A PhD Scientist Thought Nothing Could Help His Cracked Nails — Until He Tried This

PSA: Proper nail care requires so much more than massaging in a cuticle oil. Nothing against those nutrient-rich vials—moisturizing the skin around the nail beds is crucial to keep tips glossy and strong—but it's important to approach meek nails from multiple angles. And sometimes, the best method for hydrated, smooth nails is to go internal.

Bikman thought brittle, weak nails were simply part of his genetics. "I have this family trait, I guess," he shares. "I remember as a little boy looking at my dad's fingernails and wondering what the hell was wrong. I'll get these little cracks that run down the length of the nail." He's likely describing vertical nail ridges, which are super common and can crop up for a variety of reasons—including skin dryness, stress, aging, and nutrition imbalances. 

It makes sense why Bikman would see such fabulous results from collagen. Your nails consist of keratin, so it's important to make sure you're getting your fill of keratin-building amino acids—and collagen is involved in the production of keratin. One study even showed that when participants took 2.5 grams of collagen peptides daily for 24 weeks, their nail health was better maintained1, including faster growth rates, reduced breakage, and improved appearance.* 

While Bikman didn't share which particular collagen supplement he prefers, he does recommend finding a formula that features vitamin C, since the antioxidant is crucial for the collagen production process.* "Vitamin C helps regulate what's called a 'redox reaction' to help create this essential peptide in collagen called hydroxyproline," he explains. (You can read more about why vitamin C is so critical in collagen supplements here.)