If Your Nails Are Showing Their Age, Experts Say These Products Can Help

Just as skin shows signs of age, nails do, too. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Kiran Mian at Hudson Dermatology & Laser explained that aging nails can look dull or discolored, be slow-growing, become brittle or weak, and develop ridges and textural irregularity across the bed.
“There is decreased blood flow to nails as we age, as well as decreased moisture levels and loss of collagen,” said Mian, who also cited chronic health conditions and hormonal shifts commonly associated with aging as potential causes of poor nail health.
Fortunately, Mian and other experts confirm that certain products and ingredients can help address premature aging of the nails — specifically, products that can help target moisture loss or brittleness by filling in gaps in the keratin structure of the nail.
If your nails are betraying their age (or are just looking worse for wear), see the products that Mian and other board-certified dermatologists suggest you try in the list below. You’ll find a $4 keratin polish that claims to improve growth in just three days, a cult-favorite nail and cuticle oil that’s packed with antioxidants, and tons more.
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Double board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp suggested this reparative nail conditioner for its lanolin-rich base and beeswax-containing formula, which claims to promote the growth of healthy, smooth nails.
“Lanolin helps soften nails by helping to restore moisture, which can make nails more pliable and durable so that they chip and crack less often,” Camp said.
He explained that rich emollients help improve the texture of nails and the skin around nails by filling in gaps or cracks in skin and improving moisture retention.
According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Kiran Mian, just as peptides can boost collagen production in the skin to improve elasticity and plumpness, they can add resiliency to nails. That’s one of the reasons she likes this peptide-infused base coat by Dermelect, which applies and wears like a clear nail polish. Mian said that she also likes how it contains biotin and hydrolyzed keratin, which can all help to prevent nail yellowing and fortify the nail structure, allowing the nail to grow longer without breaking.
Both Camp and Mian suggested this clinical-grade nail and cuticle serum that targets virtually all signs of nail aging, from dryness to fragility to irregular texture.
“It has castor oil, triglycerides, and hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate, which is great for increasing hydration and strength of nails,” Mian said.
According to Camp, the keratin-supporting formula, easily dispensed and applied with a brush-tipped pen, increases nail density and thickness. The serum’s maker also claims that silanediol salicylate promotes the production of one of the most predominant minerals in the nail.
“Occlusive agents like petrolatum and paraffin trap moisture into nails and fingertips to soften them and make nails more pliant,” Camp said, suggesting this multi-purpose healing ointment that he said can be used just like cuticle butter to improve hydration and reduce the risk of hangnails.
This skin protectant from Cetaphil isn’t unlike more well-known ointments like Vaseline or Aquaphor, however it’s also enriched with antioxidant-rich vitamin E to promote resilience, as well as shea butter, an ingredient that Camp recommends for its ability to help improve the texture of nails through better moisture retention.
“The beeswax in this product envelops the nails, cuticles, and hands in an occlusive layer of protection to seal in moisture to improve texture and prevent dryness,” Camp said of Cutemol’s emollient skin cream that offers an intense level of hydration to severely dry, cracked and compromised skin. The lightweight balm also contains allantoin, an ingredient that can enhance smoothness and soothe skin.
Mian said that topically applied keratin can be helpful in improving the strength of brittle nails since that’s the protein that provides structural support and protection to nails in the first place. Based on this guidance, we found this keratin treatment that claims to offer visible improvement to nails in just three days, while also preventing cracking and peeling. The quick-drying and invisible formula is also well-received among Amazon reviewers who say that Nail-Aid is their “secret weapon for nail growth.”
Also from Nail-Aid is this maximum collagen builder that we chose based on Mian’s suggestion that, although more research is needed to support evidence of oral collagen, topical collagen can prove to be helpful when it comes to improving the look and feel of nails. This clear polish prevents splitting and cracking while also providing a thick, extra-hard coating for nails and an ultra-healthy shine that lasts up to two weeks.
“Oils with fatty acids like jojoba oil can help combat the dry and brittleness of nails, increasing nail hydration,” Mian said. We’ve talked about this incredibly popular nail and cuticle care oil before, which doesn’t just contain jojoba, but also conditioning sweet almond oil, rice bran oil and vitamin E, an antioxidant that’s commonly found in skin care for its ability to prevent premature skin aging by neutralizing environmental stressors.
Promising review: “As I got older my nails started to split from the tip to the nail bed. Growing up I never had this problem and I missed having natural long nails. I started coating my nails with the product at night while watching TV. The results were pretty quick. I have not had a split nail since I started using the product. My only complaint is that it doesn’t come with an applicator. I used a small cheap paint brush I had at home. There really isn’t a scent to the product either, which I like. I will continue to use the product every couple of days now that the nails no longer split.” — GigiKDK
Among Camp’s top ingredients for targeting aging nails are shea butter and glycerin, a dermatologist-approved humectant that draws moisture into the skin and keeps it there. We found this hand and nail cream by French beauty brand Embryolisse, which contains both. The nourishing and reparative formula claims to soften, moisturize and protect.
“One of my favorite practices as part of my self care Sunday is rubbing coconut oil into my nails,” Mian said. “Coconut oil, while not great for facial skin, [has a] rich fatty acid profile [that] is great for hair and nails.”
We chose this extra-virgin coconut oil which is cold pressed, unrefined and a best seller on Amazon with over 87,100 5-star ratings and 4.7 out of 5 stars.
“Biotin is a vitamin crucial for nail health, and supplements can help maintain strength of the nail,” Mian said.
There are tons of biotin supplements on the market to choose from, but board-certified dermatologist Dr. Purvisha Patel suggested Nutrafol specifically. The women’s balance formulation features a proprietary blend of 21 vitamins and minerals, including biotin, and natural ingredients like saw palmetto.
This bottle contains a 30-day supply of capsules and, as is the case with all supplements, it’s important to seek guidance from your medical health care professional before taking Nutrafol.