Bacterial infections tend to infect the skin around your nails, kind of like paronychia. "It becomes red, swollen, and very painful. Sometimes there's pus or drainage that comes out of it," says Jacqueline Sutera, DPM, a New York City-based podiatrist. If the infection gets really bad, it can spread to the skin underneath the nail, "causing the nail plate to separate from the nail bed." (Gross, we know.)

Before you freak out, there is something you can do to prevent your nail from falling off. Cut the nail to relieve any pressure, and soak the infected nail in warm water mixed with Epson salt like Dr. Teals Epsom Salt Soaking Solution, $5.99. Submerge it for 20 minutes, twice a day, for three days. "The salt draws the infection closer to the surface and hopefully will bring it out of the skin," says Sutera. "It also helps reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain." Then, apply an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin and cover it up with a Band-Aid. If the swelling isn't reduced after three days, it's time to go to the doctor.

You probably don't think of a yeast infection as a nail problem, but it's a common issue. It's basically Athlete's Foot on your nail instead of your skin, and you can get it whenever you come into contact with fungus. "We live in a world filled with bacteria and fungal organisms, so an injury on a nail is open to infection," says Bailey. And, unfortunately, she says a fungal infection is harder to treat than a bacterial one.

If your nail is infected, you'll start to see yellow or green discoloration, and the nail will become thick, says Sutera. Then, it'll start to become flaky and develop a crumbly appearance; creating thick debris under the nail that looks almost like Parmesan cheese you can scrape out (again, so gross, we know).

Before your nail starts flaking away, try over-the-counter remedies like Fungi Cure, tea tree oil, or Lotrimin -- the same OTC treatment Bailey recommends for paronychia. Drip it under your nail morning and night to help kill the fungus. "The problem, however, gets worse when water gets stuck under the nail, enabling the organisms to flourish and grow again," says Bailey. So after water contact, Bailey recommends patting the nails dry, and applying rubbing alcohol to the nail as an antimicrobial. But if the nasty Parmesan action starts happening, you'll want to go to the podiatrist.

If you're prone to brittle, weak nails, pop biotin supplements. Biotin is a B vitamin that is necessary for the production of keratin, a structural protein in your skin, hair, and nails.

To fix a splitting nail, Bailey says you want to clip and file your nails when they're wet. To avoid making the split worse, file in the direction of nail growth, which is from the sides to the middle. "Nails are made of layers and they're also made of parallel ridges that grow from the cuticles to the ends," she says. "You want to go with the growth -- not against it."

It's uncommon, but cancer cells can grow under nails. Geogha says you can typically tell something's amiss if there are blue-black or brown discolored, asymmetrical lines showing up on your nail beds. Of course, there is no at-home treatment for melanoma. If you see this kind of asymmetrical discoloration under your nails, see your doctor immediately. "You'll likely need a biopsy," says Geogha.

Now that you've got your nastiest nail issues in check, see how to fancy up those digits with these fab nail art ideas.