If you want to grow longer nails, try to remember that doing so can come at a price, especially if you want to grow your nails really long. The longer your nails are, the harder it can be to do ordinary things like play the guitar, type, or even button up a shirt.
A set of nice, long, healthy and well groomed nails can look really great though, and as long as you don’t go overboard, the touch of glamour it can lend an overall look can be well worth the cost.
One thing to remember is that in order to grow healthy nails, you have to take good care of them. Growing longer nails isn’t just a matter of not clipping them; you’ll also have to watch out that they don’t break. The enemy long nails, is nail breakage.
Unless you really are genetically inclined towards weak nails, there are ways to make sure that your fingernails are strong enough to withstand growing to the length you want them to be.
The first step in order to grow longer nails is to keep them clean. A lot of crud and other nasty stuff can get caught under a set of long fingernails, and with all that grossness, can come germs and the potential for infection. Keeping your hands clean is a great habit to have in general, and it can be really useful if you want to grow longer nails.
A really bad having to have if you want to grow longer nails is nail biting. Other than the fact that it’s a pretty gross habit to have in general, it can cause a lot of damage, not just to the nail itself, but to the nailbed as well, which is the skin underneath the nail. If you’re having trouble keeping your teeth away from your nails, try to make sure that your mouth and hands are occupied whenever you feel the urge. Keeping a pack of gum or a pen and paper handy for when the Nibbles hit.
Even if they can sometimes be a hassle to apply, a little bit of nail polish can protect your nails from the elements; as well as offer a little bit of reinforcement to prevent them from breaking.
Before you break out the nail polish though, it’s a really good idea to file your nails regularly and frequently. Nail growth is naturally uneven, and if left unchecked, you’d be much more likely to get hangnails.
Smoothing down the rough edges of your fingernails can not only keep the hangnails and the sharp edges at bay, but they also give your nails an even appearance that is absolutely necessary for a nice, polished look.
Along with keeping them clean, even, and protected, you’ll also have to make sure that you keep your nails from getting too dry by avoiding nail products with harmful chemicals, like toluene and DBP.
Corollary to that, making sure that your cuticles -the skin that protects the area where nails are produced- are trimmed and moisturized is very important. Overgrown cuticles can actually suffocate your nails and their growth, but it’s also important that the skin around your nails is healthy.
Keeping these tips in mind will not only help you get the long nails you’ve been longing for, but they practically guarantee healthy nails as well. All in all though, the way to grow longer nails is pretty much a matter of good nail maintenance, and patience.
