You cannot permanently grow your nail beds, because the nail bed is the pink skin the nail rests on and its length is mostly set by genetics. What you can change is how much of the pink shows. It looks shorter when the nail lifts off early, so leave the underside alone, keep the free edge short and oil the cuticle and underside every day.
- The nail bed is the pink skin under the nail, and its length is mostly set by genetics.
- You cannot make it permanently longer, but you can stop it looking shorter than it is.
- Leave the underside alone, keep the free edge short while the skin recovers, and oil the cuticle and underside every day.
- Think months, not weeks.
What is a nail bed, and what is the pink part?
The nail bed is the pink skin that the nail rests on, and the pink you see is that skin showing through the clear nail.
The nail itself, the hard clear plate, has no colour of its own. The pink stops where the nail turns white, because the white part is the free edge, the stretch of nail that has come away from the skin. Just under it sits the hyponychium, the small seal of skin where the nail meets the tip of your finger. So a longer looking nail bed is really a question of where the nail lets go of the skin: the further along it stays attached, the more pink you see.
Why does the pink look short?
The pink looks short when the nail comes away from the nail bed early, and picking under the nail, biting, harsh cleaning and dryness are what make that happen.
The rest is how you were built: nail bed length is mostly set by genetics, and some of us simply have shorter ones. Digging under the free edge with a key, a nail or a sharp tool breaks the seal under the nail. Harsh cleaners and bare hands in water dry the skin there. Biting pulls at it. Each one gives the nail a reason to let go a little sooner. If biting is part of the story, how to stop biting your nails as an adult walks you through it.
How do you keep more of the pink showing?
Keep the free edge short while the skin recovers, stop digging under the nails, and oil the cuticle and the underside every day.
- Keep the free edge short. A long free edge acts like a lever, and every knock pulls at the seal underneath. File it back with a glass file, in one direction.
- Stop digging. Clean under your nails with a soft nail brush and warm soapy water, and never with a key, a pin or another nail.
- Wear gloves for cleaning. Harsh products and water dry out the skin under the nail.
- Oil the underside. Put a little under each free edge and press it in with your thumb.
- Oil the cuticle too. It keeps the seal at the base soft. Why cuticle care changes how your nails grow explains the rest.
I used my serum on my own clients for years before I offered it to anyone else, and the 15 ml dropper makes the underside easy to reach.
Do
- Keep the free edge short while the skin recovers.
- Clean under the nails with a soft brush.
- Oil the cuticle and the underside every day.
Don't
- Dig under the nails with a key or a sharp tool.
- Bite or pick at the skin under the nail.
- Scrub with harsh cleaners bare handed.
How long does it take?
Think months, not weeks, because the nail has to grow through with the skin underneath left alone.
A fingernail grows about 3 mm a month, and the nail you can see was made two to three months ago, so give the routine a few months before you judge it. How fast nails grow has the full timeline.
- Within days
- Most people notice softer cuticles.
- One to two weeks
- Most people notice visible nail growth. Results vary.
- Two to three months
- This is when any change in the pink starts to show, if it is going to. Some nail beds will not change much.
- Four to six months
- A full new fingernail has grown through.
Can you actually grow your nail bed?
Not permanently, no, because nail bed length is mostly set by genetics, so what you are really changing is how much of it shows.
If anyone promises to lengthen your nail bed for good, be wary.
Myth: The right product will make your nail bed longer for good.
Fact: Nail bed length is mostly set by genetics. What you can change is how long the nail stays attached, so more of the pink shows.
If you also want length at the tip, how to grow long natural nails has the full plan.
When should you see someone?
A nail that has started lifting on its own, or one that hurts or has changed colour, is not a nail bed length question.
If it came on suddenly, hurts, is discoloured, thickened or lifting, see a GP, dermatologist or podiatrist.
Nail Growth & Strength Serum | 15ml Dropper
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A 15 ml bottle with a dropper, so it is easy to oil the underside and the cuticle every day.
Add to cartSweet almond oil is a nut derived oil; people with nut allergies should talk to their doctor first.
Questions people ask
Can you grow your nail bed?
You cannot permanently grow your nail bed, because its length is mostly set by genetics. What you can change is how much of it shows: leave the underside alone, keep the free edge short while the skin recovers, and oil the cuticle and underside every day. Be wary of anyone who promises a permanently longer nail bed.
How long does it take to grow nail beds?
It takes months, not weeks, because the nail has to grow through with the underside left alone. A fingernail grows about 3 mm a month and the nail you can see was made two to three months ago, so give the routine a few months before you judge it. Results vary, and some nail beds will not change much.
Why are my nail beds so short?
Short nail beds are mostly down to genetics. Biting, picking under the nail, harsh cleaning and dryness can make the pink look shorter by lifting the nail off the bed early. If a nail has started lifting on its own, hurts or has changed colour, see a GP, dermatologist or podiatrist.
