Fast Growing Nails

[cdikland]

Recently I have noticed tv ads for products (names of which I cant recall) that claim to "grow long, healthy nails in 5-7 days". Has anyone ever tried any such product? Which? If so, did it work?

I have extremely slow growing nails When I break one it takes weeks (months) to grow back to the desired length. I have tried glueing them back on and using fake nails. Neither option works well for me.

[M. Stephenson]

I do not think that your fingernails at the tip will be any stronger in 5-7 days. The coating may make them stronger, but fingernails grow from the root of the nail outward.

My wife and I have been taking a vegetable based supplemnt for about 6 months now and we have noticed that our nails are now much stronger and faster growing. I can now play my steel string guitars without worry of nail damage - something I could not do 6 months ago. Evidently, nail growth is very tied in with nutrition.

Here is some info. I pulled off the net while researching your question:

Nail Growth
Nails grow all the time, but their rate of growth slows down with age and poor circulation. Fingernails grow faster than toenails at a rate of 3mm per month. It takes 6 months for a nail to grow from the root to the free edge. Toenails grow about 1 mm per month and take 12-18 months to be completely replaced.

Pasted from <http://dermatology.about.com/cs/nailanatomy/a/nailanatomy.htm>


It will take several weeks of these new patterns to bear fruit: Remember that it takes up to three months for a new nail to grow in. If there is no improvement, your nails may not be receiving the nutrients they need. There is some controversy on this point, but I have found supplements very helpful, particularly for pregnant women or people on a low calorie diet. Before I recommend supplements I examine my patients for other signs of nutritional deficiency, since poor, brittle nails may be tile first outward sign of more serious problems. For instance, poor nail condition, when accompanied by thinning hair and overall feelings of fatigue, may be indicative of a weak thyroid. Or, when taken together with bloating and burping after meals, and possible constipation, brittle nails may be indicative of insufficient stomach acidity for proper digestion. The body is not absorbing nutrients for lack of sufficient acid. When these conditions are present, they must be corrected before adequate nutrition and supplements can help.

Most deficiencies, however, are simply the result of insufficient nutrients. Protein, for instance, is very important: If you don't get enough protein, the calcium in your nails is not properly utilized. You should eat at least 8 ounces of fish, chicken, or turkey each day.

Calcium is also very important, and supplements may be helpful, particularly for pregnant women, women past menopause, and people on a restricted-calorie or low-fat diet. Take 1,200 mg. of calcium once a day (I recommend calcium citrate as it is the calcium form best absorbed by the body). Biotin, a water-soluble B vitamin, is necessary for healthy skin and hair. In fact, it's sometimes known as "the hair vitamin." It plays a role in nail health, too. You can buy it at a health food store or pharmacy.

Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes for brittle nails. According to a study in England, researchers found that among five women suffering from iron deficiency anemia, all five [lad brittle nails. But, after the women took iron supplements, the nails weren't brittle any longer. Too much iron can be as troublesome as too little, so be sure to have your blood tested before taking supplements.

Zinc deficiency is sometimes highlighted by white spots on the nail or the nail bed. People on restricted-calorie often suffer from zinc deficiency, as do many women just before their menstrual period. Finally, silica is a trace mineral that I've found useful for nails.

Pasted from <http://alternative-medicine-and-health.com/conditions/fingerprobs.htm>


Fingernails and toenails grow from a point near the roots below the skin, at the base of the nail where the nail is very thin. White in color, and half-moon in shape, this semi-circle is appropriately named the "lunula," and comprises a group of cells that manufacture keratin, a dead, hoof-like protein. The keratin like protein produced, gathers and merges with the nail plate, the dead armor that protects the soft and tender nail bed underneath, and pushes the entire nail up and out. Though the fingernails and toenails grow an average of two inches per year, their growth slows with age, and the average adult's fingernails grow only one inch over the course of eight months.

The base of the fingernails and toenails, as well as some of the nail along both sides of the nail, are embedded into the skin. Unlike other skin, this skin contains elastic fibers that connect it to the fingernail or toenail, and hold it firmly in place. The cuticle, a rim of skin over the lunula, protects it from bacterial infection, serves as a shock absorber, and shields the nail from any sudden impacts.
Though many consider dressing the fingernails up to go out a statement of beauty, or one of vanity, they serve those in the medical field as a diagnostic tool. Normally, the lunula, or half-moon, is white in color, indicating proper nutrition and good overall health. Blue lunula raise red flags that circulatory problems to the fingers may exist. Nails that are hard, brittle, and tend to split easily, may also be clues to poor circulation, infection, or disturbances of the glandular and nutritional systems.

Further nails that curl sharply around the finger point to coronary, liver, or lung diseases. Nails that are sunken in appearance often indicate anemia, a condition where an insufficient amount of oxygen is carried by the blood.

Pasted from <http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/fingernail.asp>

[cdikland]

Here is a (not so good) review of one such products by Sally Hanson
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/lifestyle/makeup/sally_hansen_nail_care/_review/383876/

The TV ad claimed results 5-7 days and even showed how much the nail had grown. Now you cant even find the product on their web site. :?

[Pepe Vergara]

I use one garlic clove and cut it with my fingernails, so that the essence of the clove impregnates them. Do this every two days for one week (about 3 times). The smell of garlic with stay with you for about 2 months, but the fingernails will grow strong and fast. I cannot keep up with them. I have to cut them everyday. I learned that from my granmother a Sinu indian from Southamerica.

[JerryO]

cdikland,

I think the product you are refering to is "Nutranail". I tried it and didn't see the results they claimed. I used it exactly as they specified. But, then again, I'm old, bald, and been "put up wet" too many times :wink: You may have better luck.

[IanR]

Can anything be done to prevent nails from hooking over when they get some length on them ?

[Jklotz]

I broke a nail a week before a performance, so I bought some. Used as directed, it did strengthen my nails a bit and make them a lot less brittle, but, alas, I didn't notice the least bit of difference in the growth rate.

[Jklotz]

Can anything be done to prevent nails from hooking over when they get some length on them ?

IanR, I have the same problem. My teacher told me some of her students have been taking really hot water (not boiling), putting a spoon in it, then holding the spoon to the underside of the nail. Supposedly, it will straighten them out for a few hours, although I have not tried it yet, but may be worth a shot.