300x600
Are you a nail bitter or perhaps your nails just don’t grow much and you are desperate to find out how to make your nails grow faster? We sadly have both afflictions so we have to work extra hard at making our nails look good. Waiting for your nails to grow can take so long so we found the best tips and tricks to use to ensure your nails grow fast, thick, and stay healthy.
Whether you keep your nails short and neat or you grow them out to show off the latest nail styles, it is important to make sure they are nourished.
Fingernails are made of keratin, which is a hard protein. When your nails are healthy, they are smooth and hard, and they don’t have dents, grooves, or discoloration.
However, if you find your nails soft or breaking off when you grow them, the following are tips for how to get your nails back on track.
5 Reasons Why Your Nails Might Not Be Growing
Before we get right to fixing your nails, lets look at why they might have stopped growing in the first place. External factors will help nail health but finding the root cause of the issue, will encourage real nail health.
There may be many reasons your finger nails have stopped growing. It could either be self sabotage, age, or health. Normal healthy nail growth is around 3.5 millimeters per month, with younger people, men, and pregnant women usually have faster growing nails.
1. Your are a Bitter
I am guilty of this 100% so don’t feel bad if you fall into this category. When I am nervous or anxious I start chomping down on my nails and will actually bite them off. This is a horrible habit, and a really tough one to break.
This bad habit can lead to bacterial infections that slow down the growth of the skin and nails in that area which forces your nails to stop growing. Try rubbing bitter orange peels on your nails to sway you away from the dreaded biting.
2. Your Hormones Are Up and Down
Slower growing nails come with age but hormones also play a role in driving nail growth. While you can’t change your age, you can take a look at any nutritional issues you might have as well as any medications you take.
Often times, certain prescription medications can hinder nail growth or will deplete your body of particular nutrients. Taking a closer look with your doctor can help determine if this is a factor for you.
3. Nutritional Deficiency
Your nails are actually a direct reflection of your overall health. If they are swollen, have bumpy ridges, a change in color or thickness, then this could be a sign of something internal going on.
It’s important to stick to a healthy diet full of Vitamins A, B, C, Folic Acid, and Biotin. A diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean sources of proteins, carbohydrates, and plenty of healthy fats is best to care for healthy growing nails.
A 10 Step Plan to Make Your Nails Grow Faster
1. Use Biotin as a Supplement
When you have a vitamin deficiency, it will usually show up in your nails first. So take notice of any abnormalities! Biotin is a form of Vitamin B known as Vitamin B7, and it helps the body turn food into energy.
In addition, it has been shown to promote strength and growth in hair and nails. In fact, some scientists have said that you can see results in as little as a few weeks. You can take over the counter Vitamin B (We use Havasu Biotin Gummys) or you can find it in certain foods.
If you are looking for a natural source for biotin, try adding the following foods to your diet:
- Liver and other organ meats
- Egg yolk
- Yeast
- Nuts (almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts)
- Salmon
- Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)
- Avocados
- Sweet potatoes
- Broccoli
2. Take Care of Your Cuticles
Your cuticles have an important function; they protect your nails from infections and hold in hydration. You should never bite, pick at, or clip your cuticles.
You should keep them hydrated with moisturizer and gently push them back instead of cutting them. In fact, cutting them can lead to bacteria making its way into your nail bed, which can prevent your nails from growing. Healthy cuticles lead to healthy nails that will grow faster.
Applying castor oil or olive oil on your cuticles and nail beds nightly will encourage healthy cuticles and nail growth.
3. Be Cautious Using Nail Hardeners
Although nail hardeners are marketed as products that can help your nails to grow, they can damage your nails and cause them to crack. They may help to strengthen your nails and prevent them from breaking in the short-term, but long-term use can make your nails weaker.
Nail hardeners are applied similarly to nail polish, and you remove it with nail polish remover. You can use these products for initial help in strengthening you nails and getting them started growing, but only use them for the initial growth.
4. Wear a Base Coat
A base coat will help to strengthen and hydrate your nails, which will help them grow faster. Even if you don’t have time to paint your nails, be sure to apply a base coat.
Most basecoat products have ceramides and peptides in them, which help your nails to stay strong and grow. Peptides are a keratin protein that will really help the tips of your nails to be stronger.
5. Eat Healthy
Maintaining a balanced diet is good for you, but it will also help your hair and nails to be stronger and grow faster. Make sure that you are eating enough protein, biotin, zinc, and iron. In addition, some low carb diets deplete the body of biotin, and they may prevent your nails from growing.
However, if you are following a low carb diet, you can take vitamin supplements, such as Vitamin B7, to add these nutrients to your diet.
Good sources of nutrients that will help you focus on how to make your nails grow faster are pork, broccoli, eggs, spinach, cashews, green beans, and beef, among others.
You should avoid processed foods as much as possible, and try to eat organic whenever you can. It is not only good for your body in general, but it will help your nails.
6. Use Moisturizer
You should use a moisturizer on your hands and nails just as you do on your face. Moisturizer locks moisture into your hands, which leads to healthier and faster growing nails.
Just as you wash your face and use moisturizer, you should apply lotion after you wash your hands. You can apply a strong moisturizer before you go to bed, and use regular lotion during the day. Always keep your cuticles hydrated, and you will start to see your nails growing.
7. Use Your Nail File
It may sound counter intuitive, but when you want your nails to grow fast, you should file them regularly. This will help to prevent them from breaking or tearing off.
You don’t want to take the file and randomly start shaping your nails, you should have a method to the filing. Begin with a fine grit file, and pull from the outside edge to the center. Continue to the end in this direction.
You also want to keep the file under the tip. If you file the very edge or the top, you can have uneven or rough edges, and they will be more likely to rip off or catch on something. Go slowly and remember that the purpose is to make sure that they have shape and there are no shaggy edges.
8. Use Your Nail Buffer
Just as you exfoliate your skin regularly, you should also exfoliate your nails with your nail buffer. This promotes nail health, which leads to strength and growth.
You can use the buffer once a week, and be gentle. Don’t rub too hard. You can apply it to the surface and rub in a circular motion to brighten your nails and smooth the surface.
9. Go for a Manicure
Manicures are a wonderful way to ensure that your nails are getting the attention and care that they need. They cover everything from the edges to the cuticles to the bed of the nail, and your nails will be healthier and stronger, which means that they will grow faster.
If you choose to paint your nails, then be sure to choose a healthier nail polish. There are a number of natural non-toxic polishes that peel off but are great for a night or two. Or you find a few choices that are less drying and don’t include Formaldehyde and a number of other harmful ingredients.
Our favorites are Karma Organic and Zoya. Most nail salons carry these brands as well- just ask!
10. Get a Good Soak
When trying to make your nails grow faster, one of the very best methods we have found is the soak. We live for the soak and will actually partake in the soak in the office so long as no body is around. Its very relaxing as well. This one tip will encourage nail health and growth in one and in just a few days you can truly see the difference.
RECIPE FOR NAIL SOAK:
- 1 cup warm water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 teaspoons olive oil or castor oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
In a small dipping bowl, add the warm water and juice from 1 lemon. Add in the salt and stir. Then add your olive oil and mix again. Soak your nails in the solution for 5- 10 minutes daily. If you can make it part of your nightly routine- great!
0 Comments