If you polish your nails, one thing is certain; at some point, you’re going to have to use nail polish remover. But between the confusing array of choices, the fumes, the acetone versus non-acetone debate, and the varying efficiency between brands, the whole thing can be downright frustrating.   Let’s sort it out.

Initially, you have two choices to make:

• Choose a type of remover. You can select from a variety of formulations (from liquids to presoaked applicators), but the basic question you must first answer is:  Acetone or non-acetone? Acetone-free removers are believed to be less drying on the nail itself, and contain fruit derivative solvents (methyl pentane, ethyl acetate, and others) in lieu of acetone, which can be toxic if exposure to the fumes is prolonged.

  On the other hand, acetone-free removers are not as effective as acetone-based formulas; this could lead you to use more remover, and therefore, you may unwittingly increase your exposure to the fumes. The bottom line:  It’s really a matter of preference. If you use mostly clear or pale polishes, and are concerned about the use of solvents, then select an acetone-free formulation. If you favor darker or brighter polish colors, go for one that has acetone to decrease your exposure time.

• Choose your tools. Cotton balls, synthetic all-purpose cosmetic puffs or pads, or paper towels? Again, it’s mostly a matter of preference. Cotton balls may leave fibers behind. Puffs can disintegrate. Paper towels can shred. No one choice will be right for everyone. Experiment with a few different applicators and see which you like best. Overall, however, you will probably be more successful with a pad-shaped applicator, rather than traditional cotton balls, which can be hard to keep hold of and get soaked through more easily. You may therefore need to use more of them, which can drive up both the price and the aggravation factor.

Now that you’ve made your selections, assemble your tools, and follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Wash your hands and dry them thoroughly.
2. Spread a towel or paper towel folded over a few times in front of you on a flat surface. Have some extra paper towels nearby, just in case there’s an accidental spill, as removers can stain and damage clothing and upholstery. You may also want to have a few cotton tipped swabs (such as Q-tips) available as well, especially for darker and brighter colored polishes.
3. Soak the applicator with the remover.
4. Apply the applicator firmly to the nail bed. Instead of scrubbing the nail up and down with the cotton pad or paper towel, press it firmly against the nail and hold it there for thirty seconds.
5. Now, moving slowly and maintaining the pressure, wipe the pad down the nail towards the tip. One stroke ought to do it, if you’ve given the remover long enough to dissolve the polish in step 4. But if there is still polish, flip the pad over, soak that side with remover, and repeat steps 4 and 5.
6. If only a little polish is left on the nail around the cuticle, use the cotton swab. Dip it in the remover, then press the tip against the polish, making sure to maintain contact with the nail. You may have to push back the flesh surrounding the nail a bit in order to get all of the polish. Firmly swipe the swab down the side of the nail. Repeat as needed.
7. Repeat for each nail.
8. When all polish is removed, cap the remover bottle firmly. Wash your hands with a gentle soap, rinse, and pat dry.

Now you’re ready to move on to the next step in your manicure!

I know, I know — you don’t even want to admit to knowing what nail fungus is, let alone admit that maybe, just maybe, it might account for that ever-yellowing grainy gook that keeps crawling out from under your toenails. Well, just in case a friend of a friend of your cousin’s husband’s niece’s cat twice-removed ever contracts a case (wink, wink), and you need to know how to treat it, consider this your guide to getting healthy hooves.

First we need to discuss the two basic types of nail fungus treatment: there are topical treatments and oral anti-fungal treatments. The type of treatment you choose should be determined by the severity of your fungal infection. Let’s start by breaking down your topical treatment options.

Topical treatments include nail lacquers (such as Penlac), creams (such as Lamisil cream), and many natural wonders like tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide.

The great things about topical treatments are:

1. They are available over the counter (OTC), so (attention, lazy readers!) you don’t have to get a prescription.
2. You run a very low risk of experiencing any serious side effects.
3. They’re the fast-food of medications: cheap and easy to find.

The not-so-great things about topical treatments are:

1. While results vary from nail to nail, topical treatments often treat the symptoms of a fungal infection without curing them. This means that your fungal friends may reappear after you stop treatment.
2. Topical treatments are like Ivy League grad schools – they often require several applications and it takes a long, long time to see the results of all your labor.
3. They might dry out or irritate the skin surrounding your infected nail.
4. They’re smelly!!!

If, after reading that, you’re still brave enough to try a topical treatment, you have several options. You can either purchase a lacquer or cream at a drug store and (*gasp*) follow the directions, or if you’re a more natural nelly, try one of the following earthy alternatives:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar — This cult favorite can be used in a couple of different ways.
   • You can either down a shot  in the morning and another before bed (that’s right — bottoms up!), OR
   • You can soak your affected appendage(s) in a solution of at least 50% vinegar (the more, the better) and 50% water for 30 minutes a day. Yes, you’ll be a little stinky, but people swear by this stuff.
2. Hydrogen Peroxide — Cut your afflicted nail as short as possible, saturate a cotton ball with this less odoriferous substance, apply it directly to the problem area, and let it dry.
3. Vick’s Vapor Rub — That’s right, wrestle it away from the kiddies! Apply it liberally to your affected nails before bed, cover with a sock or glove, and sleep tight.
4. Tea Tree Oil — Just rub a few drops into your nail at least three times a day, and watch your fungus go crawling away!

Now, for those of you who either don’t believe in going au naturel, or have particularly nasty or persistent infections, there are oral anti-fungal treatments. These generally come in pill form, and usually require a prescription to obtain.

The great things about oral anti-fungal treatments are:

1. They’re far more likely to cure your fungus than topical treatments.
2. They pack a heftier punch on stubborn, lingering nail fungi.
3. Again, to my lazy readers: they typically only require that you take one pill a day!

The not-so-great things about oral anti-fungal treatments are:

1. As previously stated, they generally require a trip to the doc to pick up a prescription.
2. They’re a lot pricier than vinegar, vapor rub, and tea tree oil…go figure.
3. A few unfortunate cases have reported rare, but life-threatening side effects.

So really, the best thing to do is avoid getting nail fungus in the first place. Here are a few good rules to keep in mind:

1. After you get out of the shower, dry those tootsies as quickly as possible! Dry your fingers as well, although if you’re using the towel correctly, it sort of seems inevitable. Fungus loves moisture, so don’t let anything “air-dry.”
2. Wear sandals as often as possible — ventilate those feet!
3. Avoid wearing gloves — keep your fingers exposed to air as much as possible. Yes, if it’s thirty below and you’re sure it’s too cold for you to survive, let alone fungus, then get wild and risk it. Otherwise, try to bare those claws.
4. Avoid washing dishes by hand if at all possible — do I even need to say this? If you’re washing dishes by hand, we need to have another discussion entirely. Call me. I’m in the book.

Happy Healing!

Nails are more than just the hard things at the end of your fingers and toes–they give a window into your health and show others just how well you take care of the rest of your body.  They may seem small and unimportant, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.  So, how do you take care of your nails?  Most of the nail strengtheners on the market won’t help truly brittle nails.  A healthier diet and the following tips are your best bet for stronger nails:

1. If you don’t eat well, it shows–nothing can cover that up.  Eating more protein-rich foods will help to develop stronger nails.  Foods rich in sulfur are also vital for nail and physical health; these foods include apples, cucumbers, grapes, garlic, asparagus and onions.
2. The nail’s biggest enemy is water.  If your nails spend a lot of time submerged, whether it be cleaning, swimming, or anything else; taking extra steps to assure you have strong nails is key.
3. Don’t bite your nails–it may seem like an obvious thing to say, but so many of us still do it.
4. Keep your nails trimmed short.  We’re not talking short as in they look like a beaver has bitten them off at the base, but less than an half inch past the end of your fingers.  This will help prevent breakage, as well as make your fingers look nice and slender.
5. Don’t use your nails as tools.  They are not meant to peel off stickers, open mail or scrape food off of pots.
6. When cleaning, washing dishes, working with any chemicals or gardening, make sure to wear rubber gloves.  Doing so will protect your nails, and the rest of your hands, from getting zapped of moisture, broken, and very dirty.
7. If you like to wear polish on your nails, make sure to add a clear base coat before applying the color.  This will help to strengthen your nails and keep them from turning yellow.  An added bonus is your color will last longer.
8. Keep an emery board anywhere you spend a lot of time–the kitchen, office, gym, etc.  If you spot a nail that is about to break or got chipped by accident, file it down to keep it from becoming more damaged.
9. While watching TV, waiting for dinner to finish cooking, reading a book, or riding home from work, take the time to massage vitamin-rich hand lotion onto your palms, fingers and nails.  It feels good and helps to infuse your nails with strengthening nutrients.