Nail Hardeners

Why products using formeldehyde to harden nails doesn't work

Nail hardeners are used to help you have strong nails.

They are used by millions of women, who suffer from weakness and softness.

Using a fingernail hardener product, which contains formeldehyde, unfortunately, in the long term can cause the opposite effect.

As you probably already know, nails are made up of a protein called keratin. Keratin is made up of long chain amino acids; all bonded together which create a strong nail plate.

Your hair is made up of the same protein as nails, and the same long chain amino acids.

The protein keratin, should be tough because of all the cross linking of the long chain amino acids. If you are suffering from weak, soft nails, it is usually due to the fact that your nail, does not contain enough of these cross links.

When you use a nail hardener with formaldehyde, it works with the keratin to create more cross links, so it can help strengthen nails.

The down side is, using a fingernail hardener can create too many cross links in your nails, and the end result is weak, brittle fingernails. Flexibility of the nail becomes impaired, and nails tend to split and break easily.

Harden Nails Naturally

There is of course, a natural solution, there are many things you can use to create hardness, without using products with formeldehyde.

Sunflower oil is a natural hardener for strengthening nails, and can be rubbed into your nails daily. A much more effective way, is to soak your fingernails in a bowl of sunflower oil daily for about 15 min.

Sunflower oil is very high in vitamin E, and is clinically proven to help protect and strengthen nails, it also has soothing properties.

Olive oilcan be used in the same way as sunflower oil, and will produce the same results.

Clean out an old nail polish bottle, you can do this by putting the bottle in a pot of boiling water.

Fill with sunflower or olive oil, and brush on your fingernails a few times a day.

Commercial Products Without Formaldehyde

Nail aid does not use it, Delore and Sante have an organic nail hardener.

This chemical can also be found in many other beauty products, like hair gel and straightening treatments, shampoo, deodorant and soap. In some cases, it can cause skin irritation.

It is always a good idea to keep your nails short, and when filing with a nail file, file from the edge of the nail to the middle. This way you go with the natural grain of the nail and keep the nail plate together, otherwise you risk pulling it apart and causing damage.

Include a diet rich in vitamins and minerals, and you will have the best natural hardener, free of formeldehyde.



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