The Easiest Way to Do a Nail Treatment (2025)

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Co-authored byMia Rubie

Last Updated: March 6, 2025Approved

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   Trim and file your nails 1-2 times a week to reduce the fungus. Nail fungus occurs when the nail beds are moist or wet for an extended period of time. To prevent the fungus from getting worse, it is best to cut your nails to your fingertips once or twice a week. In addition, file your nails regularly to keep them even and smooth.^[1]

   • If you don’t cut and file your nails, your nail may start to lift up from the fungus.
   • Use a softer nail file, if possible. Something around 180 grit should do the trick.^[2]
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   Paint your nails with antifungal polish 1-2 times a week. Amorolfine and tioconazole are antifungal medications commonly used in fungus nail lacquer treatments. Purchase an over-the-counter antifungal nail polish at most drug stores. Follow the instructions exactly as indicated by the packaging or recommended by your doctor.^[3]

   • It may take up to 6 months of constant application for the polish to work.
   • Don't use regular nail polish during the time period when you're using antifungal polish. Regular polish can actually make matters work by providing the fungus a moist, sealed environment in which to grow.

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   Apply topical medication daily to treat your nail fungus. To reduce fungus and relieve pain, massage topical antifungal treatments onto the infected areas. Read the instructions on the packaging regarding how often and how much to use. Typically, you apply a tiny bit to the infected area 1-3 times a day.^[4]

   • Try medications including Penlac, Jublia, and Kerydin.
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   Use household remedies if you prefer less harsh alternatives. There are several different household solutions you can use to treat nail fungus. Combine equal amounts of Listerine and white, distilled vinegar, and soak your fingers or toes for 45-60 minutes. You can also apply 1-2 drops of tea tree or oregano essential oil to the nails 2 times a day. Additionally, infuse 2 pau d’arco tea bags in warm water, and soak your fingers or toes for 20 minutes twice a day.^[5]

   • You can also wipe down your fingers with a cotton ball soaked in apple cider vinegar several times throughout the day if you don't want to soak your fingers.
   • Use whichever method you prefer, based on what ingredients you have available to you. It may take several months before you notice any results.
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   Keep your feet and hands dry to prevent fungal nail infection. Since nail fungus is often caused by excessive moisture, an easy way to reduce the fungus is to keep your nails dry as much as possible. To do this, replace your old footwear that may be moist, and always dry your nails thoroughly after showering.^[6]

   • You can also wear flip-flops in the shower if bathing in public places.
   • Go barefoot when you're at home to allow your nails to breathe. When you're out and about, wear shoes and socks made from breathable fabric. This helps minimize sweat to keep your feet dry.
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   See your doctor if the nail fungus does not go away. If you try a nail treatment to cut back on your fungal infection and you still do not see any improvement, you may have to take oral supplements or try laser surgery. Schedule a consultation with your doctor to go over the right treatment for you.

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   Do an oil soak once a week to lock in moisture. Pour about 1 cup (237 mL) of a natural oil such as coconut, almond, or olive oil into a bowl, and dip your fingers into the oil. Let your nails soak for 10 minutes, and massage the oil across your nails as you wait. You can use olive, coconut, argan, vitamin E, tea tree, or castor oil.

   • In addition, you can soak your nails at night and wear gloves to bed for a deep moisturizing effect.
   • Avoid using vegetable or canola oil, as they make your hands greasy.
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   Use cuticle oil whenever your fingertips are dry. You can apply cuticle oil 1-3 times a day as needed. Apply 1 drop of oil to each nail, and massage your nail bed with your other hand. This keeps your cuticles soft and moisturized, which is helpful when you want to strengthen your nails.^[7]

   • If you don’t use cuticle oil, you may develop hangnails or dry skin.
   • Avoid using cuticle scissors to cut off the skin around your cuticles. Instead, use a cuticle pusher to move them backward. This keeps your hands healthy and avoids hangnails.
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   Rub hand cream on every night before bed to keep your hands hydrated. Use a lotion specially formulated to moisturize your hands, or use any body lotion for basic hydration. Apply a dime-size amount of lotion or more as needed, and massage the lotion over your fingernails and hand. This way, you’ll wake up with soft and supple skin.^[8]

   • Keeping your skin hydrated helps your nails grow healthy and strong.
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   File your nails in 1 direction to smoothen and remove rough edges. To strengthen your nails, it is important to file your nails correctly. Avoid “sawing” back and forth over the tip of your nail. Instead, move then file consistently across your nail in 1 direction. Start on the outer edge, and bring the file towards the center. Tilt the file slightly so it is underneath the tip of your nail, rather than flush against it. This way, your nails can grow back strong and healthy.^[9]

   • Be especially gentle if your nails are thin or peeling, as the file can damage your nails further if you file them incorrectly.
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   Paint on a strengthening base coat rather than nail polish. If you want to strengthen your nails, it is best to forgo the nail polish as your nails are growing. Instead, use a clear base coat specially formulated to strengthen brittle nails.^[10] Apply 1-2 coats 1-3 times a week for best results.

   • Nail polish can dry your nails out even more, making them weaker and less pliable.
   • In addition, avoid getting an acrylic or gel nail treatment, as these can significantly damage your nails due to the rough adhesives and abrasive chemicals.^[11]
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   Avoid using a polish with toxic chemicals so your nails don't split. If you must wear nail polish as your nails grow, be sure your polish does not contain ingredients such as toluene, dibutyl phthalate, or formaldehyde. These chemicals can make your nails crack easily, and it may make them more brittle and dry.^[12]

   • Check your nail polish packaging to find out if the nail polish contains these chemicals. If it is not listed on the bottle, search online to find the specific ingredients.

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   Apply coconut oil to your nailbed before bed to alleviate dryness. Dip your index finger into a jar of coconut oil to get a little bit on your fingertip, and rub the oil gently across your nail and nail bed. Do this for each of your fingers, and leave the oil on as you go to sleep. As you rest, the oil penetrates deep into your nail to help promote new growth.^[13]

   • If you do this every day for several months, your nails may start to grow faster.
   • This also moisturizes and hydrates your nails and cuticles.
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   Use a nail hardener 1-3 times a week to help your nails grow quicker. Purchase a nail product specially made to encourage your nails to grow. These are sold at most beauty supply stores. Then, apply 1-2 clear coats of polish to your clean nails several times a week as needed. Paint the polish from your cuticle to the end of your nail.^[14]

   • Using hardening products can help protect your nails as well as promote nail growth.
   • It may take 1-2 months before you see results.
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   Take a Biotin supplement to help your nails grow healthy and long. Biotin is a type of B vitamin that promotes hair and skin growth. It is said to strengthen fingernails and improve their overall health. Take a 2-3 mg supplement once a day for about 4-6 months.^[15]

   • With any vitamin, it takes some time before results are obvious.
   • While Biotin is safe, it is helpful to talk to your doctor before taking any supplement.
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   Wear gloves when doing household chores to protect your nails. If you want your nails to grow longer and healthy, it is important to preserve them as much as you can. Put on a pair of rubber gloves when cleaning the kitchen or washing the dishes, for instance. This way, your nails are less likely to get chipped or damaged as you work.^[16]

   • You can also wear gloves when gardening or doing yard work.
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   Avoid peeling off your old nail polish. If you pick or peel off chipped nail polish, your nail bed can get damaged, which in turn does not help your nails grow healthy and strong. Use nail polish remover instead if you need to get rid of your polish. You can also apply a top coat and wait 1-2 minutes in between polish layers so your nail polish stays flawless as long as possible.^[17]

   • If you continuously peel off your old polish, you can rip off layers of your nail.
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   Use hand sanitizer with alcohol sparingly to avoid drying out your nails. Use hand sanitizer as needed to keep your hands clean and fresh. However, avoid using too much. Use about 1 pump of hand sanitizer to cleanse your hands, rather than several pumps at once. Hand sanitizer is made with alcohol, which can dry out your nails and cause them to break over time.^[18]

   • Doing this can help your nails naturally grow on their own.
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   Seek treatment from your local salon. Many nail salons offer treatments like IBX, which help toughen nails so that they grow stronger and longer. Talk to your nail technician about a strengthening treatment like IBX to help you keep your nail length as your tips grow.^[19]

   • IBX won't promote growth directly. It will, however, help you keep your length as your nails grow out.

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   Buff your nails gently to even out the surface. If you removed your false acrylic or gel nails yourself, you likely damaged your nails in the process. Rub a nail buffer very gently back and forth across your nails to smoothen out the uneven or peeling sections. This way, your nail plates get evened out and the nail won’t peel any further.^[20]

   • Ensure you are very careful when buffing your nails. If you are too firm, you can damage the nail plate further.
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   Avoid wearing nail polish for 2-4 weeks so your nails can heal. After you remove your manicure, wait a few weeks before applying polish on top. This gives your nails room to breathe so they can naturally revitalize and heal themselves.^[21]

   • If you apply polish to your nails, it may take them longer to grow back out.
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   Trim your nails 1-2 times a week to keep them short until they recover. After your manicure, it is best to keep your nails short. Cut your nails so they come to the tip of your fingers. This way, they are less likely to break during the recovery stage.^[22]

   • Your nails are super soft and pliable right after removing a manicure, so you want to protect them as much as possible.
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   Use cuticle oil or hand cream whenever your hands are dry. It is imperative that you hydrate and moisturize your nails after your manicure removal. You can do this with either cuticle oil or hand cream. Apply either option 2-3 times a day for 2-4 weeks as your nails grow out. Use about 1 drop of oil per nail or a dime-size amount of cream for each hand.^[23]

   • Keeping the nails moisturized helps improve their overall appearance, as the damaged cells stick together.
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   Avoid cutting your cuticles to prevent further damage. Your cuticles protect new nail growth underneath the surface, and removing the cuticle can cause more damage to your nails. Push back on your cuticles with a cuticle pusher, rather than snipping them off with a cuticle cutter. Do this about once a week for best results.^[24]

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   Apply a nail strengthener to support your fingernails as they heal. Nail strengtheners are polishes specially designed to improve the overall health and hardness of your nails. These work great after removing a manicure, as they replenish the nail bed and nail plate with nutrients. Apply 1-2 coats about 1-3 times a week, or whenever you notice the first layer start to disappear.^[25]

   • This is a good idea if you want to apply polish but don’t want to damage your nails anymore.
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   Go to the salon if your nails are in really rough shape. If your nails are severely uneven or cracked even after doing a nail treatment, your best bet is to go to a salon for help. The trained professionals can use a sander to smoothen your nails. You can also get a deep conditioning treatment to revitalize your nails.^[26]

   • If your nail length is damaged but still intact, your nail technician may use silk wraps to help reinforce your nail. These wraps use thin silk fabric wrapped and glued around your nail to provide additional strength. Silk wraps are usually painted over after application.
   • You may not want to go to the salon, as that’s why you removed the manicure set yourself. However, it may be best for the overall health of your nails.

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Strengthening Your Nails

Promoting Nail Growth

Recovering Nails from Harsh Manicures

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