How quickly do nails grow?
Can't you wait for your nails to grow longer, or are you simply curious about how quickly your nails grow? Then read this article where you can learn more about nail growth speed and what you can do to take care of your nails, keeping them healthy and strong, so they don't break.
Nail growth speed varies
The short answer is that nails generally grow about 0.1 to 0.15 millimeters per day or around 2-3 millimeters per month. However, the growth rate of nails varies from person to person and depends on several factors such as age, genetics, overall health, and nutrition.
Certain diseases can negatively affect nail growth and make them brittle and prone to breakage. These types of diseases can include malnutrition, hormonal imbalances, thyroid disease, infections (such as fungal infections in the nail bed), or autoimmune diseases (such as psoriasis or lupus). If you suspect you may have one of these conditions, it's always best to consult your doctor.
Remember that nails may also appear shorter or longer depending on your nail shape and length, as well as how you choose to trim and shape them.
Healthy diet and vitamins promote healthy nails
To provide the best conditions for nail growth, it's a good idea to maintain a healthy lifestyle and ensure you have a nutritious diet. Your diet should include vitamins like A, C, E, and Biotin, as consuming these vitamins can help maintain healthy nails. Consider taking supplements or including foods like fish, nuts, eggs, and green vegetables in your diet.
Nails can grow 1-2 millimeters in a week
It may seem like a lot that nails can grow 1-2 millimeters in a week. However, it's important to remember that nails are relatively slow-growing structures compared to, for example, hair. For comparison, the hair on your head typically grows 0.5 to 1.5 centimeters per month, which equals 1.25-3.75 millimeters in a week. Therefore, nails grow significantly slower than head hair.
Even though it may seem like your nails are growing quickly when you look at them every day, their growth is actually relatively slow compared to other bodily processes. It's also worth noting that nail growth rates can vary from person to person, and these numbers are only average estimates.
Health and nail care are important
It's essential to remember that the health and care of your nails are more important than their actual growth rate. If you don't take care of your nails, they can become weak and prone to breaking. This means you'll be back at square one and need to start growing them out again.
6 care tips for healthier and stronger nails
There are basically 5 different things you can do yourself to achieve stronger and healthier nails. We've listed the 5 nail care tips here.
1. Keep your nails clean
Regularly wash and dry your hands and nails to remove dirt and bacteria, using a mild soap. When cleaning with harsh chemicals or cleaning agents, be sure to use protective gloves.
2. Care for and moisturize your nails
Use a nail brush to clean and care for your nails and cuticles. Apply a good nail oil or moisturizer to your nails and gently massage it in. This helps maintain moisture and prevent dryness and brittle nails.
3. Protect your nails
Wear gloves when performing tasks that can harm your nails, such as dishwashing or gardening. Avoid using your nails as tools to open things or scrape off items.
4. Trim and shape your nails correctly
Use a good nail clipper and cut your nails in a straight line to avoid ingrown nails. Gently file your nails in one direction to avoid creating fragile edges, using a nail file for this purpose. Additionally, we recommend trimming your cuticles, as it provides a neater result. You can use a cuticle pusher to push back the cuticles, then carefully clip them with cuticle clippers.
5. Avoid biting your nails
Nail biting can damage your nails and the surrounding skin. If you have trouble quitting nail biting, it may be a good idea to get gel nails done, as it hardens your natural nails and makes it harder to damage them.
6. Ensure proper removal of artificial nails
Incorrect removal of artificial nails can harm your natural nails. You risk pulling off nail plates if you are not patient and careful during the removal of artificial nails. We recommend using our removal kit, which contains everything you need to remove artificial nails and nail polish. We have also created a guide for gel polish removal and a guide for polygel removal, depending on the type of artificial nails you have.