The reality is that nails grow all by themselves. They have a certain growth rate. But if you want longer and healthier nails, there are ways to achieve that. Your nails will grow, you just have to give them time. Our nails grow at a fixed rate, which his approximately one millimeter per month.
However, with the proper nourishment, treatment, and care, you can speed up the process. How to grow your nails fast?
Understanding the growth rate
Fingernails are made of many layers of hard protein. This protein is called keratin, and the fingernails are actually a good indicator of your overall health.
When your nails are healthy, they should be smooth and hard, and free of any grooves and dents. Healthy nails are consistent in color. As mentioned, your nails grow at a fixed rate.
That healthy nail growth rate is fixed for everyone. Now, they might grow slower in some cases, or faster. And that depends on your care for your nails.
What vitamins your nails need?
You have to understand that so far, there is no scientifical method that has been proven to help the growth of nails. However, there is some evidence that certain minerals and vitamins help you grow nails fast.
Healthy diet can be the difference between weak nails and strong nails.
Biotin
Biotin is a type of B vitamin, that allows your body to turn food into energy. It is also recommended as a supplement for the strength of your nails and bones. This vitamin helps you grow strong nails.
Taking a biotin supplement can vastly improve the health and strength of your nails. But you can also found it naturally in cooked eggs, sardines, nuts, nut butter, whole grains, bananas, cauliflower, and mushrooms.
Folic acid
Another B vitamin, folic acid is essential for cell growth. There is a reason why pregnant women have to take a folic acid supplement, and that is to ensure proper growth of their babies.
Folic acid can also help in the growth of your natural nail. You can obtained it via supplement or naturally. If you want to consume foods high in folic acid, go for beets, citrus fruits, and leafy greens.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a popular antioxidant, but it is also crucial for the strength of tissues, bones, nails, and teeth. The vitamin makes sure that any toxins are expelled from the body, and cannot harm your body.
Vitamin A can easily be sourced from grapefruit, spinach, apples, carrots, but also milk, liver, and eggs.
Vitamin C
Widely regarded as the most important vitamin we need to consume on a daily basis. Vitamin C not only prevents common colds and infections, but it can also improve the health of your nails, bones, tissues, and much more.
The good news is that you can easily source vitamin C from citrus fruits, tomatoes, leafy greens, and berries. Simply put, almost any fruit and veggie contains some amount of vitamin C.
Treatments for faster growth
Lemon Juice
We mentioned that vitamin C is crucial for growing your nails fast. Well, in addition to consuming foods high in vitamin C, you can apply it topically. This is one of the best ways for how to grow your nails fast.
Not only it helps in growing nails, but lemon juice will also remove yellow nail stains.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl
- Heat the solution for 20 seconds in a microwave
- Soak your nails inside for 10 minutes
- Repeat every day
- Alternatively, you can rub lemon on your nails for five minutes and then wash them with water
Orange juice
You can use either lemon juice or orange juice. It comes down to what you prefer, and what you have at home.
- Squeeze orange juice into a bowl
- Soak your nails for 10 minutes inside
- Rinse, moisturize your nails, and repeat every day for nails growth
Coconut oil
Coconut oil makes sure your nails are moisturized. The oil also contains nutrients that nourish your nails and provides support for healthy growth.
- Warm up extra virgin coconut oil in a bowl
- Massage it into your nails and fingers in a circular motion
- Repeat every night before going to bed. Do not rinse your nails afterward
Olive oil
Olive is one of the best things you can apply to your nails. Rich in vitamin E, olive oil will improve blood circulation, and ensure your nails are getting nutrients for healthy growth.
- Heat up olive oil, and then massage it into your nails for five minutes
- Put gloves on your hands, and let the olive oil soak into your nails overnight
- In the morning, wash your hands. Repeat every day
What to eat for stronger nails
We talked previously that certain vitamins are needed for strong and healthy nails. If topical treatments are not enough for you, you can grow your nails fast by changing your diet.
Here are a couple of foods you definitely want to include in your diet for growing nails.
Eggs
Nails are made of a protein called keratin. It is only logical that if you want to grow nails faster, you need foods that are high in protein. And few foods beat eggs in that aspect.
Protein found in eggs helps our bones and nails become much stronger. Eggs are also rich in vitamin B12 and Biotin, two other vitamins that are key for growing nails.
Beans
When it comes to beans, people always look at them as an alternative to meat. Yes, beans are a good vegetarian source of protein. But they are also loaded with biotin, a key vitamin in helping the growth of nails.
Consuming beans and other biotin-rich foods can speed up the growth of your nails by 25%. Sounds good enough for you?
Oats
While biotin and protein are key for growing nails, you also need minerals that will help you maintain the health and strength of your nails. Oats contain two of those minerals in zinc and copper.
There is a reason why oatmeal is considered one of the healthiest breakfast options. Add anything you like to oats, and you can increase the vitamin and mineral capacity of your breakfast.
Sunflower seeds
It is just remarkable how many vitamins and minerals are there in something as small as sunflower seeds. They are basically a powerhouse of nutrients.
Minerals found in sunflower seeds include manganese and copper, both of which encourage production of connective tissue. You can sprinkle on your oats, and you have a healthy breakfast.
Salmon
If there is one thing every diet will tell you is that you need to consume fish. Consuming fish can help you increase your consumption of fatty acids and protein. And salmon is truly the cream of the crop.
Being rich in protein is just one reason why you want salmon. The fatty fish is also high in vitamin D, a crucial vitamin for growing stronger and healthier bones and nails.
How to properly groom your nails?
Regular grooming is crucial for ensuring proper growth of your nails. It might sound funny, but not all of us know how to properly trim and file their nails.
Here are some tips for healthy nail care. Follow them to keep your nails healthy and groom them.
- Keep the nails dry and clean, which is crucial for ensuring protection against bacteria
- Use sharp manicure scissors or clippers to trim nails
- Trim your nails straight across, and then round the tips of your nails into a soft curve
- Apply moisturizer regularly, be it a lotion or something else
- Avoid nail biting
- Do not cut your nails too short
Why your fingernails are not growing?
There may be several reasons why your nails are not growing. For example, age is a factor. Younger people have faster-growing nails than older people.
Pregnant women also tend to experience faster nail growth, as hormones play a role. That aside, here are a couple of factors that may hamper your nail growth.
- Biting nails on a regular basis
- Skipping the base coat when applying nail polish
- Chipping off nail polish, as you are peeling the topmost layer of your nails
- Excessive use of gel and acrylics
