Ditch Nail Polish Removers That Contain Acetone
A nail polish remover loaded with acetone is harsh on weak nails and can dry them out something fierce. This can cause peeling, splitting, and those unsightly white, mottled marks, says Dr. Solomon.
Her rec? Tenoverten Non-Acetone Polish Remover. Its essential oil-based, removes polish in a matter of seconds, and feels very gentle on nails and cuticles, she says.
Take An Extension Break
If youre a nail extension addict, its possible that the constant pressure of having extensions or the harsh removal process is taking a toll on your nails. If youve always had nail extensions, and your nails below wont grow, it might be time to spend a few months with bare nails.
You dont have to give up on nail enhancement entirely, however, since we do have some suggestions for how to keep your manicure gentle.
Always Cut Your Nails
As much as you might love the look of long, beautifully-shaped fingernails, its best to avoid growing them out if you want to make them stronger. Keep your nails shorter, as the longer they are, the easier it is for them to get traumatized, says Dr. Jaber. Short nails are far less likely to be broken in your everyday life. As an added bonus, its also much easier to maintain the appearance of nails when theyre short! Discover more tips to protect your nails.
Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Fingernail Ridges
Add A Nail Strengthener To Your Routine
Prescription topical agents, such as Nuvail and Genadur, can help to strengthen weakened nails. While OTC nail hardeners can do the trick in the short-term, prescription strengtheners are the best choice for long-term use, since they contain chemicals that both increase the strength of the nail and trap moisture in to prevent future brittleness. Consistent and dedicated use of the nail hardeners is key for successful results, says Dr. Allawh.
Shape Your Nails With A File
If you want to prevent your nails from snagging and tearing, you gotta keep those babies in tip-top shape. Always keep an emory board or a glass nail file nearby to avoid snags that’ll set you back in your nail growth journey. Although you can definitely stick to whatever nail shape you prefer, Dr. Agbai says rounding your nails at the sides will help to improve nail strength and decrease breaking and chipping.
Also Check: Vicks Rub Toenail Fungus
Go Natural With Soaps And Shampoos
Detergents and other cleaners arent the only chemical products your nails are exposed to. Soaps and shampoos are also commonly made with chemicals including sodium lauryl sulfate, phthalates, and parabens. Theyre designed to strip away oils from your scalp and hands, so it stands to reason that theyd also dry out your nails, leaving them weak and brittle.
Its not practical to wear gloves when dealing with these products, so choose more organic, natural alternatives instead. Soaps and shampoos all list their ingredients on the packs to help you make a more informed choice.
With these tips for growing long, strong nails in mind, you need never resort to those damaging gel and acrylic alternatives again!
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.’
Read Also: Is Kerasal Good For Nail Fungus
Use A Cuticle Oil Daily
According to Ama Quashie, session manicurist and founder of Ama salon, the secret to growing your best nails is: hydration, hydration, hydration. ‘To have strong nails, they need to be healthy and to be healthy, they need to be hydrated,’ she says. ‘Cuticle oil works by hydrating the cuticle and nail bed, which is why it’s such an important step in nail care, whether you’re growing your nails or simply want them to look their best.’
Her favourites? Skip the pricey branded bottles and opt instead for organic Dadi oil or a simple jojoba: they’ll do the job just as well and don’t cost the earth.
Drink More Water And Watch Your Diet
Drinking water is among the most frequently given recommendations and one of the easiest to comply with. Apart from hydrating your body in general, this valuable liquid is suitable for your nails.
The same goes for herbal teas, such as tea, when drunk every day. Similarly, proper nutrition plays an incidental role in the growth and strength of your nails.
So introduce zinc, selenium, silica, L-cystine, vitamin D and protein into your diet through different foods.
There are also shakes, dairy, lean meat and dietary supplements that you can take advantage of.
Always keep in mind that by being in excellent condition internally, you will reflect natural well-being on the outside.
Read Also: Vitamin For Nail Fungus
How To Get Strong Nails
This article was co-authored by Mohiba Tareen, MD. Mohiba Tareen is a board certified Dermatologist and the founder of Tareen Dermatology located in Roseville, Maplewood and Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Tareen completed medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. While a dermatology resident at Columbia University in New York City, she won the Conrad Stritzler award of the New York Dermatologic Society and was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Tareen then completed a procedural fellowship which focused on dermatologic surgery, laser, and cosmetic dermatology.There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 262,334 times.
Weak fingernails can lead to splits, ragged edges, or painful hangnails. Despite many popular and dubious beauty tips, there are really only a few solutions that work. For most people on a healthy diet, daily moisturizing and a switch to gentle nail care routines are the only changes worth considering.
Stop Picking At Your Cuticles
Stop picking, biting, tearingpretty much all of the “ings” you’re used to doing. Leave ’em alone or risk causing damage to the nail and the surrounding cuticle. Dr. Agbai explains that for nails to stay healthy, the skin on the surrounding cuticles need to be healthy as well. Oh, and the same goes for using your nails as a tool. Nails are for painting, not for opening cans.
Read Also: Removing Color Street Nail Strips
Apply Cuticle Oil Regularly
The end of every manicure finishes with a shiny slick of cuticle oil painted across the bottom of our nails, but what does it do? When applied daily and massaged into the base of the nail, cuticle oils help with the nail condition and stimulates the growth, explains Gray. This is due to the massage action, which brings blood and nutrients to the brain of the nail, also known as the matrix. This is the full moon at the base of the fingernail where the cells of the nails are formed.
Draper adds, You should also use cuticle oil at least twice a day to encourage strong regrowth I love Dadi oil, a treatment oil high in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. Keep it by your toothbrush to help to remember to apply it and massage it in twice a day.
Preventing And Treating Dry Skin
Dry skin often means that the nails are also dry. Very dry skin can even crack open and bleed, exposing the nails to fungal and bacterial infections.
When the skin surrounding the nail bed or nail matrix is dry, it could damage the nails as they grow.
To prevent dry skin, moisturize hands and nails during the winter months and apply lotion after washing hands. People who have eczema should choose eczema-friendly creams that are highly moisturizing.
Recommended Reading: Varisi Nail Solution Reviews
Consider Popping Biotin Supplements
Its yet to be proven without a doubt, but biotin may help to strengthen hair and nails. Because its water-soluble, it isnt stored by the body, so you have to ensure that you consume it daily, says Dr. Solomon.
Generally, most adults should be getting 30 micrograms of biotin daily, according to the National Institutes of Health. The typical recommended supplemental dose is roughly up to 3,000 mcg daily for six months, according to the Cleveland Clinic, but your doctor may recommend less or more, depending on your personal health.
If theres no improvement in nail strength by that time, odds are biotin is unlikely to be helpful. But if your nails do become stronger and you decide to make biotin supplementation a regular thing, make sure you stop taking them a few days before getting any lab tests done, as large amounts of biotin in your system can skew test results.
Why Do Your Nails Get Damaged And Break
The truth is that there are different reasons why nails do not grow strongly. And you must know these reasons to attack the problem at its source.
Some of the things you should avoid so that they grow and stay healthy, involve activities and habits such as those specified below:
– Eating a diet low in vitamins.
– Working in the garden without the use of appropriate gloves.
– Using detergents or cleaning products without gloves.
– Biting your nails.
– Neglecting hand and nail hygiene.
– Not consuming enough minerals.
Also Check: Delaminating Fingernails
Nails And Hair Are Made Of Similar Components
Nails are made of several layers of hard keratin similar to hair. Your skin contains a thin layer of keratin too, with the thickest on your palms and soles. But whats the difference between hair, nails, and skin? Your hair and nails contain more of the amino acid cysteine than the soft keratins of the skin. Whats more, nails have a lower fat and water content, and the skin regularly sheds its outer layer of keratin, while nails dont.
Want Long Nails Take Care Of Your Body
In other wordseat healthy! When Im eating right, I notice a huge difference in my nail strength and growth. And it makes sense! If your body is getting the right nutrients, then it will have spare supplies to make better nails. As an added bonus, my hair also starts to look fantastic when Im eating right. Hmmm.I think its time to start eating right again! LOL. Ive kinda fallen off the wagon this past yearbut I dont want my nails and hair to look bad! Not to mention my waistline! 😛
When Im eating right, my nails break less often and I see less hair in the shower drain! As I mentioned above, it takes 4-9 months for your nails to grow out so if you start eating better now, your nails will see the benefits in a few months. Againwell worth the wait! Plus, the other benefits of eating better will be worth it, too. 🙂
Sometimes people will recommend taking an additional biotin supplement. I have tried this and it didnt make a difference for me, but if its ok with your doctor, then you might as well try it!
Recommended Reading: How To Take Out Your Contacts With Long Nails
Maintain A Healthy Diet
Apart from ingesting protein as a keratin supplement, you should also be incorporating food with protein into your diet. Not only is it important to eat the right amount of protein for your overall health and nutrition, but it can also affect your nails and the speed at which they grow. “Vitamins and eating healthy promotes better conditioning from within to help with the growth of your nails,” says Aaron.
Take Care Of Your Cuticles
Cuticles create a barrier on your nails that naturally protects them against fungus and bacteria. That’s why you should also take care of them and avoid cutting them as much as possible when giving your nails a manicure. Cutting cuticles too much will only make them more rigid and thicker.
If you dislike how your cuticles look, try to minimise them by using a smooth wooden stick.
Before gently pushing them back, dampen them with a little warm water to make the task easier. Also, consider using some special cuticle oil.
Although baby oil can also be used for cuticles. By doing this, your cuticles will stay soft, and you will have a nice texture on your strong nails.
Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Ridges In Nails
Clean With A Nail Brush
Many women risk infection with rigorous cleaning under the nails using long, pointy tools, both at home and during manicures. “Women themselves or the manicurist are trying so diligently to clean under the nail that they end up with a kind of a gap between the nail and the nail bed,” Kleinsmith explains. This kind of aggressive nail care is an open door to bacterial or fungal infections. Instead, scrub gently with an old-fashioned nail brush for healthy nails.
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.
Also Check: Dip Powder Nail Fill Cost
How To Grow Nails Faster And Stronger
- Post author
How To Grow Nails Faster And Stronger
It must be really annoying when youre trying to grow out your nails but they just dont seem to grow! You wait and wait, but to no avail. They chip, and break, till you are forced to trim them. And so, your efforts of growing them out have failed miserably once more. Dont give up! You havent tried everything just yet.
But first, lets look at exactly why your nails arent growing.
Question : How Fast Do Nails Grow
Nails grow as new cells form and push the nail plate forward. The speed of this differs per person, but on average nails grow about 3 mm per month. This means that it takes about six months for a fingernail to renew itself. For some, nails grow less quickly. Various factors play a role such as diet, occupation or vitamin deficiency. Its also possible that your nails grow downwards or upwards because you have bumped your toe or have been wearing shoes that are too small. This interferes with growth and can cause them to grow differently.
Also Check: Taking Out Contacts With Nails
How To Strengthen Nails Naturally: 11 Solutions To Try Today
- University of Plymouth
- University of the West of England
- University of Tennessee
If your nails are weak and prone to breakage, you might have been tempted to rely on gel manicures to hide their imperfections. Instead of doing this, there are many ways that you can encourage them to grow back stronger.
From adapting your diet to using nourishing homemade hand lotions or avoiding harsh chemical polishes, we’ve rounded up 11 ways to start strengthening your nails naturally and easily at home.
Use Cuticle Serums For Moisturization
Healthy cuticles are the key to healthy, strong nails. However, it is quite common to damage your cuticles or push them too far, often increasing the risk of infection in the nail bed. Your cuticles may also get damaged due to medical conditions that lower blood circulation to the extremities, such as diabetes.
To help strengthen your nail cuticles and boost blood flow to them, it is suggested to perform a quick massage. You can use coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, almond oil, double-duty ointments, hand creams, and skin protectants to massage your cuticles.
Invest in a cuticle oil that not only moisturizes the cuticles but also nourishes and repairs them, all of which contribute to improved cuticle health. You can purchase cuticle oils with a high content of shea oil.
Simply gently massage your nails with the product for 510 minutes. Wear cotton gloves once the product is absorbed and leave it on overnight. Wash your nails in the morning using warm water. Eczema-friendly creams are also available for people with eczema.
Don’t Miss: How To Hang Canvas Board Without Nails
