How to Stop Biting Nails

Oh, come on! We've all done it! I'll bet you still do it at least sometimes withought realising it! But for some it's a major issue...Nail Biting is a habit which is generally linked to childhood, but can carry through into adulthood. It's simply an irritating childhood habit which the sufferer couldn't get rid of, and has become an inherent part of their behaviour.

Sufferers often don't even realize that they're biting their nails, and it's often associated with nerves or anxiousness. There can be some pretty serious consequences, though. It leaves nails looking chipped, jagged and ugly. Exposure of the nail bed can also lead to various nasty diseases, including finger nail funguses, hang nails, and ingrown nails, which can be very painful, and would ultimately need medical treatment.

Treatments:

• The most common treatment is the use of a bitter-tasting nail polish which is applied directly after washing your hands and repeatedly during the day and before bed time (sufferers have been known to bite their nails in their sleep!) Beware that some of these products contain Cayenne Pepper, acetone, and laquer which can be a very volatile solution. Unfortunately, this doesn't work for everybody, since nail biting is ultimately a sub-consciously-embedded mannerism. A lot of people become used to the taste of the nail polish and bite their nails anyway (some even being liking it!)


• Others will get a professional manicure or nail extensions as a hinderance, as it looks nice and their desire to keep their hands looking good overcomes their habitual need. It is understood, though, that those that use this method find that they must maintain their treatments as often as possible, or else they revert back to their nail biting habit!


• Some try to replace that bad habit with a not-so-bad or more constructive habit, such as chewing gum.


• Anti-depressants sometimes are prescribed to try and curb the habit.


• Have a retainer or bite-plate made which makes it impossible to bite your nails.


• Sometimes nail-biting is a symptom of a deeper emotional issue. In this case, resolving the underlying problem through therapy may help lessen or eliminate the nail biting habit.


• Hypnosis. This is a habit that is so deeply embedded into the psyche that the ultimate solution has to come from the sub-conscious. There are those that swear by this option. Richard MacKenzie, best-selling author "Self Change Hypnosis," is considered a poineer in hypnotherapy. If you're considering this approach, have a look at what he recommends on the subject by clicking here (Scroll down the page and click on the link for "Nail Biting")

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Finger Nail Fungus: How to Identify it, and Cure it!

It's actually a lot more common than you may think. It can be quite unsightly and painful if not it's taken care of quickly...Finger Nail Fungus is an infection in the nail bed (where the nail meets the skin.) It should not be confused with mildew, a greenish watermark which can form when moisture is trapped on the nail surface (E.G. between plaster or nail extension and natural nail.) Fungus is rarely able to attack an intact nail, and usually enters from an external wound, which may be as small as a scratch. Prolonged wetness can also allow the fungus to invade. Women are generally more likely to suffer from finger nail fungus than men. It is important to attend to an infection immediately, as it will spread readily if left unattended. If you have finger nail fungus, and it is not responding to treatment, or the fungus is spreading to other areas, please consult your doctor ASAP.

Symptoms

Generally the infection starts with a white/silvery discolouration at the outside edge of the nail, and then gradually works its way inward. As it progresses, the colour darkens to a Yellow-browny colour.

Ridges in the finger nail is not necessarily an indication of a finger nail fungus infection, although those with an infection may notice ridges and pitting.

• Weak, thick, crumbly nails. In severe and extreme cases, there may be pain around the edges of the nail, and the nail could even fall off!

Causes

• Although nail polish doesn’t necessarily directly cause a nail fungus, if you are suffering from an infection, do not use nail polish, as it will aggravate the situation.


• Weakened immune system. This may include AIDS sufferers, Diabetics, Age, Stress etc.


• Damage to the nail


• Hereditary conditions.


• Tools used in nail salons that are not properly cleaned can allow spreading of the fungus from someone with an infection to somebody without one.

Follow these simple steps to help prevent finger nail fungus:

• When working on your nails be sure to work carefully (buffing, cutting, trimming, filing etc.) so as not to injure the skin.


• Wash your hands regularly, and dry them thoroughly.


• Avoid sharing towels, washcloths, nail clippers, nail files, or even nail polish.

Treatment

• Topical treatments are most commonly used for less severe cases of finger nail fungus. They are easily available over the counter, and have very low risk and side effects. You may feel some discomfort in the surrounding skin, as constant application to the affected area is necessary. Recurrence may occur.


• Your doctor may prescribe an oral anti-fungal medication for more serious infections. The down-side of these are that they are quite expensive, and generally need to be taken for a long time to completely eradicate the finger nail fungus, and the side effects may be very unpleasant (upset stomach, headaches, rashes, even damage to the liver!) Recurrence may occur, although less likely with this form of treatment.


• If you'd like to know more about how to cure Finger Nail Fungus Naturally, there's an all-natural treatment available - Click here for more information.

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What the Heck is Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) anyway?

Often when asked, a nail or beauty technician will tell you that they don't use the product because it's toxic. If that were true, then why was it used as a human bone repair cement in surgery?Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) was commonly used in the nail industry until it's use was banned it in the late 1970's. Many rumours have come about due to lack of knowledge on this topic. Often when asked, a nail or beauty technician will tell you that they don't use the product because it's toxic. The truth is that, while MMA should not be ingested (much like many chemicals we use externally every day,) it does not absorb through the nail plate, is not dangerous to inhale in a normal salon enviroment, and is not a cancer-causing agent! In fact, for many years MMA was used as a human bone repair cement in surgery. However, this does not condone it's use in the nail industry, and here's why:

1. MMA doesn't hold very well to the nail plate. This is why old-school nail technicians tend to over-file the nail plate, as they used to roughen it up in order to get the product to adhere. This of course thins the nail plate and makes it much weaker.


2. MMA becomes very hard, and hence when the nail is caught or jammed, rather than the extension breaking, the weakened nail plate breaks underneath it, causing serious nail damage.


3. MMA is very difficult to remove, as there are no solvents for it. Hence another bad habit some technicians have of prying off the extension was born, which of course can be very damaging.


4. Because of so many complaints caused from above, many regulating authorities have banned its use.

MMA was simply an inappropriate product for nails, and it was removed because of this. It had very little to do with it's toxicity. In fact, as explained earlier, it has been widely used in the medical field.

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Bellina: Services & Products Prices

I'm willing to bet you've never seen such good prices! You may also want to check out our "specials" page - I'll post a link here when I'm finished with it!

Porcelain Nails:

• Natural nail extensions R 200
• French tip extensions R 240
• 2 Week Fill R 40
• 3 Week Fill R 60
• Tip repair per nail R 30
• Nail Soak-off R 30
• Nail Art from R 50
• Nail Buff & Polish R 40
  

Hands:

• Mini Manicure R 80
• Pamper Manicure R 100
• Aromatherapy Wax Manicure R 120
• Paint R 20
• French paint R 35

Feet:

• Mini Pedicure R 90
• Pamper Pedicure R 110
• Aromatherapy Wax Pedicure R 130
• French paint R 35
• Paint R 20

Indian Head Massages

• Full Indian Head Massage (49 movements) R 160
• Detox Massage (Shoulder, neck, arms, scalp) R 100
• De-stress Massage (Upper back, scalp, neck, face) R 125

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Types of Artificial Nails

It seems that there are very few people who actually know what Gel / Acrylic / Silk etc. really is, how they are applied or even how they look & wear! Well, I've cleared that all up once and for all!Porcelain Nails: The term "Porcelain Nails" was the original name given to Acrylic Nails, and it's use was discontinued when one of it's ingredients called MMA (methyl methacrylate) was banned in the late 70's (click there for more information.) Since then the Porcelain System which no longer contains MMA has been re-introduced, and is regaining popularity. Unlike it's predecessor, it has been designed to minimise damage to the nail plate and enhance natural nail growth. There is a distinct difference between the current Porcelain Nail System and Acrylic Nails of today, in that it has been processed further to create a finer powder, and has a finely ground, glass-like material (known as glass-glaze) and pink silica incorporated into the Porcelain powder, which gives it a beautiful glossy, natural-looking finish, whilst retaining the strength and durability associated with Acrylic. Speculation has it that some salons offer "Porcelain Nails" as simply Acrylic Nails with a Gel top-coat. This is NOT the true Porcelain Nail system, and does not have the same look, or wearing characteristics!

Acrylic Nails, like Porcelain Nails, are probably the strongest and last the longest of the various systems. Unfortunately, if the system is not applied correctly, they can look very thick and artificial. The misconception that the Acrylic Nails System itself is more damaging than other systems on the market is simply untrue! Some people who have had Acrylic Nails complain of the damage done by nail technicians using an incorrect / antiquated filing technique, which can leave the client bleeding, or over-filing has left almost no natural nail, and burns or "hot spots" are left in the nail bed, which can be very painful. The Acrylic Nail System is not at fault here, but in fact the technician applying it!

Gel Nails: Gel nails are made up of a thick viscosity gel acrylic. It is a one-part system in which the Gel is applied, and then 'cured' or 'set' under ultraviolet light. Although Gel and Acrylic are both actually acrylic, the molecular structure is different, the application procedures and curing methods are different, and hence they apply and wear differently. They tend to be quite soft, and a lot of people complain of discolouration of the nails within a few days. Acrylic-Gel nails, where Gel is applied over Acrylic, does not make your nails "Gel Nails."

Silk, Linen and Fibre Wraps: Pieces of silk, linen or fibreglass are cut into shape and glued onto the nail plate. Silk is the most natural-looking, and quite flexible, but is also not very strong, and may not be suited to active people. Linen is stronger, but doesn't look very natural, and tends to appear thick. Of the three, fibreglass is probably the better option, since it has the natural look of silk, with the strength of linen.

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