Strong, healthy nails are a sign of good health. According to MayoClinic.com, new nail cells grow at the slow rate of about one-eighth of an inch every month. Instead of waiting this long to get long, natural nails, start practicing some nail maintenance habits today to facilitate their growth and health.
Step 1
Clip your nails short so they are all starting at the same length. Use good clippers, and file nails smooth with a fine emery board. Only file in one direction instead of sawing back and forth. This will minimize breakage.
Step 2
Apply a good hand cream every time you wash your hands to keep your nails from drying out. At bedtime, put on the hand cream, and then massage a cuticle cream into your cuticles, the place where where your nails grow out of your fingers. Put on white cotton gloves to lock in moisture.
Step 3
Brush on a nail hardener every morning. Put one coat over the old one everyday for a week, and then remove all of the coats and start over. Use a nail polish remover that is acetone-free and which contains conditioners like aloe vera.
Celebrity Beauty Secret Goldmine recommends using a protein-strengthener for brittle nails and a nylon fiber-strengthener for soft nails. Formaldehyde-based strengtheners are also available, but they are known to cause allergic reactions, so if you have sensitive skin, stay away from those.
Step 4
File your nails as they grow, keeping them slightly squared off with rounded corners. This is the strongest shape, and it is equally attractive and easy to maintain on short and long nails.
Step 5
Take biotin supplements. MayoClinic.com and the Linus Pauling Institute recommend taking biotin, since small trial studies show some evidence that it will strengthen your nails.
Step 6
Treat your hands as though you had on wet nail polish. Don’t use them to pry, open or peel things. Avoiding these activities will help keep you from damaging or breaking your nails. Wearing a coat of bright polish is a good way to remind yourself to avoid these actions.
Step 7
Maintain your nails with a nail repair kit. Unless you don’t mind clipping them all short if one breaks, you can use nail glue or a nail wrap to repair a broken nail. Placing tissue paper or toilet paper over the break or split with one to two coats of nail strengthener will also work.
Tips and Warnings
- Soak your finger tips in warm olive oil once a week between removing and reapplying your nail strengthener for a super-moisturizing treat.
- Never use polish remover more than once a week, because even the non-acetone formulas can dry your nails.
Things You'll Need
- Nail clippers
- Emery board, fine grit
- Hand cream
- Cuticle cream
- White cotton gloves (optional)
- Nail hardener
- Non-acetone polish remover
- Cotton balls or pads
- Biotin supplements
- Nail repair kit (optional)
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