There are ten tools at your fingertips, used to tighten screws, slit seals, crease paper, scratch itches, peel labels, scrape lottery tickets, tap out rhythm, and the ever politically-correct task of removing that spinach from between your teeth. Your fingernails are a universal tool, and most of us couldn't function without them being so close to (pardon the pun) … hand.

Fingernails are composed primarily of keratin; a tough, insoluble protein substance that is the chief structural constituent of hair, nails, horns, and hoofs. Nails grow about 1/8th inch per month and require 3 to 6 months to completely re-grow, while toenails grow about three times slower. Fingernail growth slows as you get older, in cold weather, during illness; men's nails grow faster than woman's, and nails on the dominant hand grow faster.

Your nails are always in sight, so it doesn't make a positive personal statement if they are grubby, broken, or split with rough, ragged cuticles. Taking care of your nails is no big thing, but there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to nail care: Start with a good soak to soften things up and then cut straight across the front of the nail with a sharp clipper or nail scissors, use a nail board to shape, file in one direction to avoid splitting the nail.

Buff nails with a 4 in 1 multi-function buffer to smooth ridges, rough spots and remove stains.

Next apply a cuticle remover or cream, and push the cuticle back (Note: cuticle pens

work really well here, the moisturizer is in the felt tip so you don't have to touch it and get your hands oily).

Do not clip or cut ragged cuticles; this removes the nail's protective barrier to bacteria and can cause irregular nail growth and infection.

Clip hangnails and apply cuticle cream; biting and picking only tears the skin and makes things painfully worse.

Now you have great looking, well-manicured healthy nails, let's work on your dry, rough hands: Gentle scrubbing with a granular scrub and a good brush will get the ground-in dirt on knuckles and around the nails.

Follow up with a light aloe-based hand moisturizer; your hands won't feel or look greasy, just smooth and comfortable.

You clean and maintain your work tools without a second thought, don't you? … Remember to give your hands the same consideration.

© 2005 Jolene Schwartz

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