Take a close look at your fingernails. Do they look strong and healthy? Or do you see ridges, dents, or color or shape changes? Fingernail care can help prevent many nail conditions. And sometimes fingernails give hints about an underlying health condition that needs care.

Fingernails grow from the area at the base of the nail under the cuticle. Fingernails are made of layers of a protein called keratin. Healthy fingernails are smooth. They don't have pits or grooves. They're all one color and free of spots.

Sometimes fingernails get harmless ridges that run up and down, called vertical ridges, from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical ridges tend to show more with age. Fingernails also can develop white lines or spots due to injury. In time, these grow out with the nail.

Consult your primary healthcare professional or dermatologist if you notice:

• Changes in color, such as a color change to the whole nail or a dark streak under the nail.
• Changes in nail shape, such as curled nails.
• Nails that get thinner or thicker.
• Dents in the nails that look like small punctures, called pits, or grooves in the nails.
• The nail pulling away from the skin around it.
• Bleeding around the nails.
• Swelling or pain around the nails.
• Failure of nails to grow.

To keep your fingernails looking their best:

• Keep fingernails dry and clean. This keeps germs from growing under your fingernails. Repeated or long contact with water can split fingernails. Wear cotton-lined rubber gloves when washing dishes, cleaning, or using harsh chemicals.
• Practice good nail hygiene. Use sharp manicure scissors or clippers to cut your nails. Trim them straight across. Then round the tips in a gentle curve.
• Use moisturizer. When you use hand lotion, rub the lotion into your fingernails and cuticles too.
• Apply a protective layer. Applying a nail hardener might help strengthen nails.
• Ask your healthcare professional about biotin. Some research suggests that the nutritional supplement biotin might help strengthen weak or brittle nails.

To prevent nail damage, don't:

• Bite your fingernails or pick at your cuticles. These habits can damage the nail bed. Even a minor cut next to your fingernail can allow germs to enter and cause an infection.
• Pull off hangnails. You might rip live tissue along with the hangnail. Instead, gently clip hangnails off.
• Use harsh nail care products. Limit your use of nail polish remover. When using nail polish remover, choose one without acetone.
• Ignore problems. If you have a nail problem that doesn't seem to go away on its own or is linked to other symptoms, contact your primary healthcare professional or dermatologist.

If you rely on manicures or pedicures for healthy-looking nails, keep a few things in mind. Go to salons that show a current state license. Work only with technicians also licensed by the state board.

Don't let your cuticles be removed. They seal the skin to the nail plate. So removal can lead to nail infection. Also, make sure the tools your nail technician uses are sterile to prevent the spread of infection. Make sure you're not allergic to any of the ingredients in the products the salon uses.

You also might ask how the foot baths are cleaned. Ideally, the salon uses a disinfectant between clients and cleans the filters often.

It's easy to neglect your nails. But taking some basic steps can keep your fingernails healthy and strong.

Your fingernails — composed of laminated layers of a protein called keratin — grow from the area at the base of the nail under your cuticle. Healthy fingernails are smooth, without pits or grooves. They're uniform in color and consistency and free of spots or discoloration.

Sometimes fingernails develop harmless vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical ridges tend to become more prominent with age. Fingernails can also develop white lines or spots due to injury, but these eventually grow out with the nail.

Not all nail conditions are normal, however. Consult your doctor or dermatologist if you notice:

• Changes in nail color, such as discoloration of the entire nail or a dark streak under the nail
• Changes in nail shape, such as curled nails
• Thinning or thickening of the nails
• Separation of the nail from the surrounding skin
• Bleeding around the nails
• Swelling or pain around the nails
• Failure of nails to grow out