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.
Consider Upping Your Biotin Intake
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin B coenzyme that you can find in supplement form at health food stores. Dermatologist and NYC-based nail health specialist Dr. Dana Stern told INSIDER that an amount between 2000 mcg and 3000 mcg is the recommended daily dosage for biotin in supplement form. She also advises that since nails grow slowly, you should expect to see biotin benefits in 4 months for fingernails and 9 months for toenails.
What about other dietary sources? Dr. Stern says that its an extreme rarity to see biotin deficiency in this country, but trends like juicing can sometimes lead down that path. Naturally, biotin-rich foods include cold-water fish such as salmon, almonds, peanuts, Swiss chard, and eggs. Its definitely a plus when foods are good for us AND good for our nails.
It’s worth noting that not all experts are unanimous about whether biotin can actually improve your nail strength, so proceed with caution.
Virtually everyone has heard that acetone-based nail polish removers are bad for your nails. But Dr. Stern said that even ethyl acetate ones are still solvents. Its true that non-acetone removers are less drying, but all nail polish removers still dry out your nails to some degree.
If you must use them, Dr. Stern advises not using them more than once a week. If possible, take a 2-4 week break in between polish removals, because that step is far more damaging to your nail than the actual polish.
Easy Ways To Strengthen Your Nails
In this article:
Strong, healthy nails not only can make your hands look good but also can indicate good health and prevent discomfort. They are characterized by a smooth texture and uniform color, devoid of any pits and discoloration.
However, dryness, dullness, pits, dents, vertical ridges, discoloration, and weakness in the nails are common problems. Unhealthy nails break easily and it is difficult to grow them. Neglected nails also may turn yellow due to vitamin deficiencies or fungal infections.
Poor nail strength is often a result of aging, as with time, the production of keratin slows down. Since keratin is a major protein in nails , a lack of it can make your nails weak, dry, and dull.
Weak nails may also result from medical conditions such as psoriasis, hypothyroidism, osteoporosis, and Raynauds syndrome. In addition, nail care is often overlooked, which, when combined with constant exposure to extreme weather, chemicals, and excessive hand washing, can increase the problem of weak nails.
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Push Your Cuticles Back
As mentioned, cuticle care is crucial. But beyond oil, Lim mentions regularly pushing your cuticles back can keep them from overgrowing. “When becomes thick and overgrows onto the nail, it’s tough to push back. You don’t want to ever get to that point,” she says. “When that happens, your cuticles are prone to cracking and infection.” Ouch.
You don’t have to get too meticulous about it a great tip is to gently push them back every couple of days after stepping out of the shower, as the nails will be softened from the spray. Not to mention, pushing your cuticles back helps your polish last longerjust in case you’ve decided to go for an at-home mani.
Eat Food With Proteins
The reason why proteins are necessary for your nails health is that the nails are made of keratin. So thats why you should eat products like eggs, meat, beans, and other protein rich foods. If you intake meals with proteins in them regularly, there is no need to worry about the protein level in your nails it sure will be balanced!
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Strengthen From The Inside Out
Along with addressing nails from the outside, all the experts we spoke with agreed that the right supplements can help strengthen your tips from the inside, out. One good option? Collagen. An essential protein for hair, skin, and nails, ingestible collagen peptides are easily incorporated into your daily routine and can help promote healthy nails.
“Collagen has really made a difference in the health of my nails. They feel resilient and stronger,” says Holford. Try: NeoCell Super Collagen Powder. Another good option? Biotin. The B vitamin is one of Tuttle’s top picks for strengthening nails. Choi adds that along with supplements, you can also get these internal benefits by focusing on incorporating biotin-rich and collagen-synthesizing foods in your diet, such as salmon, avocados, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, and nuts and seeds.
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Busy Fingers Make For Longer Fingernails: False
Some people believe that professional pianists, people who type all day, and other people who spend several hours per day exercising their fingers have quicker-growing nails than other people, because the extra blood flow to the fingertips speeds fingernail growth.
Though there aren’t any studies to prove it, Newburger says that people who move their fingers constantly may, indeed, have slightly quicker-growing nails.
Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean longer nails. Why not? “Nails with more impact on the tips tend to break more,” Newburger says.
Continued
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Take A Biotin Supplement
Biotin is one of the B vitamins. Because its water-soluble, it isnt stored by the body, so you have to ensure that you consume it daily.
Biotin can help strengthen hair and nails and also helps the bodys nervous system to function properly. It can be found in foods like sardines, cooked eggs, and legumes, or you can take a B vitamin or supplement.
Check with your healthcare provider before taking a biotin supplement to ensure that its safe for you.
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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Hydration Will Strengthen Your Nails
Now that the gel-dip-acrylic is off, the key is to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. “Prolonged use of gel manis and acrylics dehydrates your nails, making them dry, brittle, and fragile,” says manicurist Jin Soon Choi, founder of JINSoon nail polish and salons.
A cuticle oil is your BFF for imparting deep hydration. Focus on slathering it not only on the nail itself, but also massaging it well into the cuticle the cuticle is where new, healthy nail growth will start so it’s important to nourish and hydrate this area, says Choi.
One best-seller to try: CND Solar Oil Nail and Cuticle Conditioner. Holford also likes using straight up jojoba oil, which can strengthen nail beds and boost healthy nail growth. She recommends applying it three times per day for five days for the best results.
Foods For Amazingly Strong Nails: Are You Eating Them
Theres certainly truth to the saying You are what you eat. We all want beautiful strong nails and nail strengtheners can only help so much. So you really need to try to get as many vitamins and nutrients as possible in the foods you eat, particularly if growing your nails seems like a hard task. Eating the right foods can make your nails stronger and healthier, naturally, in no time!
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Home Remedies To Make Your Nails Grow Faster
You should put a lot of work as well as remedies for getting healthy and natural nails. You will need a lot of spare time as well as high maintenance in order for them to become fast growing. In case you are not that type of a woman who likes to invest time and proper care into the pampering process, well, you might wanna change that. Here are the ultimate tips that will make your nails grow faster.
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!’
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Dont Cut Or Manipulate Cuticles
Whether you have your nails professionally groomed or do them yourself, the No. 1 recommendation is leave your cuticles alone, says Dana Stern, MD, a dermatologist at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
âThe cuticle is the natural barrier to fungus and bacteria â and once you breach that, protection is lost,â she says. This will not only make cuticles look worse â red, swollen, and ragged â but may also land you a nasty infection that harms the nail bed and leads to permanent nail damage. And while cutting cuticles holds the most potential for harm, pushing them back can cause problems as well.
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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.
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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
Use Lotion On Your Nails For Strong Nails
One reason to use lotion on your nails is that it will help keep them hydrated. When your nails are hydrated, they are less likely to break or split. Another reason to use lotion on your nails is that it will help keep them strong. The lotion will help seal in the moisture, which will help keep your nails healthy and strong.
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Invest In Clean Polish Products
Of course, make sure the polishes you use contain nourishing, conditioning ingredients rather than harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, camphor, and toluene.
Same goes for polish removers to swipe off your mani: “If you want to keep your nails strong, you don’t want to use 100% acetone removers,” Lim says. Instead, try to find options that contain moisturizing ingredients for the natural nail, like a soy-based removerthese can effectively dissolve polish while simultaneously strengthening the nail, and they’re typically pumped with other vitamins and hydrating ingredients.
Cerave Therapeutic Hand Cream
Good nail and hand habits include twice daily moisturizing with a ceramide-based cream, says Dr. Nazarian. She likes CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream because it has ceramides to restore and maintain skins natural protective barrier, hyaluronic acid to retain natural moisture, and niacinamide to calm irritation.
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Commit To Monthly Maintenance
Which brings us to our next point: monthly maintenance. Whether you opt for a DIY manicure or take a trip to the salon, a regular tuneup is key to keeping those tips strong. Your nails can tell you a lot about your overall health, so use that time to make regular check-ins as well. “When you take your nail polish off, check your nail color and the strength of your nail plate before you go ahead and apply polish or treat your nails,” says Lin.
If a bare nail is more your thing, Lim still recommends proper nail hygienethat is, keeping them clipped, cleaned, and filed. “Take your fingernail and raise the free edges to see if there are any snags, and you can smooth them out. That’s a great way to maintain your nails,” she says.
How To Make Your Nails Grow Faster
1. Boost Your Biotin IntakeBiotin is an essential b vitamin that allows the body to turn food into energy. In supplement form, it can help boost the strength of hair and nails. Biotin is naturally found in foods such as cooked eggs, nuts and nut butters, cauliflowers, bananas and mushrooms, and can be bought as a supplement to take on the daily.
2. Proper Grooming is KeyMake it a priority to regularly groom your nails. This will help fortify your nails, encouraging growth and reducing breakage. Focus on keeping your nails dry and clean to prevent bacteria growing beneath them regularly trim them to an appropriate length moisturize your hands and nails, rubbing it into your fingernails and cuticles and avoid biting, picking or cutting your nails too short.
3. Dampen, Then FileAlthough you want your nails to grow, its still important to file them to keep them free of snags and splits. Dampen your nails before filing to soften and make the nails pliable. Always file in one direction with smooth strokes and use a softer file to ensure your filing isnt too harsh.
Trying to grow your nails can be a serious struggle, but if you focus on making them strong and preventing brittleness and breakage, youre one step closer to the nails youve always wanted.
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Be Selective About The Products You Use For Stronger Nails
There are a few things you can do to help your nails become stronger. One is to be selective about the products you use. Make sure to use a nail strengthener or a product that is specifically designed to help strengthen Stronger Nails. Also, avoid using harsh chemicals or using your nails as tools.
Try to keep them filed and shaped nicely, and moisturize them regularly with a good quality hand cream.
Ways To Make Your Nails Grow Faster According To Dermatologists
The right supplement, manicure, or moisturizer could make all the difference for your brittle nails.
As you prep your skincare regimen against another harsh winter, dontand we cant emphasize this enoughforget about your fingernails. Theyre easy to overlook, but your nails do a lot to serve your overall health, which is why you should take good care of them.
If the appearance of the skin is a window into a persons internal health, the nails are at least a porthole, says Tyler Hollmig, M.D., director of dermatologic surgery and laser and cosmetic dermatology at the University of Texas Dell Medical Center.
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Moisturize Your Hands And Nails Regularly For Stronger Nails
Moisturizing your hands and nails regularly will help keep them strong and healthy. The moisture will help to keep the nails from becoming brittle and breaking easily. In addition, using a complex moisturizer that contains keratin and other proteins can help to improve the strength and appearance of your nails.
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.
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Change Your Daily Habits
Adjusting your daily habits can also help your nails grow stronger over time. “Be gentle with your nails and try to minimize using your nails as tools to open things,” says Dr. Garshick. “Try to keep your nails trimmed so they don’t snag on things which may make them more susceptible to breakage.” Another tip is to avoid exposing hands to water for a prolonged period of time. If you’re washing dishes, for example, she says to wear gloves.
Dr. Graf agrees and lists other habits such as eating a well-balanced diet , avoiding nail-biting, and taking breaks from using nail polish can also help the health of your nails. She adds that some abnormalities to the nail are harmless texture and color can change temporarily if you’ve been wearing fake nails or polish for a while. But if areas around the nail start to hurt, change in color for a long period of time, bleed, swell, or separate from the skin, then consult a professional.
