Tired of your stubby, cracked, and weak fingernails? Worry not—we’ve got a few remedies to turn your nail health around.
A variety of factors can contribute to brittle, slow-growing nails, including the aging process, hormonal changes, chemotherapy, medications, and nutritional deficiencies.
While eating a proper diet definitely helps with nail strength and growth, you can promote their health naturally with different home remedies. Here are some of our favourites:
- Olive Oil
Olive oil helps to keep the nails nourished and hydrated, penetrating deep in the nail bed to strengthen the nail. It also contains vitamin E, which helps with blood circulation, increasing the amount of vitamins available in the bloodstream. This can help to speed up growth.
To use, massage warm olive oil into the nails and cuticles for 5 minutes. Then, apply cotton gloves and go to sleep. Alternatively, you can soak your nails in warm olive oil for 15-30 minutes. Try either of these once daily to see results.
- Coconut Oil
Rich in saturated fats, coconut oil helps nails and the surrounding skin to retain natural moisture. Coconut oil can also help to prevent fungal infections of the nails, with its lauric, capric, and capryllic acids, each of which has antimicrobial properties.
To use, massage warm extra-virgin coconut oil into your hands before bed each day.
- Orange Juice
With its high vitamin C content, fresh OJ helps to boost collagen production. This helps to keep nails healthy, as well as promote growth. What’s more, it contains folic acid, which helps with general cell growth.
To use, soak nails in fresh orange juice for 10 minutes, rinse with warm water, and apply moisturizer. Complete this regimen daily until desired results are achieved.
- Lemon Juice
Just like orange juice, lemon juice is packed with vitamin C. Its lightening properties also help to reduce yellow nails and add shine, keeping your nails long and healthy looking.
To use, soak nails in one tablespoon of lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Slightly heat the mixture in the microwave, and let sit for 10 minutes. You can also rub a slice of lemon on your nails for 10 minutes each day.
- Horsetail
Packed with silica, horsetail has been revered for centuries for its nail-strengthening properties. Most often, horsetail is consumed in a tea form or applied topically. You can either boil horsetail in water and soak your hands in it for 20 minutes, or mix horsetail with olive oil and simmer it gently for an hour to create a massage oil.
