Vegan Nutrition Tips For Healthy Nails
Follow these vegan nutrition tips for healthy nails, and your body may surprise you!
The gene for strong, resilient talons seems to be absent among the women on my moms side of the familyme included. Thin, brittle, peeling, ridged, and highly breakablethese are the words coloring our nail-inspired laments. While I acknowledge that the quality of our nails, much like that of our hair, is influenced by genes , there are still some lifestyle changes that can make your nails as healthyand therefore as beautiful!as possible.
Before jumping into vegan nutrition tips for healthy nails, take a peek at this post on how to detox your manicure. What is good nutrition worth if were dousing our nails in harsh chemicals?
5 Vegan Nutrition Tips for Healthy Nails
1. Enjoy foods with silica, like millet and leafy green veggies. Among its many important duties, silica helps deliver nutrients to the peripherals of the body, i.e. hair, skin, and nails. Foods to incorporate: alfalfa, radish, romaine lettuce, burdock root, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, steel-cut oats, millet, and leafy greens. Try Creamy Cauliflower and Millet Mash.
3. Get enough protein. Hair and nails are made with proteins called keratin. Without enough dietary protein, the body wont have the proper building blocks to create strong and healthy nails. Fortunately, getting enough protein on a vegan diet can be easy and delicious For a quick boost of protein, try this Chocolate Cinnamon Vegan Protein Smoothie.
Choose Nail Tips Over Full Extensions
All our experts told WebMD that, in general, nail extensions are bad news for nails, frequently leading to fungal or even bacterial infections — and, says Stern, sometimes to permanent damage. If you must wear nail extensions, she says, opt for just tips. While they can still cause problems, the potential for damage is less since the surface area covered is smaller.
Moisturise Your Hands And Nails Regularly
So youre handbag/backpack/desk drawer now includes a water bottle. We also need to add some hand cream or moisturising lotion in there . Moisturiser not only keeps your skin healthy but also can keep your nails hydrated.
Moisturise your hands after washing your hands to restore the moisture back in after washing.
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Nourish Your Nail Beds
If a bumpy, ridged nail bed is completely ruining your mani, you might need to increase your vitamin B9 intake.
Otherwise known as folic acid, this vitamin repairs and multiplies the cells that make up nails, which speeds up growth and promotes overall nail health. It has also been shown to boost strength and prevent peeling.
‘Folic acid is responsible for healthy cell growth in skin tissue as well as hair and nails,’ explains Griggs. ‘A true deficiency in folic acid may cause discolouration and contribute to brittle and weak nails.’If you think you’re lacking, foods like beans and whole grains are rich in folic acid but you can buy folic acid supplements over the counter, too.
Avoid Biting Your Nails
People often bite their nails out of boredom, nervousness, and various other reasons. While they may not realize the consequences of nail-biting immediately, years of this habit can damage the nails severely.
Repetitive nail-biting over a long period can shorten the nails, destroy the cuticles, and even damage the nail bed. In addition, it increases the chances of developing a bacterial or fungal infection.
Therefore, quit this habit at the earliest to preserve the health of your nails. Applying a bitter-tasting polish on your nails may help control the habit. Also, try to determine the physical or mental triggers that initiate this habit and work to improve the condition.
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Use A Top Coat To Prevent Nail Chips
Don’t think you can skip a top coat, either. This step is just as important, as the top coat seals in the polish’s color and adds a much-needed gloss finish to your digits. Dr. Prystowsky recommends adding another top coat layer every three days to decrease chipping, so you’ll get the most out of your manicure.
How To Make Your Nails Grow Longer And Stronger
Buh-bye, brittle nails.
Maybe its been the lockdown boredom , but it seems so many of us are attempting to grow our nails longer and stronger right now.
If youve ditched the acrylics and taken a much-needed break from the gels, yet your nails are still brittle and flaky, we feel your pain.
On a mission to achieve the long, resilient talons of our dreams, weve tried out all the hacks and enlisted some of the best experts to reveal exactly how to make our nails grow longer, stronger and healthier for good. Stay with us for everything you need to know..
How To Grow Longer And Stronger Nails
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How To Get Strong Healthy Nails
Brittle, ridged, yellow, gnawed or frail nails may be a sign of deeper health issues. Help is at hand for naturally nice nails without the nasty chemicals.
Groomed nails are an obvious part of personal hygiene and key to a polished appearance, but nails are also important indicators of our overall health. While nail quality is partly determined by your genetics and habits, the state of your talons can also reveal underlying health conditions.
Take A Collagen Or Biotin Supplement
“Pay attention to your diet,” explains Amy Lin, the founder of sundaysa nail care brand focused on wellness. “Your nails are made of proteins and naturally need a lot of vitamins.” Specifically, your nails consist of keratin, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting your fill of keratin-building amino acids. Two of the most popular are biotin and collagen, as they tend to be the most effective in supporting nail health.*
First up: Biotin has been shown to support thickness and firmness of nails in several human studies.* One study, in particular, found that those who took biotin supplements had 25% thicker nailbeds than the placebo group.* In terms of collagen, another study showed that when patients took collagen daily for 24 weeks, their nail health was better maintained, including faster growth rates, reduced breakage, and improved appearance.*
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Ten Over Ten Celery Oil
Celery juice is trending as an overall health booster, and this capitalizes on some of the same benefits…for your nails. Celery seed extract improves thickness and minimizes the look of ridges, but this strengthening treatment also touts a long list of other beneficial ingredients, such as vitamin B3 and zinc to help harden nails and antioxidant-rich meadowfoam seed oil to protect them from environmental damage.
To buy: $26 tenoverten.com
Tips To Promote Nail Growth During The Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a lot of changes in most peoples daily routines – everything from working from home and taking on childcare 24/7 to missing out on happy hours, nights at the movies, and important life events. One thing that many people are missing is the ritual of the nail salon – everything from chatting with the nail technician to getting the care needed to keep nails strong and healthy.
At Texas College of Cosmetology, we have your back. We understand that you might not be able to or feel comfortable going back to your regular nail technician just yet. Thats why we put together this list of tips to help you grow strong, long, and healthy nails at home!
Grow those nails with these tips!
Fascinated by this topic? Consider nail technician school!
If youre finding that quarantine life has only increased your interest in beauty and nails, and if youve been considering a career change, it might be time to take the plunge and sign up for classes at Texas College of Cosmetology! At our beauty and vocational school, we give all of our students a strong grounding in nail care as well as industry-specific communication and business skills. And needless to say, we also offer lots of real-world, hands-on training. Our graduates are excellently positioned to begin long, rewarding careers in the nail industry.
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Take Care Of Your Tools
Disinfecting your nail tools between uses is just as important as regularly cleaning your makeup brushes, and it’s for the same reason: keeping bacteria away. To keep your nails happy and infection free, wash metal tools with soap and water and then wipe with rubbing alcohol. Also, regularly replace disposable tools like emery boards.
Choose A File With A High Grit Number
Did you know every nail file has an accompanying grit number? It’s typically a tiny number stamped either on the packaging or on the file itself, and it conveys how coarse the board will be against your nails. The higher the grit number, the softer the file.
In terms of maintaining strong nails, you’ll want to go with a file that has a higher grit number . “You want something that’s just a little bit more coarse than a regular buffer,” says Lim. No need to go scratching up the nail plate, here. If you can’t find a specific grit number on your file, Lim says you can just take your finger and run it across the board: “You shouldn’t feel much friction.”
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Use Nail Hardeners Periodically
You can also use nail lacquers known as nail strengtheners, nail hardeners, and fortifying nail builders to help restructure and strengthen your nails. These strengthening varnishes contain jojoba oil, camellia oil, or kukui nut oil and form a hard, thick, shiny coat on your nails to help prevent nail damage.
You can also use serum strengtheners containing lactic acid, cationic hyaluronic acid, silicone, calcium, methylsulfonylmethane, bamboo extracts, wheat protein, saccharide isomerate, celery seed extract, and urea. These ingredients are absorbed by the nail, providing moisturization.
Also, the application of hydroxypropyl chitosan nail lacquer has been shown to improve nail structures and protect them from physical nail injuries.
Avoid the use of nail hardeners that contain parabens and formaldehyde as they can harm your nails, often causing conditions such as chromonychia, onycholysis, hyperkeratosis, and subungual hemorrhage.
In addition, make sure to use the OTC nail-strengthening hardeners for only a short time and sparingly. If you need nail hardeners for long-term use, consult your doctor for prescription solutions that moisturize the nails while strengthening them.
Try A Keratin Supplement
Keratin is not just a hair treatmentit’s actually the main protein that makes up your nails. So taking a keratin supplement could help build strength and resiliency, much in the same way it works on your hair. Taking it orally or applying it topically as an oil may bring you one step closer to long and healthy nails.
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Take Breathers Between Manicures
Bottom line: Your nails need to breathe. Constant use of polish, even non-toxic polish, can weaken the nail, says Dr. Solomon. If you find that your nails have become especially fragile , give them a month off from nail polish to allow them to grow and strengthen. Applying a keratin treatment between manicures, such as CND RescueRXx, can help nourish your nails during the hiatus.
Watch Your Nails For Signs Of Health Problems
Most of the time, nail problems can be traced to environmental assaults — exposure to harsh cleaning chemicals, use of drying nail products, or just general physical abuse, such as typing or excessive use of fingertips.
That said, the American Academy of Dermatology advises that the condition of your nails can sometimes reflect a problem in your overall health. Here’s what they say to look out for:
- White nails — liver condition
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Be Selective About The Products You Use
Many nail polishes or treatments can contain harsh chemicals. These chemicals can contribute to the weakening of your nails. Avoid nail polish remover that contains acetone, and look for non-toxic nail polish remover. If you use longer-lasting gel nail polish, have it removed by your beauty therapist. If you remove it yourself or pick at it, you can actually damage your nails.
It may be worth considering short breaks from nail polish and gel, to give your nails a chance to strengthen and breathe.
It is also important to avoid exposing your hands and nails to harsh anti-bacterial soaps, washing up liquid and bleach when trying to maintain good nail health. Get those rubber gloves on!
Invest In A ‘soft’ Nail File
You might have heard that glass nail files are better for filing with, but while they’re pretty, longer-wearing and easy to clean, it pays to invest in a ‘soft’ file, according to Session Manicurist, Ami Streets.
‘To get the best finish from your filing, always opt for a soft file to prevent tearing or splitting your nails,’ she says. Her top picks? ‘Orly’s nail file is probably one of best I’ve used because of the durability and the way it gives the smoothest finish really fast.’
‘Pro products are always best and usually more hard wearing. I really like the Natural Nail Company because you can choose a file depending on whether your nails are soft or hard, and there are even options for acrylics.’
What’s more, you really need to nail your filing technique. Back and forth see-saw motions will only cause the nail to splinter, so always file in one direction, using long, swift but gentle strokes.
Pro Tip: ‘Start from the outside edge and move into the centre,’ advises Streets. ‘This technique will give you a smooth finish and more control over the shape you’re trying to achieve.’
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Foods For Strong Nails
We dont, however, eat nutrients. We eat food. So, a nutrient-rich diet that provides an array of the nutrients above would logically help support strong, healthy nails. Top foods for strong nails include:
Protect Your Nails With A Base Coat
When you’re painting your nails at home, don’t skip the base coat. Dr. Prystowsky points out that this step both shields the nails from being stained by polish and helps the color look more saturated and opaque with just one coat. Even without color, “strengthening varnishes leave a shiny hard coating on nails reinforce tips, making them appear thicker and can protect against damage,” says Wnek. And if you really want to take things to the next level, Dr. Shamban suggests adding a coat of clear gloss between each layer to add extra shine and protection.
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Protect Your Nails From Chemical And Uv Exposure
In case you didn’t know: Your nails can experience sun damage, too, turning them yellow, brittle, or dimpled. To protect your tips, experts recommend a UV filter polish that’s able to absorb the rays .
On the chemical front, it’s important to be mindful of any harsh ingredients seeping into your nails. You might have swapped your acetone polish remover, sure, but think about other ways your nails are exposed to chemicals on the daily. For example, if you have traditional dish soap in your kitchen, perhaps wear gloves while cleaning to avoid drying out the nails. “It might be a small step, but over time you’ll notice the difference in your health and the appearance of your nails,” says Lin.
Use A Base Coat And A Top Coat
Whether you apply nail polish frequently or occasionally, the chemicals and colours in these paints can harm your nails and discolour them. An easy way to prevent this, and ensure your nail paint stays on for longer is using a base coat and a top coat. This is a simple nail care habit that every woman should adopt. After cleansing your nails thoroughly, apply the base and wait for a few minutes. Then apply two coats of your favourite nail colour, wait until it dries off, then apply a top coat to seal everything.
Pro tip: Buy your nail products from a renowned brand, as you cannot be sure of the ingredients in substandard ones.
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Try The Following Home Remedies
Various home remedies have been shown anecdotally to improve the health of nails. However, when trying these remedies, keep in mind that they are not backed by scientific evidence.
Since the remedies are generally safe, you can use them as an adjunct to other self-care measures and see if they work for you.
The following home remedies may aid in strengthening your nails:
- Mix one egg yolk with 2 tbsp of milk or cream, and apply the mixture to your nails. Wash it off after 1015 minutes. This remedy can help nourish your nails and make them stronger.
- To 1 tbsp of warm olive oil, add 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar and 1 tbsp of beer and mix well. Soak your nails in this mixture for about 15 minutes.
- Dilute apple cider vinegar with equal amounts of water, and soak your nails in the solution for up to 10 minutes.
- Mix green tea, a few drops of wheat germ oil, and a pinch of salt. Soak your nails in the mixture for 5 minutes, and wipe them with a dry cloth.
- Add 1 tsp of lemon juice to 3 tsp of warm olive oil. Dab this solution on your nails using a cotton swab. Once the mixture is dry, cover your hands with soft, cotton gloves, preferably overnight.
