Health Tip: Keep Nails Healthy

The condition of finger nails and toe nails can indicate overall health, so it's important to keep your nails neat and clean.

The American Academy of Dermatology offers these healthy-nail suggestions:

• Keep nails clean, dry and trimmed straight across. File finger nails with an emery board to avoid snags.
• Never bite your nails, and leave cuticles intact.
• Don't use nails as a tool for jobs such as opening soda cans.
• If you have any ingrown nails, don't dig them out yourself. See a medical professional for treatment.
• Soak feet in a warm salt water solution before trimming toe nails if they are thick and difficult to cut.
• Wear properly fitted shoes, and protect feet from germs with flip flops or sandals while at the pool or locker room.