Dermatologists Reveal Their Number-1 Tip for Longer, Stronger Nails

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A perfectly shaped, shiny acrylic manicure might look great, but too much gluing, filing, and curing can leave your natural nails weak and brittle underneath. How to get stronger nails comes down to how you care for them on a regular basis, which, unfortunately, sometimes calls for overlooking the usual aesthetics.

Meet the Experts: Tyler Hollmig, M.D., director of dermatologic surgery and laser and cosmetic dermatology at the University of Texas Dell Medical Center; Chris G. Adigun, M.D., F.A.A.D., a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in nail disorders; and Cynthia Bailey, M.D., F.A.A.D., dermatologist and founder of Dr. Bailey Skin Care.

Caring for your nails may seem purely cosmetic, but these layers of protective keratin are actually part of the skin, the body’s largest organ, making them a window into your overall health, says Tyler Hollmig, M.D., director of dermatologic surgery and laser and cosmetic dermatology at the University of Texas Dell Medical Center.

Strong nails point to a well-nourished body and skin free of conditions like infections or chronic dryness. But even when serious stuff isn’t present, weak, brittle nails are fairly common. That’s why we’ve rounded up doctor-approved tips for stronger nails that will help you restore and maintain their long-term integrity.

How to get stronger nails

Growing your nails can definitely test your patience. “Nails grow slowly,” says Dr. Hollmig. “It typically takes about six months to regrow a fingernail and an entire year to regrow a big toenail.” The process becomes even longer if your nails are prone to breakage.

Thankfully, these expert-backed tips can help speed up the process.

1. Eat foods that support nail growth.

“As long as a person is healthy and eating a well-balanced diet, it is difficult to accelerate nail growth beyond the normal rate of about 3 millimeters per month,” Dr. Hollmig says. But prioritizing a nutritious diet is the single best thing you can do to promote steady progress, so load up on foods rich in the following nutrients, all of which support healthy nail growth:

• Cysteine: chicken, turkey, yogurt, legumes

• Folate: spinach, asparagus, romaine lettuce, avocado, green peas

• Biotin: egg yolks, salmon, nuts, seeds, spinach, broccoli

• Zinc: oysters, beef, crab, beans, nuts, seeds, fortified cereal

• Vitamin A: sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, mangoes

• Vitamin C: bell peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, kiwifruit

2. Don’t pick, chew, or over-groom.

Chris G. Adigun, M.D., F.A.A.D., a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in nail disorders, often sees patients who have undergone “chronic cuticle manipulation, such as pushing or trimming,” she says, which stunts nail growth. That manipulation could also include stress-induced biting and picking.

If you can stand to simply leave your nails alone, that’s ideal, but it’s also easier said than done. If you’re prone to mindlessly biting, it helps to first identify your triggers—say, when you’re running late to work—and do your best to avoid them. Frequently applying a hand cream or cuticle balm to your nails and surrounding skin can also help, as you’ll have fewer dry areas to pick.

If all else fails, you can treat your nails with a bitter-tasting nail polish or secure a bandage around a particular nail you tend to bite or mess with.

3. Wet your nails before you file.

Although you want your nails to grow, you should still file them to keep them free of snags—think of it like getting your split ends trimmed when you’re growing out your hair. Dampening the nail pre-file helps “to soften the structure and make it pliable,” says Cynthia Bailey, M.D., F.A.A.D., dermatologist and founder of Dr. Bailey Skin Care.

Always use a soft file and file in one direction with swift, smooth strokes—abrupt, jagged movements can cause splintering.

4. Avoid harsh soaps and cleaners.

Or at least wear gloves while you use them. “Exposing your hands to harsh soaps, cleaning products, solvents, and rough work makes the problem worse because it pulls natural oil from your nails and damages the nail keratin protein,” says Dr. Bailey. “At first, your nails begin to fray on the edges, becoming brittle. Eventually, the layers split.”

5. Keep your hands moisturized.

Dr. Bailey says you should consistently treat your hands and nails with oils that will lock in moisture, preserve the cuticle seal, and strengthen the nail itself in order to promote growth. Her favorites are natural oils like jojoba oil, avocado oil, and shea butter.

Dr. Adigun’s go-to hydrating product is Restore Healing Balm by Dr. Rogers, which contains glycerin (an ingredient that draws moisture to the area) and castor oil to nourish and protect damaged, fragile skin.

6. Take a break from your go-to manicure.

They might look beautiful, but there could be a lot of damage happening underneath your manicure, especially if you have an unknown allergy to any products used by your tech. “An allergy to a nail product will present with peeling, cracking nails,” says Dr. Adigun. She says it’s most often due to the presence of tosylamide or formaldehyde resin, chemicals found in many nail polishes and hardeners.

Unfortunately, gel manicures may not be any better. “Gel manicures may be tough on nails, causing brittleness, peeling, and cracking,” Dr. Adigun says. “And repeated use of UV radiation in these settings may increase the risk of skin cancer and premature aging on the hands.”

She recommends using 5-free nail polishes instead, which are lacquers made without the five chemicals and allergens that most often interfere with nail growth and strength: formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, toluene, and the allergens camphor and formaldehyde resin. Butter London and Deborah Lippman are approved polish brands by Dr. Adigun’s standards.

7. Try some vitamins.

While certain vitamins and supplements can help support healthy nail growth, they “should be used in addition to, not in place of, a healthy diet,” says Dr. Bailey.

Biotin, a type of B vitamin, has been shown to increase nail thickness by about 25% in patients with brittle nails and “can improve nail smoothness and reduce nail splitting,” Dr. Bailey adds.

You could also consider taking a multivitamin, just in case you aren’t getting what you need from the foods you eat. “I tell patients to go to their favorite, high-quality natural food store and ask the vitamin specialist for their best nail formula,” suggests Dr. Bailey.

If you believe you may be deficient in a certain vitamin or mineral, talk to your doctor about getting your levels tested. Taking an iron supplement, for example, may help strengthen your nails—but that’s only the case if your doc confirms that you have an iron deficiency, says Dr. Adigun.

Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing. Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their healthcare provider.

8. Talk to a dermatologist.

If you feel like you’ve tried everything and you’re still dealing with brittle nails and breakage, it might be time to consult your derm. In those cases, Dr. Adigun recommends seeing a dermatologist who specializes in nail health. “We sometimes prescribe an oral antifungal medication to accelerate growth,” she says, but that’s only if symptoms are severe.

What causes brittle, breakable nails?

The causes of dry, brittle nails range from fungal infections to skin disorders like eczema to internal conditions like heart, lung, liver, or kidney problems, Dr. Hollmig says. Nutritional deficiencies, celiac disease, or major health stressors like fevers or chemotherapy medications can also damage your nails.

If you consider yourself generally healthy, know that dry air can dehydrate your nails just as much as it can your skin. “The exact same cells that form the outer layer of your skin, [known as keratinocytes], also form your nails,” explains Dr. Bailey. “These cells harden more in your nails, but structurally, they share many common features and needs.”

Natural oils act as a “glue” holding together layers within the nail, Dr. Bailey explains—and when temperatures and humidity drop, that glue is much more susceptible to breaking down.

Genes and aging can also play a role. Like hair growth, nail growth is different for everyone. “Not everyone makes nails that are durable at longer lengths,” says Dr. Adigun. She also emphasizes that stunted nail growth isn’t the same as nail brittleness. Brittle nails grow at the expected rate; they just break easily.

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