The average woman spends more than $1,000 per year on manicures and pedicures. Are you part of this group?
If you’re spending good money to get your nails done, you’re probably eager for tips that will help you keep your nails healthy long-term.
After all, what’s the point of having pretty, painted nails if they’re also weak and keep breaking all the time?
If you’re tired of dealing with broken nails or nails that seem to refuse to grow, keep reading.
Listed below are some great tips that will help you learn how to grow your nails fast.
Reasons for Slow Nail Growth
Before we get into the tips that will help you grow your nails faster, let’s first go over some of the reasons why your nails might be growing slowly. There are a lot of issues that can lead to slow nail growth, including the following:
- Age: Nails tend to grow fastest for young individuals age 10-14
- Season: Cold weather slows down nail growth
- Hormone balance: Hormone insufficiencies can lead to slow nail growth; that’s why pregnant women tend to experience faster nail growth, as do premenstrual women
- Nutrient deficiencies: An unhealthy, nutrient-poor diet will have a negative effect on nail growth
- Poor nail hygiene: Improper or infrequent cleaning and grooming can slow down the growth process
Many people also experience slow nail growth because they use low-quality products that contain chemicals that can be damaging to the nails.
How to Grow Your Nails Fast
Once you’ve figured out what’s causing your nails to grow slowly, it’s time to take action. Here are some tips that will help you improve the health of your nails so they can grow more quickly and be less prone to breakage:
Eat Some Superfoods
One of the first steps you can take when it comes to growing long, healthy nails is to make sure you’re eating a healthy diet.
There are a number of superfoods that are especially beneficial to nail health, including the following:
- Broccoli
- Sunflower seeds
- Eggs
- Carrots
These foods are rich in nutrients like iron, vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc, and vitamin A. All of these vitamins and minerals are essential for overall health and better nail, hair, and skin health in particular.
In addition to eating these superfoods, it’s important to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. If you’re dehydrated, your nails may be more prone to breakage.
Take a Collagen Supplement
Collagen is a protein that the body naturally produces. It adds structure to the bones and joints, but it’s important for the structure and health of the hair, skin, and nails, too.
If you’re experiencing a lot of nail damage and breakage, collagen can be a helpful supplement to add to your routine.
Many people mix collagen peptides (a powdered supplement) into their coffee, tea, or smoothies. It’s tasteless and odorless but adds some extra protein and delivers a healthy dose of amino acids.
Care for Your Cuticles
In order to have long, healthy nails, you need to first make sure your cuticles are healthy and well cared for.
Avoid picking at or trimming your cuticles. Remember, your nail growth begins in the matrix, which is located directly below the cuticle line. It’s important to keep the cuticle healthy and hydrated to keep the nails healthy and free from irritation.
Never cut the cuticle, as this can expose the nail to infection. Instead, keep them moisturized and push them back gently with an orange stick.
Trim and File
It might seem counterintuitive to trim and file your nails if you want them to grow longer.
Remember that they’re similar to your hair, though. You need to trim your hair regularly to prevent split ends and breakage that keeps it from growing.
The same applies to your nails. If you trim and file them regularly, they’ll be less prone to breakage and damage.
File in a strategic way, too. Don’t just scrape the file back and forth across the nail. Start on the outer edge and work your way slowly in toward the center.
Always Use a Base Coat
Whenever you paint your nails, be sure to apply a base coat first. This helps to protect the nail from irritation.
The right base coat can also hydrate the nail and prevent it from becoming dry and brittle. As an added bonus, applying a base coat helps your top coat of nail polish to last longer — it’s a win-win!
Moisturize
Use thick, high-quality hand cream to moisturize your hands, cuticles, and nails on a regular basis.
If your nails and cuticles could use a little extra moisture and TLC (i.e., they’re cracked, peeling, or generally dry), you may want to discover more about other good moisturizing products.
Olive oil is a great natural moisturizer that will penetrate the cuticle and provide additional hydration.
You can also use jojoba oil or almond oil mixed with tea tree essential oil for a refreshing, spa-like experience.
Choose Polish Carefully
Finally, be sure to choose your nail polish very carefully. Don’t just buy the cheapest polish you see on the shelf.
Flip the bottle over and take a look at the ingredients label. Avoid nail polishes that contain toxic chemicals. Chemicals to steer clear of include:
- Dibutyl phthalate
- Toluene
- Formaldehyde
All of these chemicals are toxins that can lead to brittle, cracked, or split nails.
When you go to get your nails done a ta salon or spa, bring your own non-toxic polish from home. That way, you can still have a relaxing treatment, but you won’t be exposing your nails to tons of chemicals.
Learn More Nail Care Tips Today
As you can see, there are a lot of different techniques you can use when learning how to grow your nails fast.
Keep these tips in mind and you shouldn’t have any trouble getting the long, healthy nails of your dreams.
Are you interested in learning about other nail care tips and tricks? If so, we’ve got resources for you. (ultram)
Check out the Nails section of our site today for all kinds of helpful articles on proper nail care and maintenance.
