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BYo Terrace Review — Wednesday, December 12, 1990

"Wednesday wit

= by Fae Mooney ae

Your
perfect
ten

What is your
pertect ten? The
five fingers on
each hand.
- Take a look at o
the hands that hold
this newspaper... Is
the skin rough, or
smooth? Are the
nails well-

‘ groomed, or
‘neglected?

- If your hard- 7 b
working hands are showing their wear-and-tear, try a little pampering.
It doesn’t require very much time. Just diligence. Here are some
guidelines. oe —

When the weather turns cold:and ‘dry, it’s easy for hands to
become chapped. and nails to turn brittle, But with a bit of
diligent effort Winter’s cruelty can be minimized.

Here's How

You can protect your hands from harsh winter winds, ice, and
snow, and from harsh chemical cleansers as well, including dish-
washing detergents — wear gloves! (warm heavy gloves outside,
fleece-lined rubber gloves inside.) And moisturize. Keep a con-
tainer of hand lotion by every sink. While your hands are still
damp, coat them with a thin film of lotion, Pay special attention
to the chapped areas — across the knuckles and around the
cuticles. Massage the lotion into these areas. Before going out-
side, apply hand lotion, then put on your gloves. At bedtime, ap-
ply your favourite lotion generously, again massaging it into the
dry areas.

Drastic conditions require drastic measures: for a minor Over-
night miracle, try applying Vaseline when you retire, then cover
your hands with light summer gloves (cotton if you can find
them). Keep them on ail night. Less drastic — and less uncom-
fortable — but just as effective is Aqualin gel, and no gloves are
needed. It’s non-greasy.

All hand creams and lotions will offer relief from dryness and
chapping, and some protection from the winter environment.

Some interesting facts about nails

If your nails are O.K., you’re O.K. — nails are a health in-
dicator. For example, white spots may indicate a deficiency in
zine or copper. Brittleness may be caused by poor circulation...
Healthy nails are smooth and ridge-free, and the nail beds are
pinkish,

Nails, unlike bone, are not made up of calcium. The composi-
tion of nails is similar to hair — mostly protein. They contain
only small amounts of calcium, phosphorous and trace minerals.
It’s therefore easy to understand why your nails’ best ally is a

balanced diet with adequate protein.

Did you know? Middle fingernails grow the fastest. And the
right hand nails grow faster than those on the left hand (unless
you are left-handed, of course. Then it is the opposite). The rate
of nail growth varies from person to person, but on average,
nails grow about six inches per year. This rate diminishes with
age, by as much as 50 percent between the ages of 25 and 95.
Nails will grow faster in warm weather than in cold. The better
the circulation, the better the nail growth and the healthier the
nail. .

Special nail care

What's the best nail shape? No claws or talons, please. The
most flattering shape for most hands, and most practical for nail
strength and durability, is oval. An oval shape will make short or
stubby fingers look longer and slimmer, An oval shape is also
less vulnerable to splits and breaks.

What’s the best length? First of all, be practical. Find a nail
length that is comfortable and compatible with your lifestyle.
Otherwise, the rule of thumb is simply: nail length should be in
proportion to the hand length, Which means, the shorter the
hand, the longer the nails. This creates the appearance of longer
hands, Long nails, no matter the size or shape of the hand, will
always be flattering.

Some nail-saving tips: remember, nails should never be used as
“tools”? to scrape, pry, poke or puncture. If you type, use the
pads of your fingers, not the nails. When dailing, likewise, or use
the end of a pen or pencil. If you use nail polish, try not to

change it more frequently than once a week. Nail polish removers
can be very drying to nails. Never file nails when they are wet, or
have been softened by immersion in water for any length of time.
When they are soft they are vulnerable to peeling and if filed can
tear. Keep cutting and filing to a gentle minimum. Cutting can

cause’ nail layers to separate, flake, and peel. Filing can weaken
the ‘tail and lead ‘to splitting and cracking.

NAR te ree

Cuticle care

"The cuticle protects the nail, sealing the nail to the surrounding
skin and keeping dirt and germs from invading the surrounding
tissue and causing infections. It is important to keep the cuticle

soft and supple, without cracks or raggedness. Never cut the cuti-

cle unless it is ragged or torn, Hangnails should be clipped only
as a last resort. When done, use sharp nail scissors. Never bite or
tear at hangnails,

To prevent ragged, rough cuticles, and the formation of
hangnails, try this:

A pre-manicure soak in warm water. Add a drop or two of
olive oil, wheat germ oil, or vitamin E oil. Soak fingertips until
cuticles have softened. Then, after gently drying, with the
greatest of care, and using a light touch, gently push back
cuticles. Use your fingertips, never a sharp object. Apply a cuti-
cle conditioner or oil, then massage hands, nails, and cuticles
with hand lotion. Do this once a week. In between times, protect
cuticles with frequent applications of hand lotion.

Nail fitness - -
Besides a good manicure, three more things you can do for your

well-groomed and cared-for nails:

‘Stimulate: A gentle buffing stimulates blood circulation and
encourages nail growth. Buffing can give your nails that little

_ boost toward “‘long and strong”’.

Work: Activity is also a stimulant to nail growth and strength.
The harder the “work” the stronger the nail growth. Typing and
piano-playing are two éxamples of activities good for nails.

Exercise: Yes, exercise. Believe it or not. The following simple
exercises are designed to promote nail growth.

@ The Blinking Light: clench fists tightly for a few seconds.
Then fling hands open, stretching the fingers wide apart. Hold,
then repeat up to six times. |

@ Happy Talk: press each finger, one at a time, against the
thumb. Hold briefly then release. Do this to both hands
simultaneously. .

@ Castanets: arms raised, stretch out fingers, With both hands,
individually, flick each finger, one by one, against the thumb,
then flick the thumb against the index finger. Repeat five or six
time,
. Your Perfect Ten

It was interesting to discover that hands, second only to the
face, are more often ‘‘on display’’ than any other part of the
body. For that reason, well-groomed and cared-for-fingernails
make an important impression on your overall personal ap-
pearance. Attractive looking nails are always fashionable. And
flattering to the hands. _

Beautiful nails. The finishing touch to your good grooming.
The perfect ten. -

suggest
changes
‘to mall —
exit turn
rules |

A recommendation. from the
Terrace RCMP detachment that the

_.- "Right Turn Only" sign at.the Eby
St. exit of the Skeena Mall- be

removed has been put on hold by
city council. In ratifying a recom-

- mendation made by the Planning

and Public Works Committee,
council wants to see the results of
a current downtown traffic study

before making any changes. -

~ Members of the committee .-dis-
cussed the RCMP recommendation
last month and noted that the
“Right Turn Only" sign was posted
at the request of the RCMP when
the mall was originally built.

The RCMP now suggest, how-
ever, that the construction of the
Kentucky Fried Chicken complex

between McDonalds and the

Mohawk Stop n’ Shop will add
traffic to Lakelse Ave., making it
even more difficult than it already
is for people to turn left onto
Lakelse from the mall’s main
entrance. It may be safer, they say,
to make that left tum onto Eby
across from the police station.

Thornhill Junior Secondary students kicked off the annual Christmas CounterAttack Program
with car horns, sirens and a mock accident during the noon hour last Friday. And the Thornhill
students will be doing much more in the weeks to come. Hundreds of bags with personalized
“Don't drink and drive" messages have already been dropped off at the Terrace liquor store, and
if you're one of hundreds of drivers stopped in a CounterAttack roadblock you may find one of
these students offering you educational pamphlets and a wish for a very merry, and accident free,

Christmas.