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.”
Simple Practices To Make Your Nails Stronger
There are many reasons for brittleness, so if you have other symptoms of vitamin deficiency, it’s always worth seeking medical advice. However, for healthy nails, a few changes are often all it takes to restore the beauty of your nails. In spring and summer, nail plates are more prone to drying out, so they need even more attention in the warmer months.
What Should I Eat To Strengthen My Nails
The importance of a healthy diet cannot be stressed enough, because apart from deficiency diseases, unpleasant symptoms such as hair breakage or chapping nails also appear. To avoid this, it is not worth denying your body of any nutrients.
Remember, the health and strength of your nails depends on your diet!
For some people with weaker, slower-growing nails, it is worth taking more of certain vitamins. Some products focus specifically on the health of hair and nails, but these are medicines, so it’s much better to supplement the missing nutrients naturally, without any drugs.
Also Check: How To Make Nail Polish Remover At Home Easy
Give The Polish A Rest
Many of us are guilty of trying to making our nail polish last as long as possible, says Choi. We hope to extend the life of our color with constant touch-ups, then when the chips become too noticeable to bear, we head straight to a salon for a fresh coat. This all makes sense for cosmetic purposes, but having nail polish on your nails for too long greatly damages their strength and overall health, warns Dr. Jaber. Even the safest nail polishes can leave your nails brittle, thin, and dry if left on for too long. Instead, fully remove your nail polish after five days and allow them the same amount of time to recover before getting them re-painted. Leaving polish on too long is just one of the surprising ways you could be ruining your nails.
Eat These 5 Foods To Make Your Nails Shiny And Strong
These foods are particularly rich in biotin, iron, and zinc, among others, which are all essential for healthy nails.
- BroccoliBroccoli is rich in iron, zinc, vitamin C and even has immune-boosting properties. During the autumn, it is recommended to eat it not only for the sake of healthy nails. A lack of iron can lead to thinning of the nails, so it’s a good idea to eat foods, like broccoli, that are rich in it.
- EggsEggs are rich in biotin, which not only helps to prevent nail fragmentation but also hair loss.
- AlmondsAlmonds are a source of high levels of vitamin E and magnesium, so they also contribute to healthier and longer nails.
- CarrotsCarrots are packed with vitamin A, which has a strengthening effect, and regular consumption also makes bones harder to break.
- SpinachSpinach is also highly nutritious, as it contains both vitamin C and vitamin E. Regular consumption will result in strong and healthy nails.
Also Check: Glam Upped Nail Kit
Remember Toenails Count Too
Everything that applies to your fingernails applies to your toenails, which experts say may be even more prone to problems due to careless pedicures. “Because feet are more often inside shoes — a dark, moist environment — fungus can grow more easily,” says Ravits. If you get regular pedicures, experts say take your own instruments and never let the tech dig under the nail or around the cuticle. Moreover, Ravits says cutting toenails at an angle — instead of straight across — increases the risk of ingrown toenails, which can be painful and sometimes develop into an infection.
What Can Help Strengthen Your Nails
First things first, Dr. Lamb said to make sure you’re not vitamin deficient. A diet that lacks key nutrients like biotin, iron or magnesium can result in brittle, thinning nails.
Additionally, Dr. Lamb advised ensuring that your nail technicians are keeping their equipment sanitized and clean. She also mentioned that lacquers and nail hardeners are great for daily use. “Nail polish doesn’t always thin your nails it can act as a very good protectant,” explained Dr. Lamb.
Based on Dr. Lamb’s advice, weve selected some highly rated products for brittle and thin nails that you can incorporate into your routine starting today. Take back the health of your nails once and for all!
You May Like: Varisi Nail Solution Reviews
Why Is Spinach Good For Nails
Concave nails or vertical nail ridges can be signs of iron deficiency. While anaemia isnt only caused by deficiency in nutritional iron, eating a food like spinach thats high in iron is one way to address the issue. Spinach also contains lots of other essential micronutrients, but its one of the best plant sources of iron.
How To Strengthen Weak Nails Naturally
Fact Checked
Nails are made from keratin, a protein found in the skin and hair, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Living cells in the fingers make the protein, which is then pushed towards the ends of the fingers where it hardens. Several factors, including age, environmental abuse and disease, can contribute to weak, brittle nails but there are ways to strengthen them using natural methods. Protecting the nails from the elements is one of the best ways to get strong, healthy nails.
Trim nails to a short, squarish shape with slightly rounded tops. Use a nail clipper when nails are softer, such as after a shower or bath. Gently file nails with a fine nail file to remove snags or rough spots.
Apply moisturizer to hands and nails several times a day, especially after hands have been in water, and again in the evening. Make sure to massage the moisturizer into the cuticles. The Mayo Clinic says rough, dry cuticles can cause hangnails, which rip at living tissue and can damage nails.
Wear gloves to bed after moisturizing at night. Gloves can help lock in moisture and prevent the nails from drying out and becoming brittle.
Apply a nail hardener. Nail products manufacturer, Sally Hansen, has several formulas for weak, brittle nails. Several of them, including Continuous Treatment Strength Formula, contain proteins that fortify and vitamins to nourish weak nails 2. Use a nail-fortifying polish alone or as a base coat.
Tips
Warnings
Recommended Reading: How To Get Dip Off Your Nails
Be Selective With The Nail Supplies
So much effort in the diet area can go to waste if you make a poor choice with nail products. This goes double for your basic nail care routine that you use daily, as well as with the salon nail treatments. Ask your nail technician about the quality of the professional nail suppliesthey should be able to provide vital info. For example, using a quality gel base with calcium and Vitamin E helps the nail bed grow thicker. If you have to use nail glue, choose one with strong adhesive powers to minimise quantity and application time.
Perfect Skin Serums And Everything You Need To Know A
Its no secret that serums are having a moment. Scroll through any skincare Insta-feed, blog or product junkies medicine cabinet, and youre sure to see the latest must-have skin serum popping up right between the cleanser and moisturizer. But what exactly is all the hype aboutand should you start to incorporate serums into your skin care regimen? To get the skinny, we reached out to Der…
Recommended Reading: Nail Envy Opi How To Use
Avoid Rough Emery Boards
Those old-fashioned orange emery boards are too harsh for nails, causing small fissures and cracks that lead to breakage and tears, says Ravits. Instead, she says, file nails with a smooth, fine file and don’t saw back and forth. Instead, Ravits says, file in one direction only, and do it slowly and evenly to reduce risk of breakage.
Top 8 Vitamins And Nutrients For Healthy Strong Nails
Your fingernails can say a lot about your health.
Nail beds constantly give rise to nail tissue, and adequate vitamin, mineral and nutrient intakes help support the growth, formation and strength of new nail cells.
A change in the appearance, texture or shape of your nails could indicate nutrient deficiencies.
Here are the 8 most important vitamins and nutrients to keep your nails healthy.
Read Also: Vicks Vapor Rub Fungus
How To Strengthen Nails: 9 Expert
Even if you have immaculate, smooth-to-the-touch nailsnary a fray in sightkeeping them strong is an entirely different story. Sure, your nails might not feel dry, or brittle, but that doesn’t mean you’re completely off the hook. You wouldn’t shrug off your daily skin care routine just because you don’t see any blemishes or areas of concern, would you? Same goes for nail care: The best offense, after all, is a good defense.
Experts would agreethey’ve weighed in on nine ways to strengthen your nails, so you can keep those tips in tiptop shape:
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
Don’t Miss: Vitamins That Kill Toenail Fungus
What Brittle Nails Can Mean
If these techniques dont work to strengthen brittle nails, its time to see your primary care doctor or a dermatologist. Brittle nails can be signs of other health conditions, so be sure to let your doctor know of any other changes you notice.
Some health conditions that can cause brittle nails include:
- Raynauds syndrome: This disease causes circulation problems in the extremities, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. When the smaller arteries in hands and feet narrow, those extremities might feel numb or cold. Not surprisingly, this can affect nail health.
- Hypothyroidism: Low thyroid levels can cause more than just brittle nails. You might also notice fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, thinning hair, memory problems, depression, and constipation, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
- Anemia: Low iron levels can cause your nails to be brittle, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. You may also experience fatigue, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, cracks in the side of your mouth, or frequent infections. If blood work shows low iron, your doctor may recommend iron supplements.
- Cancer treatment: Brittle nails can be a side effect of cancer treatment, especially chemotherapy and other targeted therapies. If youre undergoing cancer treatment, talk to your oncology team about how to keep your nails and skin healthy and moisturized.
Choose Your Nail Products Wisely
The use of different nail polishes to increase the appeal of your nails is a common practice. However, nail polishes that contain toxic chemicals must be avoided as they can weaken your nails and make them brittle. These chemicals include camphor, formaldehyde resin, TPHP, dibutyl phthalate, toluene, and xylene.
Moreover, the use of nail polishes is often coupled with the frequent use of nail polish removers such as acetone. These products can strip the natural oils from your nails, leading to weak and brittle nails. The chemical-laden nail polish removers can also dehydrate your nails and cause discoloration, keratin granulations, splitting, and peeling.
It is suggested to use alternate products such as acetone-free nail polish remover pads for this purpose. This also eliminates the risk of gamma-butyrolactone poisoning, which usually happens when children accidentally ingest acetone-based nail polish removers that contain this harmful compound.
Another common nail beauty product to stay wary of is acrylic nails and acrylic gel manicures, especially from unlicensed salons. This artificial nail technique can increase the risk of nail and cuticle infections and conditions such as contact dermatitis.
Recommended Reading: Take Out Contacts With Nails
Upgrade Your Nail Polish Remover
When your manicure shows signs of chipping, it’s all too easy to pick up any old bottle of nail polish remover. But those containing high concentrations of acetone is extremely harsh on fragile nails and can dry them out almost instantly cue peeling, flaking and splitting.
Your best bet? Go acetone-free. These formulas might be gentler, but don’t underestimate their ability to leave your nails perfectly clean even after a jet-black mani. There are heaps of gentle yet effective formulas out there with the muscle to whip off remnants of polish in moments.
When To See A Doctor
Nail health generally can be improved with proper, constant care, but always consult a doctor if the problem persists as it may signify an underlying condition.
Consider consulting your doctor if you notice the following symptoms in your nails:
- Discoloration
- Dark streak under the nail
- Pink and white gradation of nails
- Yellowing
- Detachment from the surrounding skin
- Pain
- Pus
Recommended Reading: How Do You Take Off Dip Nails
Rethink How Often You Use Polish
Beyond altering the look of your nail, nail polish can help serve as a protective layer. “You want to have a coat on the nails a color, clear polish, or some sort of strengthener so that your nails can be protected by a barrier,” says Yankee. “Water can penetrate your nail plate because it’s porous, and this can make the nail softer and weaker. You want to add almost like armor or shield on top of it with polish.” For this reason, she recommends having a coat on at all times, except for when you’re doing the above overnight soak on your natural nails. Not a fan of color? No problem a clear strengthener such as OPI Nail Envy will do the trick. And one more tip: Make at least a week off every month from heavier enhancements like gel polish and acrylics, she advises.
Why Do My Nails Break Easily
Our fingernails tell us a lot about our health, as they are usually the body’s indicator for various deficiencies. Weak, brittle nails are often caused by a vitamin deficiency.
Iron deficiency is reflected in the nail plate, which can become weak and brittle, or develop dents and ridges. Folic acid and iron are essential micro-nutrients for the body as they play an important role in blood production. Hair loss and fatigue may also occur, so if you experience a combination of these symptoms, it is worth seeking medical advice.
Related: Why are my fingernails soft and bendy?
A calcium deficiency can also cause brittle nails, as this mineral is responsible for bone health and tooth strength. For women, it is particularly important to supplement it because a persistent deficiency can lead to bone loss. You can supplement or eat foods high in calcium such as broccoli, almonds, sardines, milk, or cheese.
Although weak nails are most often caused by a vitamin deficiency, other factors also affect their strength and growth rate.
Related: Why is there always dirt under my nails?
Constant typing contributes to the thinning of the stratum corneum, which is under pressure from the hard surface. In the long term, it can lead to cracking and fragmentation of the nail plate.
Dehydration is also a major problem, as constant hand washing dries out the nail bed and can damage the underlying tissue.
Don’t Miss: Where To Buy Incoco Nail Strips
How To Strengthen Nails Fast
It is everybodys wish to have strong, thick and healthy nails. But from the various activities we are doing and different health conditions, we end up having weak, cracking, splitting, and brittle, ragged and even painful nail cuticles. This condition can be very stressful especially when trying to have healthy nail.There are various products that can make your nails harder, stronger, thicker, and even facilitate the growth. However, you need to be very careful when using such products. Some may contain chemicals that can be harmful to your nails. Here are some simple steps you can employ in strengthening your nails:
The daily chores such as frequent washing and over-use of air conditioners may dry out your nail cuticle and also your skin. You should always keep a moisturizer in the desk of your work. Applying a moisturizer helps to strengthen your nails as well as keeping your skin cool.
If you are having weak nails, consider trimming them off as you try the other practices of making them harder or stronger. It is not easy for a shorter nail to break since there are fewer edges are exposed. You should also be very careful when trimming the nails, small cuts on the soft tissues may lead to nail bed infection.
