What to Do for Weak Nails

Strong, clear nails enhance the appearance of your hands and are less likely to frustrate you by regularly chipping or cracking. While genes play a role in the type of nails you have, other factors are also important. If you are tired of your thin or brittle nails, you may be able to get thicker, stronger nails by improving your nail care routine and diet.

Foods to Eat

Both nails and hair consist of keratin, a protein your body forms from the amino acids, or protein building blocks, you get from food. To nourish your nails, get plenty of protein. Women, ages 19 to 70, need 46 g protein daily, while men in this age group need 56 g, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Good sources include meat, fish, eggs, nuts and legumes, such as beans and peas. Getting enough calcium from foods, like dairy products and dark green leafy vegetables, may also support nail health.

Nail-Strengthening Supplements

Taking biotin, one of the B vitamins, could help your nails grow thicker. Take 2.5 mg daily, advise experts from the MayoClinic.com. Zinc, fish oil and evening primrose oil supplements may also benefit your nails. Nettle and oat straw teas supply silica, calcium, iron and other nail-supporting nutrients. To brew a nail-nourishing tea, steep 2 tbsp. each nettle and oat straw in 3 cups boiling water for 20 minutes. Drink this tea three times daily, experts from "Natural Health" magazine recommend.

Topical Treatments

Moisturizing brittle nails may help prevent them from breaking. Try massaging petroleum jelly into your nails two or three times daily. Alternatively, soak your nails in olive oil or watered-down bath oil for 15 minutes weekly or whenever your nails seem dry. Applying nail polish once a week can also help hold in moisture.

Misconceptions

Although sufficient nutrition is important for strong nails, taking vitamin supplements is only minimally helpful, write MayoClinic.com experts. Contrary to the persistent myth, neither drinking nor soaking your hands in gelatin has ever been proven to strengthen nails. If your nails are already brittle, applying a nail hardener may only make them more brittle.

Preventing Weak Nails

Exposure to water can dry out your nails, so wear gloves when doing tasks that require putting your hands in water, such as washing the dishes. If you prefer not to wear gloves, apply moisturizer to your hands and nails after your work. To avoid drying out your nails, apply and remove nail polish no more than once a week and avoid acetone-based polish removers.