What are nails for? Answering this is a bit tricky. Are the nails for scratching?! Is that it? Well, although nails and scratching are closely related the nails serve a more important purpose. Do we have nails just so we can put polish on them and have mini art works of sorts? And how much do we know about our 'scratchers'?
By Deepa Srinivasan

Nail care facts

• Fingernails grow an average of only 0.1 mm each day, whereas toenails grow 1 mm per month. Individual nail growth rates depend on age, time of year, activity level, and heredity.
• Nails grow faster on fingers , especially on your dominant hand, than toes.
• Women's nails grow more slowly than men's, except possibly during pregnancy.
• Nails grow more rapidly in summer than in winter.
• Disease, nutrition, medication, chronic illness, fever, and the aging process affect nail growth.

Nail problems

• Nail problems make up about 10 percent of all dermatological conditions.
• Senior citizens are more vulnerable to nail problems
• Symptoms include color or shape changes, swelling of the skin around the nails, thinning or thickening of the nails, bleeding or discharge, and pain.
• Fungal infections cause about half of all nail disorders. They are more common in toenails because the toes often are confined to a warm, moist, weight-bearing environment within your shoes.
• Although rare, melanomas can grow under the nail. Such melanomas may be mistaken for an injury; check with your doctor if a dark-colored streak appears within the nail plate, if the nail discoloration does not gradually improve, or if the size of the streak increases over time.

Other common nail problems:

• White spots that appear after an injury to the nail.
• Vertical lines under the nails that are caused by nail injury or certain drugs or diseases.
• Bacterial infections, which are most often due to injury, poor skin hygiene, nail biting, finger sucking, or frequent exposure to water.
• Ingrown toenails caused by improper nail trimming, poor stance, digestive problems, or tight shoes.

Tips for keeping nails healthy

• Keep nails clean and dry to prevent bacteria formation under it.
• Cut your fingernails and toenails straight across and rounded slightly in the center. This keeps your nails strong and helps avoid ingrown toenails.
  
  Wear proper-fitting shoes and alternate shoes. Tight shoes can cause ingrown toenails.
• Use an antifungal foot powder daily.
• Ingrown toenails caused by improper nail trimming, poor stance, digestive problems, or tight shoes.

Good health habits for nails

• Consuming enough water is vital if you want to avoid chips and cracks in your nails. Fresh carrot juice is excellent for strengthening nails, as it is rich in both calcium and phosphorous.
• Broccoli, onions, soy and papaya are rich in sulphur, biotin and silicon – essential nail-building materials. Do eat more servings of vegetables and fruits at meal times as this boosts your intake of vitamins, minerals and enzymes.
  
  Ensure a healthy daily intake of calcium, protein and zinc.
• Consider including royal jelly, spirulina and kelp in your intake. These supplements are rich in silica, zinc and vitamin B, which help nails grow strong and healthy. Include protein and folic acid in your dietary intake because a depletion of any one of these nutrients can cause very painful episodes of hangnails – the annoying little triangular splits of skin around the fingernails. Curved and darkish looking nails can be avoided by ensuring a sufficient amount of vitamin B12 in your system, while reddish-looking skin around your cuticles may indicate that something is not quite on par as far as your metabolism rate is concerned.