Check In With Your Doctor
“Vitamins and minerals are super critical to developing healthy nails,” says Dr. Kim. “In this busy world, it can be challenging to eat the right combination of foods each day. Thus, I highly recommend finding the right oral supplements to ensure that you are getting all the nutrients you need each day.” Your doctor can help you pinpoint if you have any deficiencies by discussing your diet and running blood tests.
While not every health expert sees eye to eye on the potential of collagen supplements for nail growth, Dr. Kim sees promise. Her reasoning: “To have healthy nails, you need to ensure that you have the building blocks necessary to develop healthy nails,” she says. “Numerous scientific studies recommend oral ingestion of bioactive collagen peptides.” Here’s an example of one small study where oral collagen peptide supplements such as the ones below seemed to affect nail growth rate and brittleness.
A doctor can also help rule out other potential issues that can cause brittle nails such as a thyroid issue, says Dr. Kim. Depending on your situation, they might suggest trying an Rx treatment. “There are several prescription interventions that have scientific studies demonstrating efficacy for nails such as topical application of Tazorac or Genadur,” says Dr. Kim.
Avoid Harsh Soaps And Cleansers
While you should be washing your hands more often than usual now, Gohara recommends staying away from harsh soaps and cleansers as they can further weaken and irritate nails. Gohara, who has a partnership with Dove, loves using the brand’s Foaming Hand Wash as a gentle option. We also love Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Liquid Hand Soap, which smells like freshly squeezed lemonade.
Factors That Affect Nail Growth
The growth of your nails can be influenced by several factors:
- Compulsive nail biting not only chips away the nail plate but may also introduce various bacterial infections that can spread to the underlying nail bed. This habit impedes nail growth and damages the skin in the area. ;
- Wearing fake nails or nail extensions that are improperly fitted or applied or using contaminated tools and adhesives can damage or infect the nail bed. Plus, extensive use of these artificial enhancements can reduce blood flow to the nails, making them brittle and dull over time and hindering their growth.
- Fungal nail infections are major causes of impeded nail growth.;They are quite common among all age groups and usually make your nails thick, stained, and prone to breakage or cracking.
- Using substandard nail products can deteriorate nail health. Low-quality nail paints tend to dry out quickly and damage the nail plate.
- Hormones can affect nail development in healthy people. During pregnancy and just before menstruation, womens nails grow at a quicker pace. During lactation, women may experience slower nail growth.
- Not applying a base coat before the nail paint can cause chemicals in the nail paint formulation to seep through the nail plate into the nail bed, damaging both structures.
Also Check: Where To Buy Dashing Diva Press On Nails
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.
Use A Keratin Treatment
Found naturally in nails, it’s responsible for making them flexible but don’t let that word put you off. It doesn’t mean they’ll be thin, fragile or bendy, but fortified and much less likely to chip.
Pro Tip: It might sound obvious, but Quashie’s top piece of advice is actually the easiest way to keep your nails looking as good as possible. ‘Don’t use your nails as tools remember, be gentle!’
Read Also: Does Nail Polish Remover Kill Bed Bugs
Lemon Juice Could Help To Brighten Your Nails And Remove Stains And The Vitamin C Promotes Stronger Growth
How to grow nails faster and stronger · reasons why your fingernails aren’t growing · best vitamins for nail growth. Pay attention to your diet · 5. Using a cotton pad, swipe lemon;. She says you can start seeing stronger nails within just two weeks of application, usually much earlier. how to apply nail strengtheners. Lemon juice could help to brighten your nails and remove stains, and the vitamin c promotes stronger growth. We all want strong, thick, beautiful nails. Soak them in cold lemon water. Wear rubber gloves when you’re cleaning · keep your nails trimmed · consider upping your biotin intake · avoid nail polish removers and hand;. Vaseline or petroleum jelly · 3. 10 effective home remedies for faster nail growth · 1. Home remedies may aid in strengthening your nails:. Take a biotin supplement · 2. Because nobody wants weak nails.
Home remedies may aid in strengthening your nails:. 15 tips for stronger nails · 1. How to make your nails grow faster and stronger naturally at home? Soak them in cold lemon water. Pay attention to your diet · 5.
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.
You May Like: Is It Hard To Do Dip Nails At Home
Cut Back On Gel And Acrylic Manicures
They may be touted as an easy alternative for people who have trouble growing their nails, but frequent gel or acrylic manicures can cause your nails to peel, weakening them in the process. These manicures also expose your digits to excessive amounts of acetone in the soak required to remove them, which is very drying to the nail, says Dr. Klein. If you prefer to keep these types of manicures on rotation, make sure to either give your nails time to breathe between applications or save them for special occasions.
How To Grow Long Strong Nails
This article was co-authored by Lindsay Yoshitomi. Lindsay Yoshitomi is the nail artist behind the blog, Lacquered Lawyer. She was featured as one of Nail It! magazines Bloggers You Should Know, and has been on the cover of Nail Art Gallery Magazine. She has been practicing nail art for over 15 years.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 101 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 2,258,100 times.
Growing long and strong nails is a multi-step process. As long as you take good care of your nails, you can grow them to the length you desire. You need to start by making sure you stop bad nail habits. After that, taking appropriate vitamins and manicuring properly will help you grow long, strong nails.
Recommended Reading: How To Take Off Powder Nails
Always Apply Base And Top Coats
Base and top coats are especially helpful when your nails are on the weaker side because they provide your nails with an additional protective barrier from things like dehydration and breakage, says Dr. Evans. Essies Grow Stronger Base Coat leaves nails nourished and protected, for example, while the brands Good to Go Top Coat protects your mani from chipping and peeling.
Going Short Can Strengthen Nails
“Whether you realize it or not, when you have long nails you’re constantly hitting them on your keyboard, the door, you name it. People underestimate how much of an impact this has,” says Tuttle.
Keep your nails short and give them a chance to grow out stronger and healthier than before. The other upshot: Nails that aren’t in great shape look healthier when they’re shorter, adds Holford.
Bannon adds that giving yourself a mini “manicure” even if it’s just as simple as filing your nails every two to four days can prevent breakage and snags. If your nails are really in need of some T.L.C., repeat these manis for two to four weeks to see results and stronger nails.
RELATED: The 10 Best Nail Art Ideas for Short Nails
Recommended Reading: Where Do You Nail Shingles
Take A Closer Look At Your Shampoo
If youre using a shampoo that is drying or aims to strip oils , it might be drying out your nails and causing weak or brittle nails. Try changing up your shampoo for a couple of weeks and see if you notice a difference.
If youve tried multiple things for several weeks and havent noticed any change in your nails, see a dermatologist. They can take a look at your nails and ask you questions about your routine and overall health.
If need be, they can prescribe a prescription-strength nail treatment that can help to strengthen your nails.
Foods That Make Your Nails Stronger
It is more than a known truth that to have a healthy body, skin, hair and even nails, one must be mindful of their diets and foods they consume. Our food intake has a direct effect on the way our body functions. If you want to know how to make your nails grow faster, you should make sure you’re consuming growth-inducing nutrients. Read on more about the food that helps in making your nails grow faster.
Don’t Miss: Can Toenail Fungus Live In Nail Polish
Save Professional Mani/pedis For A Special Treat
Manicures and pedicures may provide the kind of psychological boost we can all use from time to time. However, overdoing it can lead to you guessed it brittle, weak nails.
Want the best of both worlds? Do what Dr. Stern suggests and go with a dry manicure. Imagine: All the mani benefits and none of the water stresses on your nails.
Wear Protective Gloves To Strengthen Your Fingernails Naturally
Contact with chemical products is a factor that contributes greatly to the deterioration of our fingernails. Therefore, to maintain fingernail strength,;you must wear protective gloves when it comes to domestic tasks that involve cleaning products.
Also, its helpful to only use environmentally-friendly products. After all, whats good for the environment is also good for your body!
No matter what, gloves act as a barrier that keeps chemicals from coming into direct contact with your fingernails. Whats more, they protect your hands when they need to be submerged in water;for long periods.
Discover:;5 Tricks to Eliminate Nail Fungus Strengthen Nails
You May Like: What Kind Of Nailer Do I Need
Use Gloves Whenever Needed
Excessive hand washing can be damaging to your nails as constant exposure to soapy or hot water can soften your nails, making them brittle and weak. In addition, constant contact with water can cause nail splitting, which may lead to a condition known as onychoschizia.
Similarly, nails exposed to the dry winter weather often become brittle. This happens especially when temperature fluctuations occur while moving indoors to outdoors or vice versa. Your nails expand and contract periodically according to the temperature they are in. These repetitive changes can weaken the cells, making the nails prone to breakage.
Therefore, wear gloves to protect your nails from water- or weather-caused damage. Use cotton-lined rubber gloves while working with water, such as during gardening, doing the dishes, or housecleaning. Wearing gloves also prevents dirt from getting into your nails, preventing infections.
Additionally, make sure to wipe your nails dry after swimming or showering to keep them dry and prevent bacterial growth.
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 Relieve Nail Fungus
Tips To Make Your Nails Stronger And Harder
- Just like your skin your fingernails also need to be well-hydrated. ;You can do this by applying petroleum jelly into the cuticle and the skin around it. ;Do this every night before going to bed. ;You can also use castor oil or olive oil.
- You can also apply lotion every morning. ;Rub the lotion into the cuticles.
- You can also take 300 micrograms of Biotin 4-6 times a day. ;This will make it as hard as a horses hooves.
- Avoid biting your fingernails. ;Keep them out of your mouth. ; ; ; Saliva makes them weaker.
- There are products that can help you harden your fingernails. ;They can increase your chance to grow it longer and healthier.
- Wear rubber gloves before doing household chores like washing the dishes, cleaning the floor, doing the laundry, gardening, and other work at home. ;The chemicals that you use can be harmful to your nails.
- Use good clippers and files.
If you follow the tips, you will have a bigger chance to make it grow longer and healthier. ;Personally, I prefer short fingernails. ;They look cleaner for me. ;They are also easier to manage and clean.
Home Remedies To Make Your Nails Grow Faster
In this article:
Nails are composed of a fibrous protein called keratin, which also makes up the hair and skin. Nails grow rather slowly, usually up to 23 mm a month.
Fingernails are relatively faster to develop than toenails and, therefore, need to be filed more regularly, unless you want to keep them long for cosmetic appeal. However, maintaining long nails can be a difficult task as they accumulate dirt easily and are prone to cracking, splitting, or breakage. ;
Keeping your nails in good condition makes a great impression. Conversely, unclean, discolored, or chipped nails tend to reflect poorly on your hygiene and overall personality. Plus, this kind of negligence can further slow nail growth.
This article will discuss the various causes of slow nail growth and how to address it through nail care, remedies, and lifestyle choices.
Don’t Miss: Where Can I Get Clear Nails Plus
Apply Cuticle Oil Daily
Cuticle care is always a good idea, problem nails or not. That’s because dehydrated, frayed cuticles can lead to damaged nailbeds and infection if they’re left untreated ; rehydrating and moisturizing that surrounding skin is key for top-notch nail care. Add a cuticle oil to your daily routine: Many options include fatty acids and vitamins that nourish the nails and fill in any micro-cracks in the skin.;
While using the dropper daily is enough to keep nails healthy, chief educator of Paintbox Evelyn;Lim says you can use a cuticle oil up to three times a day if your tips are feeling especially dehydrated . “Apply cuticle oil at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Why not?”;
What Your Nails Have To Say
Don’t be surprised if your doctor takes a look at your nails at your next checkup, even if you’re having no problems with them. Fingernails provide good clues to a person’s overall health.
For instance, when the doctor presses your nails, he or she is checking your blood circulation. By looking at your nails, a doctor may find changes that may be associated with skin problems, lung disease, anemia, and other medical conditions. Your nails are in the know!
Recommended Reading: Where To Buy Opi Nail Polish
Do You Bite Your Nails
Are you the one who starts biting fingernails at the hint of any anxiety? Here is the time to tell you to absolutely stop this practice. If you want your nails to grow faster, you need to stop biting them. Not only biting nails is unhealthy for your body and stomach, but it may also lead to bacterial infections. Biting nails can also lead to chipped nail paints. Now, who wants that? No one, right!
Mayo Clinic Q And A: Self
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My fingernails are thin, and they tear and split easily. Is there anything I can do to make them stronger?
ANSWER: Weak fingernails often can be strengthened with some basic self-care steps. If you try those techniques and you dont see any improvement after about a month, though, consider talking to your doctor or seeing a dermatologist.
Your nails are part of your skin. They are made up of layers of the protein keratin and grow from the area at the base of the nail under your cuticle. As new cells grow, older cells become hard and compacted, and eventually are pushed out toward your fingertips. Healthy nails are smooth, without ridges, grooves, spots or discoloration.
Fingernails may become weak or brittle due to harsh conditions. For example, regular use of nail polish remover that contains acetone can wear nails down over time. Repeated exposure to very hot or very cold temperatures also can be hard on your nails. Frequent contact with chemicals, such as those in many cleaning products, may weaken nails. If your nails are immersed in water for long periods of time, that can make them more prone to splitting.
If your efforts to strengthen your fingernails dont help, or if nail problems seem to be associated with other symptoms, see your doctor or a dermatologist. He or she may recommend the nutritional supplement biotin. Some research suggests it might help strengthen weak or brittle fingernails.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Sally Hansen Nail Strengthener
