How to Make Your Nails Stronger: Home Remedies
Are you sad when you look at your nails? Have they started breaking and peeling? Are your cuticles a mess? We have solutions for you here!
The journey to achieving healthy and beautiful nails begins with understanding how to make your nails stronger. With numerous home remedies and practical tips at your disposal, you can gradually strengthen your nails and prevent them from ever becoming weak or brittle again. Let’s talk about how to fortify your nails and make them beautiful once more!
Home Remedies to Strengthen Nails
Healthy, strong nails are easy to maintain and they are attractive, too. Two of the easiest ways to make nails stronger are to boost your water intake and improve your diet.
Healthy Diet, Healthy Nails
Essential nutrients like vitamins A, C, D, E, and biotin play a crucial role in promoting nail growth and strength. The more fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables you consume, the better your nails and skin will be.
As much as possible, limit sugar and fried foods. If you need a snack, try eating nuts or a hard-boiled egg for a protein boost. More protein means stronger nails and hair. And eggs and nuts are rich in biotin, the essential building block of the keratin in nails and hair.
Biotin
If your nails are weak or brittle, you might benefit from supplementing with biotin. It’s a water-soluble B vitamin available in capsules, tablets, and even gummies. However, high doses of biotin can have side effects like increased acne. Worse, it may interfere with certain medications. Instead of taking a supplement, try adding more legumes, cooked eggs, or sardines to the menu. Each of these is a biotin-rich food.
Water
Everyone always goes on about drinking more water. But there is truth to this suggestion. By the time you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.
If your skin is dry and your nails have vertical lines, you’re probably not getting enough water. Spice it up with a little lemon juice and remember to drink one to two liters per day. At a minimum, train yourself to drink three swallows every half hour. If you find yourself unhappy with how many trips to the bathroom this causes, try to move around more and get your blood flowing. If your body uses the water, it won’t just fill up your bladder.
Nail Hydration
Taking water internally helps moisturize the nails. Moreover, using lotion and cuticle oil twice daily seals in moisture and protects against dehydration. For maximum benefits, practice nail slugging at least once a week, too. This is as simple as going to bed with your hands wearing gloves while slathered in petroleum jelly.
Every time you trim your nails, give yourself a mini spa treatment. Slip on a pair of collagen-soaked gloves and relax while the nutrients rejuvenate the skin and nails.
Protect the Nails
Water is good for your nails, but not if you have to soak in it all the time. Too much time in water can actually dehydrate the nails and skin. Furthermore, exposure to dish detergent, nail polish remover with acetone, and other chemicals will also damage the nails. Weirdly, shampoo for oily hair also sucks the moisture out of the nails. If you have fragile nails, wear gloves to wash the dishes and do cleaning. It may seem like a hassle, but it’s worth it. Try to find a comfortable pair that fit your hands and keep them near the sink.
Skip the Acrylics and Gels for a Few Weeks
While it's true that hard gel can artificially strengthen the nails, the problem lies in the filing and exposure to acetone to remove the nail treatment. The abrasion and chemicals weaken the natural nail. At a minimum, if you must apply gels, use a nail strengthener.
Frequent manicures also expose the skin to excess UV radiation that speeds up aging and dehydration. Instead, switch to a non-toxic nail polish and an acetone-free polish remover to give your nails a respite. Plus, remember to apply cuticle oil morning and night or whenever you feel the need for shinier nails and happier skin.
24k Gold Nail & Cuticle Oil
We love this cuticle oil because it absorbs quickly and leaves our nails and skin smoother and brighter. The magic comes from a blend of essential oils and real gold. There’s also a healthy dose of hyaluronic acid, one of the world’s best moisturizers.
Keep Nails Trimmed
Try not to chew on nails, bite them, or use them to open cans of soda. Instead, keep them trimmed short and shaped. When you file them, don’t saw back and forth. Instead, use the file in one direction to avoid splitting and weakening the nails.
Invest in quality manicure tools to help you get the job done more efficiently. Whenever possible, choose tools that can be sanitized to prevent fungal infections and other problems. Sanitizing them is as easy as soaking them in rubbing alcohol for a few minutes.
When to Seek Medical Care?
If you notice horizontal ridges, pockmarks, or white spots on your nails, show them to a doctor. These could be signs of a more serious health condition. The same goes for nails that are discolored or crumbly as this could indicate a fungal infection. Although there are over-the-counter antifungal treatments, it’s best to get confirmation before you waste time and money on something that might not help you.
What If Nothing Works?
Don’t panic if your nails aren’t stronger right away. It takes up to six months to completely grow out a nail. The home remedies listed above take time to work. With positive changes to your lifestyle, you should see the benefits within a few weeks to a few months.
Conclusion
You can make your nails stronger with simple steps every day. Home remedies like a nutrient-rich diet, proper nail care, and strategic use of moisturizers can make all the difference. Within weeks, you'll be flaunting a well-manicured look!
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