Nail Stretch Marks Are A Reflection Of Your Health
Chronic stress, eating deficits, a blow or direct contact with cleaning chemicals may be at their source.
Stretch marks on the nails can be an aesthetic problem for some people, but above all they are a reflection of something that is happening in our body. If you have ridged nails, reviewing some habits can help you correct the aesthetic problem and, in addition, it will be good for your health.
Why do nails scratch?
One of the main components of nails, like hair, is keratin, a fibrous protein very rich in sulfur. Several factors can affect its composition and generate stretch marks on the nails:
- There are many chemicals that can alter the production of keratin and cause stretch marks, for example substances present in harsh cleaning products or in conventional cosmetics filled with synthetic substances.
- Nail stretch marks are also related to chronic stress situations , which wear down and consume many nutrients.
- Another possible cause is dietary deficits, especially vitamins A and group B (especially biotin), minerals and trace elements such as iron and zinc, and proteins rich in sulfur amino acids such as cysteine.
- Stretch marks may also appear on the nails as a result of blows or trauma to the area.
Although blows and trauma can lead to the appearance of stretch marks, if the involvement of the stretch marks is global, it seems more likely a metabolic origin (nutritional or stress), contact with chemical substances or even derived from a disease such as hypothyroidism.
How to prevent stretch marks on nails
Therefore, it is recommended, first of all, to avoid direct contact with chemical cleaning products (use gloves) or with non-natural cosmetics that contain toxic ingredients.
It is also advisable to follow a balanced diet, if possible with organic food and abundant raw nuts (almonds, pine nuts, walnuts …), seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame …), algae, legumes (lentils, soybeans …), quinoa, fruit and vegetables (orange, banana, tomato, carrot, spinach …) and some “food supplement”, such as beer yeast, pollen or royal jelly.
Taking two cups a day, for a few weeks, of infusion of horsetail ( Equisetum arvense ), due to its richness in silicon, helps to strengthen the nails.
To hydrate the nails in a natural way and improve stretch marks, it is very good to massage with cold pressing olive oil and a few drops of lemon both the nails and the cuticles, the surrounding skin.
