Brittle nails getting you down?
We get it, your nails are always on display and they are the first ones to show signs of stress and ageing! No one likes to feel self-conscious about having constantly weak and brittle nails which break or snap off at the drop of a hat, right?
Help is at hand. A ground-breaking study* published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (Hexel et al) set out to investigate whether daily oral supplementation with collagen peptides alleviates the symptoms of brittle nails and improves nail growth rate.
And the results were incredible.
The study showed that by taking collagen daily, it can increase the nail growth rate by up to 12% and decrease the frequency of broken nails by 42%!
What's more, 88% of participants experienced an improvement 4 weeks after treatment. The majority of participants (80%) agreed that the use of collagen improved their nails' appearance, and were 'completely satisfied with the performance of the treatment'.
So, where does collagen fit into this conversation?
Collagen is the main structural protein which connects different parts of the body together, pretty much like building blocks or even the ‘glue’ of our human bodies! It is found in surplus in most living organisms, including humans. This means the best collagen we can find for our bodies is sourced from bovines as it is similar in structure to that of our human collagen. This makes it an amazing replacement for what we’re losing daily with ageing.
Starting in our 20’s, the body’s natural collagen supply starts to taper off and by the time we’re in our 40’s, it’s likely we will lose about 1% of collagen per year. As the main purpose of collagen in our bodies is to act as a connective structure, the older we get the more our collagen fibres lose strength and get damaged. Thus, it all has a direct effect on the strength of our nails.
With loads of options, which collagen is best for nails?
Hydrolysed and bioactive collagen is always recommended. It essentially means that the collagen fibres have been broken down into small peptides making it easier for our bodies to absorb, utilize and benefit from.
Hydrolysed collagen is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and therefore the uptake into the nails happens swiftly! Depending on how much collagen your body was lacking to begin with, you can start to see a difference in your nails in as quickly as four weeks…
Go on, impress your Sorbet Nail Tech next time you go with improved nail strength!
*Hexsel D, Zague V, Schunck M, Siega C, Camozzato FO, Oesser S. Oral supplementation with specific bioactive collagen peptides improves nail growth and reduces symptoms of brittle nails. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017 Dec;16(4):520-526. doi:10.1111/jocd.12393. Epub 2017 Aug 8. PMID: 28786550.
