“I want my nails to be brittle and short,” said no one! Yet, it is not at all that easy to grow healthy, and long nails. So what’s the trick?
1. Clean and Groom
It can be fun! Get a new grooming kit like these one from Amazon
Sometimes just having a new grooming set can help motivate one to pay closer attention to their nails. Taking the time to clean and groom your nails can be very self rewarding, therapeutic even. The benefit of clean and well groomed nails will increase growth and will reduce chipping and breakage.
2. Moisturize
This is often looked over. Nails are put through a drought or even a sand storm each day. Repeated washing or hand sanitizers, cleaning products, yard work, etc. can all dry nails out. Especially, if you are naturally dry skinned. Those that are oily skinned may have an advantage when it comes to dry nails. Having dry nails will lead to breakage, chipping, or cracking of the layers on nails. Fortunately, there are ways to moisturize them. Sally Hanson offers many products that will add moister for the nail bed and cuticles.
Coconut oil, olive oil, and lanolin are all natural remedies. Soaking your nails in either coconut oil or olive oil for 15 minutes 3 times a week will penetrate moister deep into the nails and cuticles. Try using lanolin. Lanolin is also used in balms, ointments, and creams such as Neosporin, Chapstick, Lansinoh and A&D Ointment. Lanolin is an oil derived from wool. Using lanolin several times daily after washing hands, cleaning, and before going to bed will increase your nails strength and keep them moisturized. Keeping up with moisturizing your nails will also aid in healing hang nails and dry skin around the nail bed.
3. Healthy Diet and Taking Supplements
Sometimes, week, brittle nails are linked to a deficiency of Vitamin H also known as Biotin. Nails are made of a protein called keratin. Vitamin H (or Biotin) encourages the body to produce keratin. Which in-turn will encourage nail growth. Nothing reflects good health like nails do. In many cases, the nails are one of initial things medical aid will look at when inspecting health. A healthy life style will reflect in the nails. Carrots, lentils, salmon, and almonds are among the many foods that are rich in Biotin. Fortunately, there are many supplements available that will support good health and encourage nail growth as well. Vitafusion, Gorgeous Hair, Skin, and Nails is a great option! Not to mention, it taste great too!
4. Bashing Bad Habits
Many times, bad habits such as bitting and picking are the main reason nails are inhibited to grow. Even using them to open packages, soda cans, picking off sticky stickers will cause wear and tear. There are many helpful products to aid in breaking bad habits. Such as Hoof Hands Kick the Habit Nail-Biting Deterrent. You can even get it at Walmart.
All of the times mom has said, “stop biting your nails”, she was on to something. Not only does biting the nails shorten them, but the saliva weakens them. Then there are those that have fidgety fingers, they just need to be busy and find themselves picking away at their nails. Believe it or not, there are gadgets available such as the Fidget Dice that you can purchase on amazon.com. Items such as this will be sure to detour the attention of fidgety fingers.
Overall, having healthy nails is a wonderful self improvement everyone should try to attain. Although, many factors play into nail health, there are usually ways we can all try. Cleaning and Grooming, Moisturize, Healthy Diet and Supplements, and Bashing Bad Habits are among the top helpful ways one can improve nail health.