Your fingernails grow slowly — in fact, they grow about one tenth of an inch (2.5 millimeters) each month.
Chacon, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist. “Fingernails tend to grow about 0.7 mm or about 0.03 inches per week,” she says, adding that toenails take about 2-3 times longer to grow.
How fast? Your fingernails grow at an average rate of 3.47 millimeters (mm) per month, or about a tenth of a millimeter per day. To put this in perspective, the average grain of short rice is about 5.5 mm long. If you happen to lose a fingernail, it may take up to six months for that nail to completely grow back.
The average nail grows around 2-3mm a month (so around 0.6mm a week) however, some people find their nails growing at a much faster or slower rate.
Your middle nail grows the fastest and your thumb nails the slowest.
Try taking Biotin supplements.
Biotin can help to strengthen brittle nails so that they will not break as easily. Taking a biotin supplement may help you to grow your nails longer and faster. Eating foods that contain biotin can also help with growth.
Olive oil penetrates the nail and promotes quicker and stronger nail growth. Thus, olive oil is good for dry brittle nails. Warm olive oil in a microwave for 10 to 15 seconds and massage it into your nails and cuticles for five to ten minutes. After that, put on cotton gloves and leave them on overnight.
Similarly, biting your nails might increase the rate of nail growth. While it's not clear exactly how this occurs, researchers theorize that the physical manipulation of a nail through biting stimulates the growth plate of each finger to be more metabolically active, leading to speedier nail formation.
The nails on your dominant hand will grow quicker, as well as those on the longest fingers. The rate of growth differs by around 0.1mm, which can make it quite noticeable from finger to finger. Interestingly, the rate of growth is three times faster for a bitten nail compared to a healthy nail.
Since your hands are closer to the heart than your feet are, more blood is flowing through your fingers than through your toes. Thus, longer fingernails. These theorists also point out that nails in general grow slower in cold weather, when blood flow would be restricted.
Your fingernails will not grow at a faster rate than the usual if you are swimming, but the water does make your fingernails more pliable, which could have an affect on making them feel like they are growing.
They are made up of layers of the protein keratin and grow from beneath the base of the nail under your cuticle. As new cells grow, older cells become hard and compacted and are eventually pushed out toward your fingertips. Healthy nails are smooth, without ridges, grooves, spots or discoloration.
Shorter nails are generally healthier
“(Short nails) can help you rejuvenate the nail to promote strength and length, especially if you've been having regular (manicure) appointments without giving your nails a break,” Natalie says.
'' ''Nails grow faster in summer, some research indicates, while winter and a cold environment tend to slow nail growth,'' he added.
Usually, they are normal. The bonds between keratin filaments within nails weaken as we age, he said. Women have weaker bonds than men to begin with. The changes make nails dryer and more brittle.
Step 1: To a bowl, add 1/4 cup each of organic coconut oil and honey along with 4 drops of rosemary essential oil. Step 2: Warm the mixture in the microwave for around 20 seconds. Once it cools down, soak your nail beds in it for 15 minutes. Repeat this 1 to 2 times a week for best results.
Applying a nail hardener might help strengthen nails. Ask your doctor about biotin. Some research suggests that the nutritional supplement biotin might help strengthen weak or brittle fingernails.