear cottons socks during summer season thus allowing the feet to breath by wearing sandal or remaining bare footed while at home.

The recurring nature of fungal infections on nails makes it difficult to treat effectively. Medicines are available and effective if detected early.

What makes this disease more complicated is the permanent damage caused to nail and acute pain. Total negligence of this disease may ultimately lead to spreading the infection to other parts of the body.
Diabetes patients are advised to take extra care of nail fungal infection as it may lead to more serious complications than an ordinary person.

It is advisable to consult a medical practitioner as soon as you detect symptoms of fungal infection on your nail.

Usually doctors adopt the method of scraping debris from under the skin of the patients nail and send it for clinical examination for diagnosing the true cause of infection.

To treat the infection, doctors usually prescribe medicines that help to grow new nails without infection. Antifungal lacquer is available to treat nail fungal infection. This medicine is more like a nail polish and is only for external application. This will be effective only at the beginning of the infection.

Extreme stages of fungal infection may require removal of nails. Even if the infected nail is removed, it will grow again. It is however a slow process and utmost care should be taken to see that the new nail does not get infected again. It takes almost a year for the toe nail to grow back to its original stage. Finger nails however grow faster when compared to toe nails.

By take the following precautions you can prevent your self from fungal infections:

• Avoid walking bare footed in public places.
• Keep your nails clean and tidy always
• Use gloves to avoid over exposure to water
• Never bite your nails. If you have such a habit, drop it immediately.
• Choose right sized shoes and wear only cotton socks during summer season
• Avoid wearing artificial nails and nail polish for a long time.
• Make it a habit to sprinkle anti fungal powder into your shoes before you wear them.
• Avoid too much trimming of nails and cuticles.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after touching an infected area.