15 Tips To Get Stronger and Healthier Nails
chaitra krishnanMA (Journalism & Mass Communication) Experience: 5 yearsChaitra has a triple main bachelor’s degree in journalism, communicative English, and economics from St. Aloysius College, Mangalore, and a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from St... more
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Do you take pride in having strong and beautiful nails? The strength of your nails can be a good indicator of your overall health. Also, if you have strong nails, you can enjoy grooming them without worrying about them chipping off. There’s no point in getting your nails done at an expensive salon if it’s going to break away within days, right? Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with strong nails that don’t break very often. For some, growing longer nails is a nightmare because of their vulnerability. But the good news is that you can strengthen your nails by taking care of them and by making a few lifestyle changes. So before you give up those fancy manicure ideas, take a look at these tips to get stronger nails.
1. Drink Enough Water
Staying hydrated is important for not just your nail health but for your overall health in all the aspects. It keeps your nails strong from the inside and prevents it from becoming dry and brittle.
2. Limit External Exposure To Water
Do not soak your nails in water or leave them wet for a longer time. If you’re going to take a bubble bath, keep your hands out of the tub. And if you’re going to take a shower, applying some olive oil or petroleum jelly on your nails will save them from the prolonged water exposure. Also, remember to use rubber hand gloves while doing the dishes.
3. Follow A Healthy Diet
It’s vital to follow a diet that is rich in all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. An unbalanced diet can affect your body in various ways including the health of your nails.
4. Take A Biotin Supplement
Biotin is a B vitamin that is water-soluble. Regular consumption of a biotin supplement can improve the health of your hair and nails and make them stronger. It is naturally found in food items like sardines, legumes, and cooked eggs (1).
5. Pay Attention To The Products You Use
Use nail polishes and nail care products that are of good quality. The harsh chemicals in low-quality nail products can damage your precious nails, change their color, and weaken them. Also, use acetone-free nail polish remover since acetone can damage your nails in an adverse way.
6. Try To Avoid Gel/Acrylic Nails
While some people argue that gel or acrylic nails can help people with weak nails, it’s not entirely true. Surely it prevents the breakage of nails for a while but prolonged use of these products can lead to peeling of your nail layers. Also, the ultraviolet light used during gel manicures can affect the skin that’s supporting your nails adversely.
7. Go “No Polish” Once In A While
Don’t use any product or polish on your nails for a few days every month. This will help your nails recover from all the products that are applied to them.
8. Keep Your Nails Safe When Using Your Fingers
Use the pads of your fingers to do things like opening a soda can or lifting up the lid of a bottle. Spare your nails the pressure and the pain. Using your nails as tools will lead them to chipping and breakage.
9. Don’t Grow Them Too Long
Long nails are beautiful but too nails that are too long are TOO difficult to maintain! You might have seen celebrities carry long nails during award shows and concerts. But hey, they don’t keep them like that always. They’ll probably get them removed right after the event.
10. Moisturize Your Nails
Apply a moisturizer or a hand cream over your nails after you remove the polish. This will prevent them from drying out. Do this after you wash your hands with a soap-free handwash.
11. Avoid Over-use Of Sanitizers
Sanitizers are literally life savers. But some of us keep using them just because they smell too good or because we’ve made it a habit to use them even when it’s not necessary. Overuse of sanitizers can dry your nails and make them brittle. So, use them judiciously.
12. Learn How To File The Right Way
“Go one direction”— this might sound like the war cry for the popular boy band but it’s also something to remember while filing your nails. Do not file your nails in the to and fro motion because they’re not wooden blocks, they’re your nails. Be gentle and file them in one direction.
13. Use Rubber Gloves While Using Cleaning Products
Use rubber gloves while using cleaning products like tile cleaners and detergents. The products are loaded with chemicals that can harm your nails.
14. Evaluate Your Hair Care Products
If you have oily hair, it’s obvious that you might be using a shampoo that rips that extra oil off your scalp and hair. However, this shampoo can hurt your nail health bad. So, try to change your shampoo and evaluate if that’s making your nails dry.
15. Talk To Your Doctor
If none of these things help, try talking to your doctor and get your nails checked. Weak nails can be a sign of underlying medical issues and it’s important to know about them as soon as possible.
Don’t you agree that flaunting beautiful nails is every woman’s right? If yes, make a conscious effort to keep them strong and beautiful! Did you have issues with weak and brittle nails? How did you deal with them? Share your experience with us in the comments.
