A set beautiful long and naturally healthy nails adds a touch of class to any feminine personality which is the reason why most women keep wondering how to grow long nails.
Immaculately manicured long nails speak of elegance and taste with a subtle sensuous feel attached to them. However growing and maintaining long nails can be quite a daunting task unless one is clear about the fundamental requirements. Brittle, cracked or broken nails are a common problem that most women have to encounter at some point of time in their attempt to maintain long and sexy nails. Contrary to popular belief growing long nails requires a few and easy practical steps which can be achieved at home itself.
Understanding the Biology of Growing Nails
How to Grow Long Nails
To be clear in how to grow long nails one first needs to understand the science of how the nails originate and grow. Nails emanate from portion just beneath the cuticle which is known as the matrix. This matrix is actually the only living part of the nail. The cuticle is that part of the skin which provides a protective layer to the nails and hence is vital to the health of growing nails. As fresh nail cells develop inside the matrix the older cells are pushed out in direction of the fingertips as hard and compact nails. The basic composition of these hard nails is a protein fiber called keratin which mixes with the dead cells in the matrix to provide the stiffness.
Rate of Growing Long Nails
There are several factors which determine the rate at which fresh nails cells are produced which ultimately decides the rate at which your nails will grow out. Normally the nails grow about 0.1 millimeters every day which makes it almost half a year for an average nail to be completely replaced. That means about a inch and half in a year. The primary factor contributing the rate of growth in long nails is the nutritional intake of the individual so that adequate matter is available in the matrix to generate new cells. Additionally the amount of blood flow reaching the matrix also affects the rate of production of new cells. Heredity also plays an important role in determining the rate of growth of your nails. There are a few other miscellaneous factors which have some degree of influence on this process. The nails on the master hand tend to grow faster thus if you are right handed then chances of nails growing faster is brighter on the right hand. Nails grow faster in summers as compared to winters where they sort of hibernate. Pregnant women have higher rates of nail growth due to certain hormones that are being in the body during that stage. Interestingly the longer the nails are the faster is their growth which favors all those trying to figure out how to grow long nails.
Dietary Prerequisites to Grow Long Nails
As discussed earlier the nutrition available to the body plays a major role in speeding up the process of cell production thus ensuring faster growth of healthy and long nails. Here are a few suggestions of essentials that help long nails grow faster and healthier.
- Biotin: Equivalent of Vitamin H this element helps in providing strength to the nails so that they do not break easily and can be found common foods like banana, eggs, nuts and salmon.
- Omega -3: This chemical has the function of making the nails appear clear and bright and can be imbibed from items such as mackerel, eggs, tuna, spinach and sardines.
- Protein: The strength in the nails is derived from protein which is abundant in Soya, eggs, meat, fish and wheat.
- Sulphur: This mineral is responsible for preventing stains and spots on the surface of the nails which often appear whenever there is a shortage of this mineral in the diet.
- Silica: This is yet another mineral that is essential for growing long nails as it prevents the nails from becoming brittle as they grow long.
- Water: The mother of all nutrition, water is essential to maintain the surface of the nails without any roughness or abrasions.
Tips on How to Grow Long Nails
How to Grow Long Nails tips
- The first step towards growing long and elegant nails is to ensure a balanced diet that is able to supply all the essential nutrients discussed above. The multi-vitamin requirements must be met through the average meals or taken separately so as to sustain the growth in the nails. Adding Calcium to the diet will boost the production rate of the nail cells significantly.
- The next most important means of letting the nails grow free and fast is to avoid the usage of false nails or excessive nail polish as these prevent the breathing of the cells in the matrix. If required try applying a buffer for natural shine on the nails.
- Biting the nails is yet another of the common barriers that hamper the development of great looking long nails. Make amends to this unhealthy and uncouth habit so that your nails have the liberty to grow without the threat of being bitten off in between.
- Regular filing of the nails despite the temptation of letting them grow actually ensures that the nails are coming a bit at a time and thereby are string enough to reach greater lengths.
- Avoid using your elegant nails as mechanical tools to household chores such as opening a cell phone battery casing or turning a screw on some dysfunctional gadget. This mistake is apparently the most common reason for damaged nails.
- Protecting the nails while cleaning is yet another practical tip that will go a long way in letting you grow long nails. Chemicals used in detergents and soaps that are commonly employed for cleaning activities can cause severe stunting of growth in the nails as they retard the functioning of the matrix which produces the nail cells. These chemicals also tend to seep into the cracks create rough surfaces on the nails. Wearing suitable gloves while undertaking such activities, will not only protect the nails from harmful effects of such chemicals but also leave the free to grow faster. Even chemicals in perfumes and deodorants can significantly affect the growth of nails.
- Garlic rub which is a traditional recipe has now been scientifically proven to help nails grow faster and stronger. Cut a garlic flake and rub the moist cut portion against the cuticle and the nails to let its juice seep in. Apart from strengthening the nails this method also helps improve the surface smoothness and tone of the nails. Sunscreen lotion on the nails especially when being exposed to outdoors for a long time can avoid brittleness of the nails.
- Whenever removing old nail polish or acrylic nails be sure to remove all the chemicals and residual gum from the surface of the nails so that the cuticle and matrix can breathe air freely this helps the process of production of strong nails.
- Lastly whenever a nail break or gets chipped avoid biting it off. Always use a nail file to file it down in the proper way. This will ensure that the long growing nail is uniform in its shape and look tidy.
Tips to Grow Long Nails
In your quest to find how to grow long nails, always keep in mind that patience pays. The nails will take quite some time and effort to grow out into elegant additions to your hands. Be prepared for a few initial setbacks while growing long nails but be assured that once you acquire these nails they will be super enhancements to your style quotient.
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