How I Grew Stronger Nails
By Cathy Ching
For 13 years of my life, I hid my hands. I had weak, brittle nails. You might have heard of people biting their nails; but for me, I was ripping them. This started when I was four-years-old, and it became a very big inconvenience in my daily life. My nails were short to the point that it would hurt to use a pencil or type on my computer. But still, it was a habit that I could not break no matter how hard I tried.
That was until the summer before my senior year of high school. I realized how much of a problem my nails were for me, physically and emotionally. Afraid of people judging me because of my strange habit and ruined nails, I never let anyone see my hands for more than a second. That summer, I made it a small, personal goal of mine to try and grow out strong nails before I went off to college. Maybe if I could break a 13-year-old habit, other future goals wouldn’t seem as difficult to accomplish.
I must say, working toward the goal of growing stronger nails took an immense amount of time and patience. For about six months, I would get my hopes up every time my nails grew a few millimeters, but they always ended up breaking away. I have been on this journey for almost two years now, and my nails have tremendously improved in strength and length. I can’t recall how many times I accidentally poked a hole through cushioned items or clawed my friends.
If you are looking to go through a nail-growing journey like I did, you came to the right place. I’m no expert on nail care, but here are a few tips that I learned about growing out my claws.
Wear Nail Polish
I know, but hear me out. Whenever I went to a nail salon or did my nails at home, I realized that I was more likely to just leave them alone or avoid doing tasks that could mess them up. I painted my nails every two weeks and watched them grow longer. Do not forget the base coat — it protects your nails from the actual nail polish. Nail polish can go both ways: it can either strengthen or weaken your nails. It all depends on what brand of nail polish you wear. Harsh ingredients like toluene, formaldehyde, and DBP can dry out your nails.
Do Not Peel Off Your Nail Polish
I cannot stress this enough: use a non-acetone nail polish remover. Ripping nail polish off your nails takes off a thin top layer of your nails. I also used to peel off my nail polish because it was satisfying to see the nail polish come off all in one go, but it left my nails weak. Instead, use nail polish remover to take off the nail polish. Again, be careful and avoid ones with an acetone base!
File, Don’t Clip,
This came as a surprise to me too. If you are setting a goal to grow stronger nails, do not use a nail clipper. They create tiny cracks and tears in your nails that you can’t see, which will lead to further breakage. Use a nail file instead; it leaves a smooth edge and a more desirable shape. If my nails grow too long, I like to use a nail clipper to cut just a little bit off and file the rest down to how long I want them. I suggest filing your nails a little bit every week or two to keep the tears in your nails intact so they don’t break.
Change Your Diet
You are what you eat. Having enough protein and calcium in your system promotes healthier nails. Adding biotin supplements to your everyday life can also grow your nails. I have not personally tried this, but it is for sure one of the most well-known tips suggested by doctors to grow stronger hair and nails. Hydrating your body is also essential to nail health. I tend to drink a lot of water, which is extremely helpful in maintaining my strong nails even when I wear so much nail polish.
Be Patient
This might be the most important tip. Everyone’s body is different, so it may take longer for you to grow out your nails than the next person. For me, it took quite a while, about a year, to grow nails that did not chip off in less than a month. What helped me stay patient and hopeful is downloading Pinterest. I pinned dozens of pictures for manicure inspiration and told myself that I would get all these colors and designs once my nails looked the way I wanted them to.
Today, I no longer hide my hands. In fact, my nails are one of my biggest humble brags. I do not go around boasting about my nails, but I do feel proud every now and then when new friends ask me if my nails are natural or acrylics. If I told my high school self that I would one day break a habit that was 13 years in the making, she probably would not have believed it. Little did I know that ending that journey would start a new one in exploring new goals, self-care, and self-confidence.
Photo Credits of Cathy Ching (writer)
