Ingrown nails

Ingrown nails are the results of cutting or filling the nails too deep. Abnormal growth, pain, swelling, infection and discharge can result when nail edge grows into the skin around the nail, also known as “wiki low”.

How to prevent fungus and ingrown nails

1. Give your toe nails plenty of room- do not force your feet to fit into a favorite shoe that clearly is not your size anymore- it can force the feet and toe nails into an unnatural shape. When you wear tight shoes friction between the toes and the tight corners of the shoe can cause bruising.
2. Avoid changing the natural shape of the nail by over filling or by cutting the nail too close to the skin around the finger nail or toe nail.
3. Do not cut or trim cuticles, damage to the cuticle can cause infection which can affect nail growth. To clean around the cuticle, soak in Luke water, add some vinegar to the water and soak your nails for 2mins and scrub using a soft toothbrush or cuticle cleaner.
4. Use nail scissors to cut extra nail digging into skin but not too deep, never dig into nail with a sharp object. Minor injury clean nail with witch hazel to help prevent infection. Apply moisturizer like Aloe Vera, Castor oil to smooth out dry hands and help prevent inflammation or infection. If the problem persists seek medical care from your health care practitioner.
5. Brittle discolored, dull, abnormally thick distorted crumbling, loose, debris underneath the nail is a problem, is not normal for a healthy nail. Fungal infections are caused by microscopic plants (fungi) thriving on dead tissue of the nail and skin around the cuticle. Fungi thrive in warm and moist areas like wet feet in a wet shoe. You can use organic foot powder to help keep feet dry.
6. Minor nail injury and damage to the cuticle can acerbate fungal nail infection.

O.A

How to do a nontoxic naturalistic pedicure

1. Before you jump into the shower, file your toe nails into shape. It is best Shape to file toe nails straight.
2. Use a fine-grit block or paper to sand nails-gently buff the surface of your toe nails. You can use both a stick and a block for extra polishing. Also using a buffing chamois and a smoothing file will give your nails an extra shine.   
3. Quickly wash feet with soap and water.
4. Soak your feet in warm vinegar water (mix warm water and vinegar) or witch hazel and warm water to soften feet. Nails are best trimmed when soft after soaking or after a bath, you can trim the nails carefully, using sharp manicure scissors or nails clippers. Avoid cutting too deep or too short to prevent ingrown nails.
5. Now while you are in the shower begin to exfoliate your heel with pumice stone to remove dirt and cracks.
6. Rinse and dry feet thoroughly, if you don’t dry your feet fungus could thrive happily on your feet plus wet feet in shoe stinks.
7. Apply garlic cuticle oil or aloe Vera gel to the bottom of the nail and around the cuticles, garlic and Real aloe Inc. Gelly unscented 6.8oz (200ml) is what i use. It has has antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal properties making it a healthy choice for the feet. Additionally, Castor oil is best oil to moisturize ethnic or dry cracked feet.
8. You can wear cotton socking to help seal in moisture and heal cracked heel.
9. You don’t need to push back the cuticle on the toe nail. 
10. Ladies, nail care doesn't have to be complicated. Keep it simple-elegant.Don't just slap nails polish on a nail that is not clean or manicured.

To go from Naturalistic pedicure to nail polish, (just skip moisturize step 7 and 8 above). Go straight for your nail polish kit. The video below will help. 

Remember to keep healthy nails avoid toxic nail care products and treatment, avoid cutting or trimming cuticle. 

Hint: Beautiful face, good hair and nasty feet/nails is not a compliment.

Nail polish shopping Tip:

Use PETA’s Caring Consumer website to find out which companies do and don’t test on animals when shopping for cruelty free beauty products.
Stick to brands and “Companies That Don’t Test on Animals”, common sense avoid those Companies That Do Test on Animals. 
Shopping cruelty free online at places like iherb, solay, Nlifestyle@Amazon, is more fun and plus you get access to ingredient information online so you won’t have to worry about forgetting it or it been cumbersome, you could get cheaper prices, get health beauty products in bulk at i herb.

Take a print out when shopping at your local stores.

Look for companies or brands that have signed the safe cosmetics compact, pledging to replace toxic ingredients with safer alternatives. Get product reviews, toxicity level and safety rating at EWG site.

Look for a Eco/organic nail salon or take your own nail product to salon or do it yourself.

Make your own garlic oil at home.

Organic/vegan store

Cancer.gov

Yahoo answer for acrylic nails

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