Nail health...Is Jell-O the way to G-O?

Most people are familiar with gelatin either through eating Jell-O, or if you have Scandinavian/Northern European roots through eating aspic. One is generally considered very tasty and the other one--well, not so much. So as not to offend anyone, I will let the reader make the decision as to which they prefer.

Now, as a child, one of my favorite things to do was to make Jell-O with my mother. After boiling it and placing it in the mold, I remember anxiously waiting for it to magically set in the refrigerator.

Well, it turns out that Charles Knox, who developed gelatin in 1890 as a byproduct from slaughterhouse waste (I could have used a euphemism, I guess...), also found another way to market gelatin aside from it being fun to make, fun to jiggle, and  fun to eat (when it is sweet of course, right?!). Knox marketed gelatin by claiming it had nail enhancing benefits.

The logic was as follows: Since it was made from animals such as cows and pigs who had very strong hooves, eating gelatin (which is made from hooves) will make your nails stronger.  Sound a bit fishy (which I happen to eat and am no better a swimmer as a result!),  but in spite of this faulty logic, that still did not prevent gelatin from be coming the popular treat that it is.

The reality is that gelatin, although it is full of protein and collagen, is not in a form that is usable by humans. And soaking your nails and gelatin won't do a bit of good, either.

So, if you want great nails, it's obvious that eating boxes and boxes of Jell-O or consuming plates and plates of aspic will not help.

But what actually does make your nails healthier?

From the perspective of a hand surgeon, deformities of the nails are a result from local problems, such as arthritis, trauma, infections, cysts, and tumors. Or they can also be the result of systemic problems such as malnutrition or cancer. In this case, the nails can be a window into the general health of a person, and they are very important to examine for both the hand surgeon as well as the general practitioner.

What to do if you want beautiful nails? Well, unless you have some of the conditions that I have previously mentioned,which require medical attention, then you might be best served by seeing a good manicurist.

Otherwise, take care of your hands by protecting them, resting them when necessary, washing and moisturizing them properly, and using common sense and good judgement, which may include avoiding that second helping of aspic or lime Jell-O during Christmas time!