Your nails grow all by themselves. We just have to give our nails some time. If you want to have nice, long nails, it can be hard to take care of them. Everyone's nails grow at a fixed rate, about one millimeter per month. [1] X Research source What you can do is protect your nails, give them proper nourishment, and make them appear longer than they actually are. These steps are quite easy, luckily. Read on for a discussion of just how to do that!
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:
Making Your Nails Appear Longer
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Wash your hands with a gentle soap . [2] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source Using a harsh soap may make your nails brittle.
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Pat your hands using a towel.Advertisement
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Fill a plastic bowl with enough white vinegar to cover your nails.
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Soak your nails (one hand at a time) in the vinegar for 4-5 minutes, while your other hand holds the bowl steady.
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Remove your hands from the vinegar and dry them off with a paper towel or dishcloth.
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Wash your hands with soap and water to remove the smell of the vinegar and dirt. [3] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
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Gently push back your cuticles and file your nails if necessary.
- Don't cut your cuticles. Doctors do not recommend cutting your cuticles for several reasons. For one, cut cuticles could lead to infection, which could hamper growth of the nail. [4] X Research source Also, cut cuticles have a tendency of growing back, while pushing your cuticles back might make them permanently appear smaller.
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Also you can use hand sanitizer after you're finished. Let it stay on for four minutes and then wash off and you're done. [5] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to sourceAdvertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 4:
Strategies for Not Biting Your Nails
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Apply two coats of hard-nail fingernail polish.
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Leave for two hours then add another coat of hard-nail fingernail polish.
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Make sure that your fingernail polish is not lumpy or thick. This can make your nails look unattractive. Not only that, but if the polish comes off suddenly or forcefully it can damage your nails, which is not a good thing.
- If you bite your nails, try this method. If you're going to bite them think about what they will look like once you have bitten them, disgusting.
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When you feel the need to bite your nails, chew a piece of gum . You can't bite your nails if you're already chewing something else!
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Put lemon juice on your nails. This is another way to keep yourself from biting your nails. Use a small bowl and put some lemon juice in it. Dip the tips of your fingers into the bowl. Let them air dry. When you go to bite your nails, you'll taste the sour flavor of the lemon. [6] X Research source
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Wear gloves while watching TV. If you bite your nails often without thinking, getting a mouthful of fluff will often help deter it! [7] X Research source
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If you're a fidgety person, find something else to use your hands for to keep them busy. Stress balls, knitting or even cleaning can help keep your busy hands occupied. [8] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Dermatology Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists Go to source
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Get your friends in on it! If you often bite your nails without thinking, make others aware that you want to quit. Having a partner or a friend slapping your hand away from your mouth will keep your hands in your lap.
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Chew something else. This can help keep your mind off of nibbling those nails. Whether it's gum or something else, having something in your mouth already is a good way to keep those fingers out of there.Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 4:
Understanding What Might Help Your Fingernails Grow
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Think about biotin supplements as a way to make your nails long and strong. Biotin is a supplement used for a wide range of cases, from diabetes to hair growth. Biotin is also effective in treating brittle nails, making them stronger and less likely to split or break. [9] X Research source Biotin can be found in natural foods, [10] X Research source although it is commonly taken as a supplement.
- Biotin won't necessarily make your nails grow faster or longer. Again, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that nails can be spurred to grow faster or longer by diet or lifestyle. What Biotin will do is make sure that your nails crack less often and that they are fuller. Nails that crack less often have a better chance to grow longer the natural way.
- Naturally occurring Biotin absorbs into the body relatively poorly. It can, however, be found naturally in many foods:
- Wheat germ
- Whole-grain cereals
- Whole wheat bread
- Eggs, dairy products
- Nuts
- Swiss chard
- Salmon
- Chicken
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Moisturize your nails, especially during the winter months. When your fingernails leave the cuticle, they are already dead cells, meaning that they won't repair themselves. This means that you have to take care of them yourself. [11] X Research source
- Every time you wash your hands, finish your sanitation regime by applying hand cream to your hands and nails. This will keep your fingernails from becoming too brittle, from cracking, or from splitting.
- Wear gloves during the winter months if you go outside. Use rubber gloves if you're cleaning indoors or doing dishes, for example.
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Don't expose your nails to nail polish remover repetitively. [12] X Research source Every time you wipe off nail polish, you weaken your nails. Take a break from applying nail polish (and hence nail polish remover) to your hands every other week or every third week. You'll emerge with stronger nails. [13] X Research source
- Try looking for a polish that doesn't need to be refreshed every week. If you can't find one, try looking for a polish that can be colored over when your fancy strikes you a different way or you are tired of that color.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:
Myths About Fingernail Growth
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Constant activity will stimulate growth because of increased blood flow. The myth out there is that piano players have strong, long nails. Doctors say that while possibly increased blood flow stimulates growth (it hasn't been proven yet), increased impact on the tips of nails means more breaking and splitting, which means nails that need to be trimmed. [14] X Research source
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Increased protein intake will stimulate growth. The myth here is that because nails are made of protein (keratin), giving them more protein in a diet will help them grow. There is no evidence to support this, however. [15] X Research source
- The truth is that a protein deficiency will cause nails to be weak and underdeveloped. However, the difference between a normal protein diet and a high protein diet cannot be seen or felt in the nails.
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Rubbing garlic on your nails will help them grow faster. The myth here is that because garlic contains selenium, a deficiency of which can lead to weaker nails, rubbing it on your nails will have the opposite effect. As you can probably tell, this is the same thinking as the previous myth: if not having enough of something is bad, having too much of it is good. The only problem is, the world doesn't always work that way. Sadly, the garlic rub myth has no evidence behind it. [16] X Research sourceAdvertisement
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Tips
- When you are growing your nails, always file and clean underneath them. Dirt can stain them.Thanks
- Never use acetone-based nail polish remover as this can cause your nails to thin and weaken, making it harder for them to grow.Thanks
- Try rubbing olive oil on your nails about twice a week. Wash it off completely and pat dry.Thanks
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Warnings
- If you want to take on a different hobby instead of nail biting, make sure it isn't worse than nail biting (such as smoking, drugs etc.) or something that can do long-term damage.Thanks
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/features/can-you-make-fingernails-grow-faster
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/hand-washing/art-20046253
- ↑ http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/features/caring-for-your-cuticles
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/pdf/hand-sanitizer-factsheet.pdf
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/onychophagia-nail-biting
- ↑ https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/stop-nail-biting-tips
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/nail-care-secrets/stop-biting-nails
- ↑ http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/supplement-guide-biotin
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Biotin-HealthProfessional/
- ↑ https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/hands-fingernails
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nails/WO00020/NSECTIONGROUP=2
- ↑ https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/more-beautiful-nails-a-dozen-tips
- ↑ https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/can-you-make-fingernails-grow-faster#2
About this article
Article Summary
X
To grow your fingernails, keep in mind that you can't actually make your nails grow faster, but you can help them grow stronger so they're less likely to break as you're growing them out. To grow stronger nails, try taking biotin supplements, which can make your nails less brittle. Also, apply lotion to your hands every time you wash them to keep them moisturized so they're less likely to break. You should also try to limit how often you paint your nails since using nail polish remover can damage them. To learn how to make your nails look like they're longer, keep reading!
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Reader Success Stories
- "The whole thing helped. My fingernails weren't growing as well as they should've been, so I used wikiHow. It gave my hands a whole new appearance." ..." more
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"The whole thing helped. My fingernails weren't growing as well as they should've been, so I used wikiHow. It gave my hands a whole new appearance."
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"This actually helped my nails grow. If you want long nails, I would recommend soaking them in warm/hot water, that's what helped me!"
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"What helped me most in the article is that vinegar helps them grow, and chewing gum will take your mind off of biting your nails."
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"I love these tips! They are so helpful and amazing. Keep up the good work. Now my nails are strong, healthy, and long. Thanks! "
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"The hangnail item was most helpful as I get them a lot. Also my nails are soft and flaky, so all good information. Thank you."
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