How to Get Healthy Nails Naturally: Tips & Tricks

Achieve gorgeous, strong nails naturally with these tips. Learn how to get healthy nails naturally through diet, supplements, cuticle care, and more.

Key Takeaways

Tip	Description
Eat a Biotin-Rich Diet	Foods like eggs, nuts, seeds, and sweet potatoes contain biotin, promoting nail growth and strength.
Use a Nail Hardener	Look for nail hardeners with calcium and vitamin C to harden and protect nails.
Moisturize Cuticles	Keeping cuticles soft prevents painful hangnails and torn skin around the nails.
Avoid Acetone Polish Removers	Acetone dries out nails – use non-acetone removers instead.
Take Biotin Supplements	Biotin supplements can improve brittle, splitting nails if you have a deficiency.

What Are Unhealthy Nails?

How to get healthy nails naturally starts with understanding what unhealthy nails look and feel like. Unhealthy nails are typically brittle, cracked, yellowish, have ridges running across them, or appear flaky and peeling. Nails can crack down to the nail bed or develop fungal infections in severe cases. Having unhealthy nails is not just a cosmetic issue – it can also be excruciating.

Why You Should Care About Getting Healthy Nails Naturally

There are many benefits to having strong, healthy nails naturally:

Reduced risk of painful cracks, tears, and infections
Nails that can grow longer without breaking.
A more youthful, attractive appearance
No damage from harsh chemicals
Savings on expensive manicures and nail treatments

Following the tips below on how to get healthy nails naturally can transform your nails from brittle and peeling to long, gorgeous, and sturdy.

Best Tips for How to Get Healthy Nails Naturally

Part 1 – Nail Care Habits for Healthy Nails Naturally

Moisturize Cuticles and Nails Regularly

Keeping cuticles soft and supple is key for how to get healthy nails naturally. Dry, cracked cuticles lead to painful hangnails, and bleeding, and increase infection risk. Moisturizing with a cuticle cream or oil at least once daily can prevent this.

Applying a thick, nourishing hand cream to nails and cuticles at night before bed also helps greatly. Look for products with ingredients like shea butter, vitamin E, and coconut oil.

Avoid Using Harsh Nail Polish Removers

Nail polish remover with acetone is extremely drying and damaging to nails over time. It strips away natural oils that keep nails flexible. When learning how to get healthy nails naturally, opt for non-acetone removers instead.

Alternatively, you can remove polish by soaking nails in warm water for 5-10 minutes first, then gently pushing it off with an orange stick.

Be Gentle When Filing

Vigorous filing with an emery board can cause peeling, splitting, and serious nail thinning. For healthy nails naturally, only file in one direction and use a fine-grit nail file. File lightly to shape, not aggressively to remove length.

Filing nails after a shower when they are softer can also help minimize damage.

Vary Your Polish Color Frequently

Wearing the same nail polish colour for months straight can cause staining and brittleness over time. The key to getting healthy nails naturally is to vary your polish shades frequently and take polish breaks occasionally.

Apply a Nail Hardener Regularly

Using a nail hardener or nail strengthener product regularly is very helpful for how to get healthy nails naturally. Look for formulas with ingredients like:

Calcium for hardness
Vitamin C for growth
Keratin protein for strength

Apply a nail hardener every few days in between polish changes.

Part 2 – Diet and Lifestyle for Healthy Nails Naturally

Eat a Biotin-Rich Diet

Biotin (vitamin B7) is essential for nail health and growth. Eating plenty of biotin from foods like:

Eggs
Nuts and seeds.
Sweet potatoes
Cauliflower
Salmon

…is crucial for learning how to get healthy nails naturally through your diet.

Food	Biotin Content
Eggs	25% DV per egg
Almonds	20% DV per 1/4 cup
Sweet Potatoes	9% DV per potato

Stay Hydrated and Limit Caffeine

Being well-hydrated improves nail flexibility and prevents brittleness. Drink plenty of water daily for strong, healthy nails naturally.

Too much caffeine from coffee, soda, and energy drinks can deplete nutrients like biotin and iron that are needed for nail health. Limit caffeine accordingly.

Take a Biotin or Multivitamin Supplement

If your diet is lacking in biotin and other key nutrients, consider taking a daily supplement to get healthy nails naturally. Look for:

Biotin supplements
Multivitamins with biotin, iron, vitamin C, and zinc
Hair, skin, and nail vitamin formulas

Always check with your doctor first, especially if pregnant or taking medications.

Protect Nails from Chemicals

Repeated exposure to harsh chemicals like detergents, cleaning products, and acetone can dry out and damage nails. Always wear gloves when:

Cleaning
Washing dishes
Using nail polish remover
Gardening or using chemicals.

This simple step makes a big difference in how to get healthy nails naturally.

Quit Biting and Picking Habits

Nail biting and picking cuticles are bad habits that can seriously damage nails and increase infection risk. To get healthy nails naturally, work on breaking these habits through:

Keeping nails trimmed short.
Applying a bitter polish to discourage biting.
Keeping a nail file nearby for smoothing nails
Wearing bandages over picked areas to prevent re-picking.

Kicking nail-biting tendencies takes time and effort but has a huge payoff.

Common Nail Problems and Natural Treatments

Even with good nail care, certain problems can still arise. Here are some common nail issues and how to treat them naturally:

Yellowed Nails

Make a whitening toothpaste and hydrogen peroxide paste.
Scrub with whitening denture cleaner.
Use lemon juice and baking soda to soak.
Buff away stains gently

Peeling/Delaminating Nails

Apply jojoba or vitamin E oil daily.
Use keratin strengtheners and take biotin.
Minimize water exposure with cotton gloves.
Keep nails trimmed short.

Ridged Nails

Massage nail beds with warm oil.
Use a nail ridge filler product.
Take collagen and antioxidant supplements.
Buff nails gently with a high-grit buffer

Fungal Nail Infections

Apply tea tree, oregano, or thyme essential oils.
Expose to direct sunlight daily.
Make an antifungal baking soda scrub.
Use antifungal powders in shoes/socks.

Nail Habits to Avoid

In addition to good practices, avoid these habits that damage nails:

Excessive handwashing/sanitizer use
Pushing back cuticles forcefully
Wearing overly tight shoes/socks
Using nails as tools to open things
Pulling off hangnails instead of trimming
Neglecting regular nail trims/filing

When to See a doctor

See a dermatologist or podiatrist if you experience:

Severe fungal infections not improving.
Cracks extend into the nail bed.
Nail issues related to medical conditions.
Dark lines/streaks that could indicate melanoma.
Persistent problems despite natural treatment

Get Started on Healthy Nails Naturally Today

By following these tips and tricks, you can transform your nails from brittle and peeling to strong and healthy nails naturally. Be patient and consistent – most people see noticeable results in 2-3 months of following these nail care steps.

Remember, strong nails start from the inside out through proper nutrition and hydration. Pair that with gentle.

FAQs: How to Get Healthy Nails Naturally

How can I make my fingernails healthy again?

To make your nails healthy again naturally, focus on eating a biotin-rich diet, staying hydrated, using a nail hardener, avoiding acetone polish removers, and being gentle when filing. Taking a daily biotin supplement can also help brittle, peeling nails.

How do you fix unhealthy nails?

Some tips to fix unhealthy nails naturally include moisturizing cuticles daily, varying your polish colour frequently, protecting your hands from chemicals with gloves, and quitting nail-biting habits. Be patient as it can take 2-3 months to see significant improvement.

What foods make nails stronger?

Foods rich in biotin like eggs, nuts, seeds, sweet potatoes, and salmon help strengthen brittle nails naturally. A biotin supplement can also help if you have a deficiency.

What is the healthiest way to get nails?

The healthiest way to get strong, long nails is taking a comprehensive approach from the inside and out. Eat a nutrient-rich diet, take supplements if needed, stay hydrated, and use gentle, chemical-free nail care practices. Be diligent and you’ll have naturally gorgeous nails.

Conclusion

To achieve healthy nails naturally, tweak your diet, use suitable nail products, handle nails gently, and avoid harmful habits. How to Get Healthy Nails Naturally. Focus on both internal and external care. Boost nail health with biotin-rich foods and hydration. Shield and fortify with gentle cuticle care, nail hardeners, and chemical-free methods. Kick bad habits like nail-biting and excessive handwashing. With consistency and natural remedies, prevent cracks, splits, and fungus. Patience is key; expect results in 2-3 months. Stick to these tips for naturally stunning nails!