• Nutrition
• Lifestyle
• Nail Health

8 Tips for Helping Your Nails Grow Faster

Medically reviewed and edited by Kimberly Burrus, NP

While most people dream of having long, beautiful nails, it can be difficult to achieve this if you don’t understand which factors affect nail growth. 

Using ineffective nail growth strategies may cause more damage, which can weaken your nails and make them stop growing. But LifeMD is here to help. 

In this article, we’ll explore the best home remedies to speed up your nail growth while ensuring your nails stay strong and healthy. 

How Much Do Nails Grow on Average?

Nail growth can vary from person to person, but on average, nails grow about 3.5 millimeters (0.1 inches) per month.

Several factors influence the rate at which your nails grow, including your age, genetics, and overall health.

Your nails may also grow slightly faster if you’re physically active due to increased blood flow.

8 Tips for Helping Nails Grow Faster 

While the speed of nail growth is largely determined by genetics, there are a few steps you can take to increase this rate slightly. Let’s take a look at these.

Follow a balanced diet 

Your nutrition and overall diet play a big role in your nail health and growth.

Following a diet that lacks essential nutrients — like biotin, omega-3s, collagen, and protein — often contributes to weak and brittle nails that struggle to grow.

That’s why your diet should consist of a variety of foods, including ones that contain the nutrients you need for fast and healthy nail growth. This includes foods like:

• Fruits

• Vegetables, especially mushrooms and leafy greens, like spinach and kale 

• Healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, and salmon 

• Protein-rich foods like eggs and lean meats 

Stay hydrated 

Drinking enough fluids is just as important for healthy nails as it is for your overall well-being.

Water keeps your nails moisturized, which can prevent them from becoming dry and brittle.

This is essential for avoiding breakage that can affect nail growth. 

Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water per day and cut back on dehydrating beverages — like alcohol or coffee — for best results. 

Monitor your nail health 

Significant changes in your nails — such as their color or texture — can be an early indication of serious underlying health issues. 

In addition to changes in color or texture, it’s also important to keep an eye out for:

• Changes in the thickness or shape of your nails

• Separation of the nail from the surrounding skin

• Bleeding around the nail bed and cuticles 

• Swelling or pain around the nails 

These changes can alter the speed at which your nails grow, so getting them checked out is essential for maintaining strong nails and prioritizing your overall health. 

Avoid damaging nail habits and treatments

Certain habits — such as biting or picking at them — can cause nail growth to slow down due to damage.

Many of these habits can also contribute to nails being more prone to breakage, which makes it challenging to grow them.

Additionally, frequently getting press-on or artificial nails can also cause damage that contributes to slower growth.

This is largely due to improper nail care practices — including filing the nail bed and soaking the hands in acetone — which can cause them to grow weak and brittle. 

Take a biotin supplement

Biotin is an important B vitamin that helps the body turn food into energy and boosts the strength of your nails. 

Research suggests that taking a daily biotin supplement (around 2.5 milligrams) can help strengthen your nails, which may speed up their growth. You can also find biotin in foods like:

• Yeast

• Sardines

• Cauliflower

• Nuts 

• Whole grains

• Cooked eggs

• Soybeans

Get professional treatments

Regularly scheduling treatments, such as gel manicures, can improve your nail growth.

These treatments often provide a hardened protective coat over the nails, which can help you avoid damage and breakage.

If you have a habit of picking at or biting your nails, a gel manicure may also help you to stop.

However, the removal of gel nails must be done by a professional. 

Peeling the gel polish off at home can be extremely damaging to your natural nails and may even inhibit their growth.  

Practice good grooming

Regularly grooming your nails can make them stronger and help them grow faster. A few ways to keep your nails maintained include:

• Avoiding cutting the natural nail too short 

• Keeping your nails clean and dry to prevent bacteria from growing beneath them 

• Moisturizing your hands and nails with thick cream or cuticle oil, and taking care to rub it into the cuticles

• Using sharp manicure scissors or clippers when trimming your nails  

Protect your nails from damage 

Various daily activities — like washing the dishes and using your nails as tools to open things — can put your nails under unnecessary stress, causing them to weaken and grow slower.

Always protect your nails during these activities to help keep them healthy. You can do this by:

• Using proper tools to open items, such as can or bottle openers

• Wearing gloves when washing dishes and properly drying your nails afterwards

• Taking care to avoid bumping your nails against hard surfaces

• Choosing chemical-free cleaning products and nail polish remover, if possible

• Opting for nail polishes that don’t contain any harsh ingredients

These small changes can strengthen your nails, which is an essential part of speeding up their growth. 

Use nail hardeners

Soft nails are more prone to breaking and slow growth. To prevent this, you can use nail hardeners, which are painted on like nail polish.

These substances often contain strengthening agents — like vitamin E or biotin — that harden the nails and help them to grow. 

However, it’s important to note that this type of nail strengthener is only recommended for short-term use that doesn’t exceed three weeks.

If they are used for prolonged periods of time, they may cause nails to weaken. 

Should You See a Doctor About Nail Growth?

While nail growth is a natural process that varies from person to person, you may need to see a doctor if you experience:

• Persistent slow nail growth 

• Changes in the color, texture, or shape of your nails 

• Nail pain or discomfort

• Infections 

• Nutritional deficiencies

Many of these symptoms indicate issues like autoimmune disorders, bacterial or fungal infections, chronic conditions, or malnutrition that affect nail growth. 

If you are concerned about your overall health, consulting a doctor can help you get a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment to manage your condition. 

Where Can You Learn More About Maintaining Healthy Nails?

While it’s generally recommended to consult your nail technician about any nail concerns, LifeMD can help if you are worried about potential underlying health issues.

Make an appointment with LifeMD today to learn more about taking care of your overall health — all from the comfort of your home.

Kimberly Burrus, NP

Kim’s approach to patient care focuses on compassion and evidence-based medicine brought together to provide high levels of care. She feels this combination allows patients to feel supported and heard throughout their healthcare journey.

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