This Common Kitchen Ingredient Helps Nails Grow Faster

While beauty-focused folk remedies utilizing garlic as a topical ingredient have been around forever, it hadn't gone mainstream until recently. Toxin-free nail polish brand côte has just released a garlic base coat that strengthens and lengthens the nails called Growth With Garlic. Côte's co-founder Mary Lennon said they used garlic because they were able to create an odorless extract that imparts the benefits of a nail-growth serum without the yellowing side effects that others are known to cause. According to Lennon, "Garlic is naturally fortified with selenium, a mineral and nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. This protects the body from damage caused by free radicals and infection and basically assists in improving nail growth and health."

We've known of garlic's internal benefits, but a large number of people can't digest it well. Some people have a garlic-related intolerance, while others prefer to skip it for other reasons. Certified nutritionist, author, and beauty expert Kimberly Snyder, C.N., said that she avoids it per ayurvedic code. "In Ayurvedic philosophy, onions and garlic are described as promoting a 'rajasic' temperament, which means a hyperactive, restless state. Beauty is a total state of radiance from the inside out, and agitation and impatience can block feeling light and joyful, which is part of beauty. I've felt calmer in general since cutting garlic out," Snyder said. But she's all for topical use.

Doctor, natural beauty expert, and founder of Osmia Organics Sarah Villafranco, M.D., has her doubts about the trend. "There are plenty of anecdotes on the internet about rubbing garlic on your nails to make them grow faster, so it seems to have helped some people out there, allegedly due to the selenium in raw garlic," she said. "As far as medical evidence for garlic extract supporting nail growth, there isn’t any for either internal or external application. In fact, if there’s evidence at all, it's to the contrary. But not all medicine has been studied or documented, so the best way to find out is to give it a shot!"

That said, garlic itself is quite alkaline and can cause skin to break out or sting, especially if there are any lesions or cuts. Your best bet is to try a product like Growth With Garlic for nail health (and to avoid the smell).

"Applying garlic directly to the skin can actually cause a burn, of sorts," Dr. Villafranco said. "It is extremely irritating in most cases. Don’t get me wrong—there are loads of therapeutic uses for garlic, but direct, topical application to the skin should be approached with caution," she said.

You can dilute a cotton swab with water before swabbing with garlic and applying it to your nails. Always do a test patch first and allow your nails to soak afterward in warm water to minimize the scent.