Do your colleagues refrain from shaking your hands or recoil at your mere touch?
Do people shrug at the appearance of your nails?
Do your hands feel itchy most of the time?

Then, it’s time to take care of your hands and get your nails in shape which touches a million things every day. Ms. Carolyn Jacob, MD, director of Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology, says “Unfortunately, guys don’t spend a lot of time worrying about their hands.” One doesn’t have to spend hours on manicures, just a few simple steps will fulfill all the needs of well-groomed hands.

Scratchy hands and dirty, brittle nails are a complete no-no in this 21st century when first impressions last a lifetime. Don’t let your rough hands take a toll on your personality. From office meetings to social get-togethers, handshakes encompass a large part of our daily lives. Not just handshakes, women and kids might recoil from your simple touches. Rough and rugged hands might be a portrayal of power and machismo, but trust me, clean and well-groomed hands are definitely a winner. It’s essential to keep a nail cutter or a nail filer handy. Never bite on nails or you have a habit of gnawing, then stop it right now. It’s advisable to use nail clippers to keep them short and trimmed. Maintain a neat shape of oval or square.  

Clean hands and tidy nails are not just for women but apply to all individuals. When it comes to grooming for men, there's a laid-back attitude most of the time. As quoted by Kally Papantoniou, M.D., a cosmetic, laser, and surgical dermatologist in New York City, “There’s nothing emasculating about grooming your nails—or even getting a manicure or pedicure.” But one doesn’t even need to do rounds of nail salons to get well-groomed hands and nails. Simply by incorporating a few changes in the daily routine, you can get rid of rough hands.

If you are under the impression that washing hands under a running tap with mild soap is the only trick to amazing hands, then you are wrong. Applying a good moisturizer or hand cream is an absolute necessity immediately after washing hands. Just like a bottle of sanitizer, a tube of hand cream is equally important to carry wherever you go. Massage a dollop of hand cream to boost circulation to your fingers and hands. Sanitizers rob the natural oils from the delicate skin. Therefore a good moisturizing hand cream with vitamin E and essential oils is the need of the hour. Men tend to have a thicker skin on their hands. Therefore, you can go for a hand cream designed specifically for men which is devoid of any fragrance.

Exfoliating and scrubbing the hands twice a week is necessary if you are somebody who is regularly venturing outside the house. One can use the ready-made scrubs available in the market or make a paste of natural ingredients such as fresh lemon juice, coconut oil and sugar to make a homemade scrub. After a good scrubbing session, apply a hydrating mask to seal the moisture. You can find hand sheet masks for deep nourishing hands or simply layer your hands with milk cream and honey to prepare a homemade mask. End your skincare routine with a layer of petroleum jelly on your hands. Nourished and supple hands stay wrinkle-free and young for a lifetime.   

Taking care of your hands also comes with a set of responsibilities when you step out of your house. Protect your hands from the scorching sun by smearing a layer of sunscreen. For mundane chores such as gardening or doing dishes, always wear rubber gloves or surgical gloves to avoid dry or cracked palms. In high altitudes or cold regions, opt for woolen gloves to take care of your hands. 

Not just for a smart and appealing look, trimming your nails and scrubbing your hands are a necessity in the post-pandemic scenario. Out of all the reasons for grooming the hands, hygiene tops the list. In order to prevent fungal infections and the growth of bacteria around the fingernails, regular trimming and cleaning your nails is extremely important. Maintaining your nails in good shape also helps them to last for a long time without getting brittle.This helps in keeping the cuticles healthy. 

Cuticles form a tiny yet essential part of the nails and thus it’s important to take care of their well being. Keep them in shape using a cuticle remover or cuticle pusher. It’s always advisable to remove the cuticles or push back the skin, rather than cutting or trimming your cuticles.This can lead to the infection on the skin around fingernails.  Painful pulling and tearing of the delicate cuticle will definitely lead to hangnails which in turn becomes the entry-point for fungus and bacteria.

Why just for aesthetics? Strong, well-maintained and trimmed nails also exhibit a healthy diet. Painful break and tear of nails are caused by nutritional deficiencies. Dr. Ava Shamban, dermatologist and author, told The Huffington Post,"Nails are made out of protein, so the first thing you can try is adding more proteins to your diet." Gorge on proteins such as meat and eggs as well as tomatoes and bell peppers for Vitamin C. Vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots are loaded with Vitamin A, thus providing antioxidants for strong nails. Nibble on some almonds and nuts for a good dose of healthy fats and sunflower seeds for manganese and copper. For calcium and Vitamin D, nothing can surpass the nutrients of milk. But if you are somebody who is lactose intolerant, you can have curd, cottage cheese and other dairy products as an alternative. Nail health strongly indicates the overall health of a person. 

Thus summing up,
It is said that a little goes a long way. Thus, start taking baby steps towards your hand and nail care journey today.