Get Strong Nails

Weak fingernails can lead to splits, ragged edges, or painful hangnails. Despite many popular and dubious beauty tips, there are really only a few solutions that work. For most people on a healthy diet, daily moisturizing and a switch to gentle nail care routines are the only changes worth considering.

Steps

Strengthening Nails

  1. Moisturize the cuticles with oil. Dry nails are brittle nails. To reduce splitting and breaking, rub a moisturizing cream or olive oil into the cuticles daily.[1] Petroleum jelly or a thick, greasy hand lotion that seals in moisture should do the trick as well.[2][3]
  2. Consider biotin supplements. Biotin may not have much of an effect unless you have severely brittle nails, but it may be worth a try[4] A daily dose of 30 mcg is enough to avoid deficiency.[5] Some people take a much larger daily dose of 2.5 mg to strengthen nails, but talk to your doctor first to avoid overdosing or side effects.[6]
    • Talk to a doctor first if you are taking any other medications, or if you have diabetes.[5]
  3. File carefully. Shape nails with a fine-grit file (at least 180 grit), avoiding metal files and rough emery boards.[7] File in one direction only, never back and forth.[8] Smoothing away nicks and rough edges can help prevent breakage, but stick to this careful approach.
    • Make sure your nails are dry before filing.
    • Try shaping long nails to an oval, rather than a point or square, to reduce pressure.[2]
    • Never file down the sides of nails, as it can lead to infection and seriously weaken your nails.
  4. Eat a healthy diet. Many beauty websites and magazines tout specific foods or supplements. There is little to no evidence that most of these work. In general, a balanced diet with plenty of vitamins and minerals from food should be enough to avoid nail problems. Some people may benefit from calcium, iron, zinc, or vitamin B supplements, but only if their diet is low in these substances.[9] Talk to your doctor for more information.
    • Don't believe myths about gelatin or garlic strengthening nails. These have no noticeable effect when eaten or used to soak the nails.
    • Protein is necessary to grow fingernails, but very few people in developed nations are protein-deficient.

Preventing Damage

  1. Use your own manicure tools only. Anything that touches your nails should be used on your nails only. Sharing files, brushes, and other tools can spread infection, leading to puffy red cuticles and weak nails.[1]
    • Even a professional nail salon may not clean its instruments properly. Bring your own tools or ask the salon staff to sterilize their instruments.
  2. Leave your cuticles alone. The cuticles at the base of your nails protect against fungi and bacteria. Cutting them or pushing them back can lead to an infection that permanently damages the nail bed.[1]
    • Fake fingernails that extend over the cuticles also cause harm. Use fake nail tips instead.
  3. Avoid nail hardeners. These products make untested claims and are rarely worth the risks. Even if they succeed in hardening your nails, the end result may be brittle and easily broken.[1]
  4. Switch nail polish brands. Some nail polishes, especially ones that contain formaldehyde, make the nail brittle and dry.[3] Try switching to a different brand for a few weeks and see what happens.
    • Some dermatologists recommend leaving nail polish on for no longer than five days.[10]
    • Try using hand lotion instead of a base coat, to further protect your nails.[10]
  5. Take care when removing polish. Never chip or peel off the polish. Always soak it with a nail polish remover until you can easily scrub it away. These polish removers do dry out your nail, so moisturize afterward with nail cream, thick hand cream, petroleum jelly, or olive oil.
    • There's some controversy over which nail polish remover is best for nail strength. Acetone has a stronger drying effect, but since it acts fast, there's less time for this to take place. Try both acetone and non-acetone removers to see which works best for you.
  6. Minimize wear and tear. Manual labor, housework frequent hand washing, and exposure to cleaning chemicals can all tear your nails. Wear gloves during these activities when possible.
    • If nail stress is unavoidable, possibly due to work-required hand washing, or playing classical guitar, you may need to moisturize several times daily.
    • Type with the pads of your fingers, not your nails.

Tips

  • Fix-a-Broken-Nail with nail glue or a nail mending kit.
  • Classical guitar players have many ways to make the nail harder for a clearer sound. For instance, they may dip the nail tip in nail glue and nail acrylic powder, then buff dry.[11] Techniques like this usually make the nail weaker or more brittle, so they are not recommended for non-guitarists.

Warnings

  • Biting your nails leaves ragged tears. Stop-Biting-Your-Nails for advice on breaking the habit.
  • Rarely, weak nails are a sign of an underlying disease. Talk to a doctor if none of this advice works for you.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://www.webmd.com/beauty/nails/more-beautiful-nails-a-dozen-tips
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/nails/tips/a12807/strong-healthy-nails-aug05/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/06/fashion/thursdaystyles/06skin2.html
  4. ↑ http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-h-biotin
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/313.html
  6. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/30/biotin-hair-skin-nails_n_4016804.html
  7. ↑ http://www.nailcarehq.com/nail-files-which-is-best-for-you/
  8. ↑ http://www.nailcarehq.com/how-to-file-nails-squoval/
  9. ↑ http://www.the-dermatologist.com/content/nails-and-vitamin-supplementation
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 http://www.prevention.com/beauty/natural-beauty/solutions-weak-nails-keep-breaking
  11. ↑ http://www.classicalguitarstore.com/fingernails/
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