Having solid and pretty nails not only makes us look better but also shows how healthy we are generally. Weak, brittle nails can be annoying and could even be a sign that our bodies aren’t getting enough nutrients or need more care. The good news is that making your nails stronger doesn’t have to be complicated. We will talk about easy, effective ways to care for your nails, feed them, and keep them looking beautiful and healthy.
How to Understand Nails and Why They Break
Keratin is a protein that makes up our nails. Proteins like this are also found in hair and skin. They are what make nails solid and long-lasting. But many things can weaken our nails and make them split, crack, or break easily. Some common reasons why nails get weak are
Not Enough Nutrients: Proteins, minerals, and vitamins are essential for nail health. If we don’t eat well, our nails might get worse.
Too Much Water: Soaking your nails in water all the time can remove their natural oils, leaving them dry and brittle.
Chemicals That Are Too Strong: Using soaps, cleaners, or nail products that are too strong can hurt your nails over time.
Using nail paint and removers often: Many nail polish removers have acetone, which can dry.
Health Problems: Some health problems, like problems with the thyroid or fungus infections, can weaken nails.
Getting older: Our nails naturally weaken and may break more often as we get older.
How to Make Nails Stronger: Useful Strategies and Tips
Here is a thorough list of different ways to make your nails stronger. These tips, which range from how to take better care of your nails to what you eat, will help you get stronger, healthier nails.
1. Feed your nails from the inside out
What you eat has a significant effect on how strong your nails are. To keep your nails healthy, your body needs the following:
Protein: Your nails are made of protein, so make sure you eat enough. You can eat lean meats, fish, eggs, and plant-based nutrients like lentils and beans.
Vet B7 biotin: Biotin has been shown to make nails stronger. Eggs, nuts, seeds, salmon and bananas are high in biotin. Biotin tablets are also available if your doctor tells you to take them.
Iron: Weak, thin nails can be caused by insufficient Iron. Eat things high in Iron, like spinach, red meat, and beans. Talk to your doctor about vitamins if you’re anaemic or low on Iron.
Vitamin C: Your body needs this vitamin to make collagen, which helps your nails stay strong. Tomatoes, bell peppers, citrus fruits and strawberries are all great sources.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: These good fats help nails stay solid and moist. Omega-3s can be found in fish like salmon, peanuts and flaxseeds.
2. Keep your nails moist
Nails need water to stay healthy, just like our skin. Here are some ways to make sure they drink:
Use a Cream or Oil to Keep Your Nails and Cuticles Moist: Put a rich hand cream or oil on your nails and cuticles daily. You can use coconut oil, olive oil or jojoba oil for this. Touch a little to each nail and work it in.
Do not Soak Your Nails Too Long: Your nails can lose their natural oils if they stay in water for too long. Wear gloves to protect your nails when you clean or wash dishes.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking enough water is essential for nail health. Your nails will stay healthy if you drink enough water.
3. Be gentle with your nails
Every day, our nails get significantly damaged. Here are some ways to keep things from breaking or getting damaged:
Shape and Cut Your Nails Often: To keep your nails healthy, cut them every two weeks. Shape them gently with a nail file. Do not see them back and forth, as this can weaken the nails. Do not split the file; instead, file in one way.
Do not Use Your Nails as Tools: If you try to open cans or peel off stickers with your nails, they could break. Use the right tools instead.
Chemicals can break down nails. Harsh chemicals, like those in cleaning goods, should be avoided. When you clean or use strong products, you should wear gloves.
4. Take a break from nail polish
Even though nail polish can make your hands look nice, you should take a break occasionally. This helps keep them from getting weak or drying out. When you use nail paint, this is how to take care of your nails:
Avoid using harsh removers: Many nail paint removers have acetone, which can dry out your skin. Instead, look for removers that don’t contain acetone.
Take a Break from Nail Polish: Avoid using polish on your nails every two weeks. This gives them a chance to breathe and get stronger.
5. If you need to, take supplements.
You might want to look into vitamins if you eat a healthy diet but still have weak nails. Here are some that are often suggested, but before taking any new supplement, you should always talk to your doctor:
As biotin is known to help strengthen nails, people whose nails are weak or brittle are often told to take biotin tablets.
The health of your nails may be affected by a lack of certain nutrients. A simple multivitamin can sometimes fill in those gaps.
Fish Oil: Supplements with fish oil, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids, can help keep nails moist from the inside out.
6. Avoid using acrylic or gel nails, or use them very little.
Acrylic and gel nails can make your nails look beautiful but weaken your natural nails over time. When using these things, this is how to keep your hands safe:
Limit Use: Instead of wearing plastic or gel nails daily, save them for special events. The process of taking them off can be rough on natural nails.
Pick safer ways to get rid of them: if you need to get rid of them, hire a professional. Taking off gel or plastic nails at home can hurt the nail bed.
7. Pay close attention to your nails
The cuticles cover the bottom of your nails and keep them clean. Take care of them like this:
Regularly moisturize: Use oil or cream on your cuticles to keep them soft and stop them from drying out.
Do not cut your cuticles: Doing so can cause infections and make your nails more likely to hurt. Instead, use a cuticle stick to push the cuticles back if needed gently.
8. Take care of your stress levels
Stress can hurt the health of your nails. Some people may start biting their nails when worried, making them weak. Regular exercise, meditation, or sports can help you deal with stress.
9. Keep an eye out for signs of health problems
Weak nails can sometimes be a sign of a health problem. If your nails keep breaking, changing colour, or changing in other strange ways, you might want to talk to a doctor about it. Some health problems, like thyroid problems, fungal diseases, or anaemia, can make nails less healthy.
Ways to Strengthen Your Nails at Home That You Can Do Yourself
You can also strengthen your nails with things you make at home. To fix this, try these easy steps:
1. Soak in olive oil
Olive oil is excellent for keeping nails healthy and strong. How to do it:
Warm up a little olive oil.
Let the oil soak into your nails for ten to fifteen minutes.
Clean your hands with water and pat them dry gently.
It works best to do this treatment once or twice a week.
2. Mix olive oil and lemon juice
Olive oil keeps nails moist, and lemon juice can make them look better:
A few drops of lemon juice and one tablespoon of olive oil should be mixed.
Use your hands to rub this mixture into your cuticles and nails.
Spray it on and wait 5 to 10 minutes. Then wash it off.
Once a week, do this to make your nails stronger.
3. Honey and Egg Yolk Mask
Egg whites have a lot of protein, which is good for your nails:
One egg yolk and one teaspoon of honey should be mixed.
Leave this on your nails for 10 minutes after putting it on.
Rinse well.
You can use this mask once a week to make your skin firmer.
How to Avoid Common Mistakes in Nail Care
Here are some mistakes you should never make to keep your nails strong:
Biting Your Nails: This habit makes your nails weaker and more likely to break.
Not taking care of your nails: Moisturizing and cutting your nails regularly can make a big difference.
Overusing nail hardeners: Some contain formaldehyde, which can weaken nails over time if used too much.
In short
You are not required to spend much Money on treatments or follow many complicated steps to care for your nails. You can get stronger, healthier nails by changing what you eat, how you live and how you care for your nails. Remember to wait because nails need time to grow and get stronger. If you give your nails regular care and attention, you’ll see a big difference in how they look and how strong they are.
