Many women are wondering, how to grow nails fast? It seems that it is very easy to do it. It is enough not to cut them and wait a little. But in reality, everything is not so easy. Some people's nails grow very slowly, break and chip all the time. And this can be very frustrating, especially if you want a beautiful manicure here and now.
The good news is that nail growth can be accelerated by taking a holistic approach. Proper care, nutrition, protection from aggressive influences and home procedures can significantly improve the condition of the plate and help to achieve the desired length. In this article, we will tell you in detail how to grow nails, as well as talk about what factors affect their growth and strength.
How should healthy nails look like?
Before you grow nails, you need to analyze their condition. After all, they are the first to «signal» vitamin deficiencies, stress or other disorders in the work of systems. Therefore, it is important to be able to recognize the signs of healthy nails and respond to changes in a timely manner.
A healthy nail plate is characterized by:
- uniform light pink color;
- smooth surface without spots and stripes;
- white-colored well with a clear contour (its size is individual: for some it is barely noticeable, and for others it takes up a third of the nail);
- convex shape, without curvature or grooves;
- a dense, firm and elastic texture that is resistant to damage.
If your nails meet these criteria, it is safe to say that they are in good condition. But if at some point you notice that their appearance changes — this is a signal that you need to listen to your body.
How to grow nails fast
How to grow long nails? It cannot be done without a systematic approach. Even if you are lucky with genetics, insufficient care, stress and external factors can slow down growth and worsen their condition. Let's take a look at the rules that will help you grow your nails faster.
1. Keep your hands clean and hygienic
Wash your hands regularly and clean the area under your nails. Residual dirt and bacteria can cause inflammation, thinning of the nail plate and even stunt its growth.
2. Trim your nails properly
How to grow nails? As strange as it may sound, you need to periodically correct their length. File them with a soft file in the direction from the edges to the center — this prevents delamination. Do not cut your nails too short. This can traumatize the matrix (growth zone) and slow plate growth.
3. Moisturize and saturate your nails with nutrients
Lack of nutrients and miniaturization are the main enemies of beautiful and long nails. Use hand cream and cuticle oil daily. Products with vitamin E, panthenol, keratin and oils (jojoba, almond) help accelerate nail growth.
4. Avoid damage and aggressive factors
If you want to grow your nails, don't use them as a tool — this leads to micro-cracking and layering. Minimize contact with any aggressive products. For example, during cleaning, washing dishes or contact with household chemicals, be sure to use gloves — this is a minimal but important protection.
How to grow nails at home
How to grow fast nails? There is no miracle remedy that will help everyone. You need regular and thoughtful care of your hands and body. Let's take a closer look at what will help grow nails.
1. Vitamins for nails
Vitamins are the basis for fast nail growth. Especially important are:
- Biotin (vitamin B7) — strengthens the structure of the nail plate and stimulates its growth;
- Vitamins A, C and E — improve cell regeneration and protect nails from brittleness;
- Calcium, magnesium and zinc — responsible for nail density and strength;
- Omega-3 — improves the nourishment of the plate and keeps it moisturized from the inside.
You can take special vitamin complexes or simply diversify your diet. For example, you can add nuts, herbs, fish, eggs and legumes to your diet.
2. Baths to speed up nail growth
If you want to grow nails fast, do warm baths. They improve blood circulation and nutrient delivery to the nails. This contributes to their faster growth and strengthening. For example, you can add 1 tbsp of sea salt and 1 spoon of olive or almond oil to 200 ml of warm water. Dip your fingers in this bath for 10–15 minutes, then wipe them dry and apply moisturizer. For best results, repeat the procedure regularly 2–3 times a week.
3. Paraffin treatments
Paraffin is a great way to deeply moisturize your nails and the skin around them. It improves microcirculation, softens the cuticle, makes the nail plate more elastic and resistant to damage.
To carry out such a procedure at home, you need to:
- melt cosmetic paraffin on a water bath;
- cool it down to a comfortable temperature;
- dip hands in warm paraffin 2–3 times to create a thick layer;
- put on gloves or wrap hands in a towel for 15–20 minutes;
- remove the paraffin and apply a nourishing cream to the skin.
The procedure takes a little time, but gives noticeable results after the first time.
4. Natural Oils
Oils are the means to help grow nails. They nourish, moisturize and help to restore their structure. For example, you can use such oils:
- almond oil — strengthens, saturates with vitamins;
- jojoba — deeply penetrates and revitalizes;
- castor oil — stimulates growth;
- lemon essential oil — lightens the plate and gives it shine (should be used only in diluted form).
The oil should be applied daily to the nails and cuticles, rubbing it in circular motions for 2–3 minutes.
5. Proper cuticle care
The cuticle is a thin strip of skin around the nail plate that protects the matrix, the area where new nail cells are formed. If the cuticle is damaged, dry or inflamed, it can interfere with the normal process of plate formation, leading to brittleness and splitting. To prevent this, you need to follow a few rules:
- Regular moisturizing. Using moisturizing creams, oils or special balms for the cuticle helps to maintain its elasticity. Regular use of such products, especially after contact with water or household chemicals, provides optimal conditions for the growth of strong and healthy nails.
- Proper cuticle removal. Overgrown or keratinized cuticle can «inhibit» the growth of the nail, creating pressure on the plate. It can be removed by trimming or uncut (European) methods. The main thing is to do it as carefully as possible.
- Stimulation of blood circulation. Cuticle massage with the use of oils or creams improves blood circulation in the nail bed area. This improves the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the matrix, which accelerates the growth of nails and makes them stronger.
- Use of nourishing products. Special serums and creams for cuticles contain active ingredients that nourish not only the cuticle, but also the nail plate. These substances strengthen the nails, promote their rapid growth and prevent brittleness.
How to grow a nail after an injury
We want to touch on a very important topic and tell you how to grow nails on your hands faster after an injury. In such cases, the nail plate can darken, peel off or even fall off completely. This is normal, because the body triggers the regeneration process, during which a new nail is formed from the matrix. On average, it is completely renewed in 3–6 months. The speed depends on age, health and care.
If you have traumatized your nail plate, you should know what you can do to help it recover quickly:
- If the nail has partially peeled off, carefully trim its free edge with sterile scissors so that you don't accidentally snag it. Cover the affected area with a band-aid to reduce the risk of infection. Try not to put any strain on the finger.
- After an injury, the nail bed is vulnerable to bacteria. This is why you should wash your finger with an antiseptic and keep it dry.
- After the injury will no longer cause discomfort or pain, you can massage with oils to moisturize the nail bed and cuticle. It will improve blood circulation, thanks to which the nail will grow faster.
- The health of the nail plate depends on nutrition. Therefore, to accelerate the regeneration of damaged tissues, add to the diet foods rich in biotin (eggs, nuts), calcium (dairy products) and omega-3 (fish).
How to strengthen your nails so that they do not break
It happens that the nail plate grows quickly. However, it will be of little use if they are constantly broken or broken. How to grow nails in this case? To strengthen them, you should follow the tips we wrote about above. However, this may not be enough. You also need to change your habits:
- Minimize sudden temperature changes. In winter, be sure to wear gloves when outdoors, and when in contact with hot water, do not stay in it for too long.
- Avoid mechanical overload. The habit of using your nails as a tool — opening a box, picking up a sticker, pulling something off — leads to microcracks. This is one of the most common reasons why nails break in the same place.
- Limit contact with water and household chemicals. The more often your nails are in water, the more they soften and then dry out. When washing dishes, cleaning, laundry, use gloves not «sometimes» but every time.
- Do strengthening courses. If your goal is to grow nails, periodically use special strengthening polishes with calcium, keratin, silk proteins. Also apply night serums for nails. Such products do not work instantly, but they have an accumulative effect. After 2–3 weeks, the nails become denser and less prone to brittleness.
- Take breaks from decorative coating. Even the best quality lacquers dehydrate the plate over time. Take breaks between manicures for at least 1–2 weeks to allow your nails to recover. During this period, it is worthwhile to moisturize them especially actively.
Strengthening nails is about care that becomes a habit.
FAQ
How to grow nails in a week?
Nails grow an average of 1 mm per week, so it is impossible to grow your nails much in such a short time. However, you can create all the conditions for their growth to be more active. To do this, adjust your diet, take B vitamins and biotin, moisturize the nail plate daily and massage the cuticle area to stimulate blood circulation.
How to grow hand nails faster?
To grow hand nails fast, you need to affect them both from the inside and outside. Firstly, you should take care of the sufficient level of nutrients in the body. For this purpose, it is important to adjust the diet or, if necessary, take vitamin and mineral complexes. For external action, apply nail oil, vitamin serums and give stimulating massages.
How to grow nails with iodine?
Iodine is a remedy that helps to grow nails, as it strengthens them and stimulates blood circulation. However, it should be used carefully and never applied to the nails in pure form. It is best to make hand baths with this remedy. To do this, add 1–2 drops of iodine to 200 ml of warm water and dip your hands in it for 5–10 minutes.
How to grow nails with gel polish?
Gel-lacquer itself does not accelerate the growth of nails, but it can help to maintain the length by protecting them from mechanical damage. The main thing is to choose quality materials, do not remove the coating yourself and observe breaks between treatments.