There are a few things that women and teen girls can do to keep nails stronger and healthier looking. Here are a few tips for well manicured nails and hands.

You can stop biting your nails by a psychological approach called successive approximation. Instead of going cold turkey, you begin by just nibbling the nail.

First of all, how long have you been using the pumice stone? Pumice stones are usually quite effective for smoothing the skin on feet, but it's not a cure you can effect in a day.

There are several different fungi that can cause what's known as nail fungus. Some are yeasts, others are bacteria.

Most of the time, cuticle biting is related to anxiety. Some people bite their cuticles in certain places or situations, like in school or at work where they feel tense or threatened.

You don't need to change your nail polish until it starts getting chipped, which is usually within a week. There's no particular reason for removing it unless you want to change colors for a night out, or if it starts to look ratty. Some women do their nails on a particular day—like Saturday afternoon—just to keep a routine going. But it doesn't really matter.

However, using acetone based remove more than once a week can weaken nails causing them to break more easily.

Absolutely! You need a base coat in a neutral sort of peach, pinky-translucent or clear polish, a bottle of white polish for the tips and some sticky nail tip guides to keep your polish tidy.

Wear gloves! If you're going to wash a few dishes or go out bike riding or cook a meal for your family, slip on a pair of rubber or cotton gloves to protect your fingernails. That's basic prevention, but it's probably the easiest way to save your manicure, short of not using your hands at all.

Some people say that nails develop ridges when your nutrition is poor, but there doesn't seem to be any scientific evidence of this. According to the Mayo Clinic, vertical ridges may be hereditary and aren't anything to worry about. They aren't a sign of mineral or nutritional deficiency, although you may read that on other websites. Ridges may become more pronounced over time: most people's nails change somewhat as they age.

The first thing people notice about your hands is your clean, shiny fingernails. Unless your nails are bitten to the quick, ragged around the cuticles and kind of nasty looking , in which case they notice your hands even faster. There's nothing that says "I'm a neurotic mess" like hard bitten nails, so if you're a biter, find a way to quit or make wearing gloves part of your eccentric personal fashion statement. In fact, if you start wearing gloves before you stop biting your nails, chances are that you will stop biting your nails anyway because you can't bite them through gloves.

Some people claim that eating more gelatin can strengthen your nails, but there's no evidence to back that up. But a recent study done in Germany found that people with nail problems who took 2.5 mg of biotin a day wound up with stronger nails. You can look for biotin supplements in the store, but the study said that to get the effect, a prescription dose was required, so you may need to talk with your doctor.

Our great grandmothers knew that to keep hands looking young, one needed several pairs of gloves. Anytime you're even tempted to do housework, don a pair of rubber or vinyl gloves to protect your skin from dust, cleaners and water. If you're gardening, put on your gloves before you even touch your pruning shears. In fact, put on a layer of hand cream and then your gardening gloves, and don't settle for the cotton kind that let the dirt rub through: get some lines ones. At night, before bed, rub on the thickest hand cream you can find (some people use Crisco), and slip on a pair of white cotton gloves. Basically, the more time you spend moisturized and gloved, the less time will affect your hands.

Keeping your hands beautiful hinges on protecting them, moisturizing them and keeping them neat. Protect your hands by wearing gloves any time you're using your hands for housework, art, gardening or home repairs. Protect them out of gloves with moisturizer, and avoid harsh chemicals, including the ones often used on nails such as polish, hardeners and polish removers. Protect them from aging by using sunscreen whenever you go outside—rub it thoroughly into your hands. Protect your cuticles from scissors-crazed manicurists who want to cut them: they should never be cut or trimmed.