Strong natural nails: an expert debunks myths & shares top tips

Dani Bailey, nail educator & recipient of The Shooting Star Award at the Scratch Stars Awards 2024, explores the processes behind strong natural nails…

‘How do you grow strong nails?’ That’s a question I hear a lot, both from clients and nail technicians. There are plenty of myths surrounding strong nails, and many people do not understand what this truly means.

So, let’s break it down… What is strength?

When it comes to nails, strength is a combination of hardness – from the keratin bonds which hold the nail cells together, and flexibility – from the moisture and oil content within the nail plate. If the scale tips too far to the hardness side, nails become overly hard and brittle; if it goes the other way, nails become too bendy, flexible and can snap.

But how do we achieve the perfect balance? There are many factors which can influence this:

• Genetics: you can blame mum and dad for this one! The natural curve of the nail plate and its thickness are decided in your DNA, and cannot be changed since being formed in the womb. The thickness of the nail plate is determined by the length of an individual’s matrix, so there is no way to ‘thicken’ nails.
• Nutrition: we are what we eat! All the nutrients and hydration nails need to form correctly come from the inside out. As everything in our body, nails have a complex chemical composition, with water supplied from food ingested, by the blood stream to the matrix and nail bed. So, drinking plenty of water and having a balanced diet benefit nails, as can taking vitamins if a health professional has ascertained that there is a deficiency.
• Protection: humans have nails for two reasons: dexterity and protection of the underlying bone. Thus, they are made to break, while protecting the delicate structures below them. So how do we make sure they don’t break? By protecting them from the outside world!

Our nails come into contact with water, chemical products and oils often, plus take a beating when we type, cook, garden and so on. How can we take care of them?

• Oil nails daily. The nail plate has several ‘channels’ through which water can travel and works a bit like a sponge, filling up and expanding when in contact with water. Oil and water do not mix! Using oil at least once a day (twice is the dream) blocks these channels and stops water from drenching the nail, which makes it more fragile.
• Use an overlay. Gel products and L&P acrylic are great for those who cannot grow their nails without them snapping. They provide a tough outer shell that protects the nail plate and stops it from bending. It is a myth that these products weaken the nail – when applied and removed correctly, they are an enhancement to the natural nail.
• Don’t use nails as tools. It’s a nail tech cliché, but it’s true: nails are jewels, not tools.
• Wear gloves: This is helpful when doing house work, gardening, decorating etc.

With a little care and great guidance from a nail professional, anyone can have strong nails.

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