It’s a common saying that the nails are a direct reflection of health. Other than that, long, well-maintained nails are a style statement among teens and youth. And then, as we all know, if the nails are healthy enough, they’ll grow rapidly. So, if you’ve been wondering about how to grow nails faster, let me tell you that the first step is to ensure that the nails are healthy and strong so that there is less chance of breakage.
For healthy nails, you can resort to the various easy home remedies for nail growth, and if those do not work for you, you can try and check out the balance of calcium, proteins, iron and other minerals and vitamins in the body which lend to the strength and shine of healthy nails. So, join me in this discussion on how to make nails grow faster!
Science Behind Nails
As many of us know, nails are made of the same dead cells that hair is made up of. Keratin, which lends strength and shine to the hair, also serves the same purpose for nails. Keratin is essentially protein, so, in case there is a protein deficiency in the body, it shows in breakage of nails, or dull nails.
Since nails are made of dead and hardened skin cells, we do not feel pain in cutting the extended portion off. But you must have noticed how badly it hurts if the nails near the nail bed (the portion of skin that is covered by nails) are cut due to any reason. That is because of the presence of nerve endings near the skin surface.
It can be argued that the circulation of blood through those nerve endings helps in growing the nails faster, which is seen by how the nails of the dominant hand (most actively used) grow faster and stronger than the nails in the other hand. The exact scientific explanation behind this is not found, but it is widely believed that this might be the case.
The average human’s nails grow up to 2.5 mm to 3 mm in a month, roughly around 9 to 12 inches. This statistic holds true for a person of average age and good health. The others seldom find spotted and brittle nails with stunted growth. So, join in guys, and let’s unmask the tricks together!!
How to Grow Nails Faster at Home
These days, due to the worldwide Covid 19 pandemic breathing down our neck, most of us have restricted access to parlors where professionals groom us using professional methods and tactics. The last year has shown us the importance of relying on our own skills to groom ourselves for our overall health, fitness, and personal grooming.
With all the parlors, salons and professional grooming services on lockdown for the most part of the year, we have slowly become accustomed to grooming ourselves. A year’s practice, and let’s face it, all that money spent for the services using loads of chemicals seems like wasted time and money. When it comes to nails, let’s peek at some DIY home remedies for nail growth:
1. Apply Vitamin-E Oil
Vitamin E is regarded as the one-stop beauty solution when it comes to bringing out beauty from the inside. While slow growth in nails is often the result of lack of nutrition in the hardened skin cells, Vitamin E oil can restore the health of the nails and turn them into harder, healthier nails, and is an amazing quick fix to the doubt as to how to make nails grow faster.
2. Olive Oil
Olive oil is rich in Vitamin E, Vitamin K, a bunch of amazing fatty acids, and extremely rich in antioxidants. These properties make it an amazing moisturizer and can be very easily absorbed by our skin, as well as nails. Therefore, undoubtedly, it is one of the most sought-after home remedies for nail growth.
3. Frequent Moisturization
In the hot, humid climate of our country most of the year, most of us choose to stay in air-conditioned offices and homes. That takes a toll on the moisture content of the skin, as well as nails. Therefore, if you are looking for the answer to how to make nails grow faster, my suggestion would be to moisturize them as often as possible so that the nails grow to be stronger, healthier and shinier.
While moisturizing, it is very important to massage the moisturizer into the skin and along the ridges of the nails so that the skin and nails can reap their maximum benefits. Massaging ensures that the moisturizer is absorbed by the skin to the extent it is required.
4. Apply Chemical Nail Hardeners
These days, chemical nail hardeners are very commonly spotted amongst the plethora of beauty products that a person uses. This might be the boon for brittle fingernails, and those who have to let go of their beloved nails with just more than the regular use of water, or hard surfactants.
But, as we all know, overexposure to chemicals is not welcome for skin health, this being no exception. Use these hardeners only in case of emergencies, but focussing on strengthening them from the inside should be the main priority.
5. Intake of Biotins
If your nail is brittle and tends to break from the corner every time you want longer, well-groomed nails, a lot of that can be accredited to the lack of biotins in your body. You can intake biotins from vitamin and protein-rich foods like milk and milk products, eggs, bananas, soya beans, mushrooms, etc. In case those do not do much help in treating your condition, you can always go for supplements.
6. Intake of Calcium
If you recollect your biology books, you will definitely remember how calcium is responsible for strengthening the bones and teeth. Well, that holds true for nails as well. Most women suffer from calcium deficiency from their late 30s, which goes beyond the roof after their menopause.
So, in the search for how to grow nails faster, consuming foods rich in calcium may be one of the best home remedies for nail growth. Calcium-rich foods that are easily available are leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, and adding dairy products to your diet, like milk, panner, etc. You can also resort to calcium supplements.
7. Avoid Cutting Nails to be Too Short Too Frequently
We have all observed how the hair refuses to grow longer if cut to be very short, very frequently. Well, since they are essentially made up of the same substance, namely, keratin, it can be well understood that nails will also be as “proud” to grow to their desired length. Hence, if this can be made into practice, nails will grow faster beyond doubt.
8. Avoiding the Use of Artificial Nails
Artificial nails are undeniably in fashion these days, and you will find every other person using them as a style statement. But in order to put those nails over the original nails, the original topmost layer of the nails has to be filed away and then, the artificial nails have to be stuck on them with some sort of adhesive.
While it gives a very stylish look, it does a lot of harm to the original nails and the top layer of the nails requires a lot of time and care to grow healthily. A similar problem is posed by the artificial nails that are just put on by local adhesives at home. The toxic glue harms the nails and damages their health totally.
9. Avoiding Cheap and Toxic Nail Polish, Nail Enamel and Nail Remover
It is common knowledge that a coating on the surface of the nail not only shields it from being brittle, and also ensures that the moisture is locked to a great extent. While that is true for most nail polishes and nail enamels, there are a lot of local companies that attract people for their variety and the fact that they do not burn a hole in their pockets.
Must Check: 8 Nail Polish Colors That Every Woman Should Have
There brands and companies compromise on the quality of the ingredients used to provide them at a cheaper rate and end up doing more harm than good. This is where the good habit of reading the packaging comes into play and helps a great deal in choosing the right products for nails.
There are such nail polish removers as well that damages the surface of the nail while wiping off the polish, and makes the nails porous, brittle and dull. So, it is important to choose well from amongst the lots of available options. You can use natural nail polish remover alternatively.
10. Maintain the Overall Hygiene of the Hands and Nails
Cleanliness is not only next to godliness but is also the most primitive and basic step to the home remedies for nail growth. A fungal infection of build-up around the nails can result in the breaking of nails and giving them a dull look.
Check Also: 15 Ways on How to Make Hands Soft & Beautiful Like a Baby
If you want to know how to grow nails faster, the nails should be properly clipped and filed, and the surface below the elongated nails should be cleaned frequently. You should avoid bad habits such as biting the nails or biting the skin adjacent to the nails, so that it not only looks good but also, the proper hygiene is maintained.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is spotting on nails a sign of weak nails?
A white spot on the nails is mainly due to the deficiency of one or the other minerals or vitamins in the body. In case there are a few spots, you should check your diet and add a few vitamins and protein-rich foods to your everyday meal.
Is the white semicircle at the base of the nail a sign of unhealthy nails?
No, in fact, the whitish semicircle, known as lunula, actually shows that the nail is healthy and is growing properly.
Do hormones affect the growth of nails?
Yes, out of the umpteen effects the various hormones have on our body, its impact on the growth of nails is one of them.
Does pregnancy induce nail growth?
Yes, it is often seen that nails in pregnant women grow quite fast as compared to when they are not pregnant. This can be due to the hormonal changes a female body undergoes once it has conceived a baby.
What is the healthy color for nails?
Healthy nails appear to have a pinkish hue, irrespective of the color of the skin. A nail that is too white is often seen to be brittle and dull.
Are home remedies for nail growth as effective as professional or medical care?
Yes, if followed religiously, a good nail-care routine at home can put the question of how to make nails grow faster to a rest.
But in case an unusually dull and brittle nail is observed, which is not showing signs of improvement after the various available home remedies, a consultation with a doctor, preferably a gynecologist, is suggested.
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Final Word
Well-maintained nails are very eye-catching and are very much in style these days. But, everything said and done, healthy things shine the brightest and last the longest. Therefore, the primary things to consider while thinking of home remedies for nail growth are proper hygiene and ensuring that the nails have proper nutrition.
Although this article has addressed the most important concerns regarding how to grow nails faster with the right diet, hygiene and moisturization, it is always advisable to seek help from a doctor and medications in case there is no improvement in nail health even after following the known and proven home formulas.
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