The nails
The nails are "extensions of the epidermis" that originate from the nail matrix ; they are formed by hyperkeratinization (marked synthesis and structuring of a protein called keratin ) of the skin and, like the hairs, penetrate deeply to the dermis.
The nails grow 0.1 millimeters (mm) a day and a complete reproduction cycle lasts 100-150 days.
NB . The nails are sensitive to physiological changes and slow down their growth in pathological conditions or with very low temperatures.
What are
Nail supplements are over-the-counter products that, in conditions of nutritional insufficiency or specific deterioration (of the nails themselves), should favor the restoration of the physiological conditions essential to the synthesis of keratinized tissues.
There are two types of nail supplements:
- Food supplements to be taken for OS (by mouth)
- Emulsions and gels for topical use (local, on the nails themselves).
Ingredients and composition
Food supplements in nail capsules
Food supplements for nails to be taken by mouth are generally marketed in CAPSULES or tablets. It is recommended to take it at the main meals for a total of 1 or 2 tablets per day (probably one for lunch and / or one for dinner). These are "nutritious mixtures" based on sulfur amino acids, mineral salts and vitamins . Taking as an example the composition of a well-known nail supplement, the ingredients most commonly used to support nail health are: oils (soy and wheat germ), free form amino acids (L-methionine, L-cystine, L-cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine) especially sulphurized (L-methionine, L-cystine, L-cysteine), MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), LIPO-soluble vitamins (β-carotene [vit. A] and tocopherols [vit. E]), vitamins HYDRAsoluble ( biotin [vit. H] and pantothenic acid [vit. B5]), mineral salts (calcium [Ca], zinc [Zn], copper [Cu], sulfur [S], iron [Fe]) and glycerol.
Emulsions and gels for topical use
They are liquids used to nourish and combat nail fragility; in practical terms, while the emulsion nourishes the nail and provides a "hydrophobic shield" thanks to the presence of lipids similar to those of the original horny tissue, the gel hardens the scale and protects it from external chemical and physical stress .
The emulsion should be applied twice a day while the gel is applied only once a week; the latter is composed of three spreadable formulas in the following order: exfoliating, smoothing and polishing.
The MAIN ingredients of emulsions and gels for topical use are essentially water, cystine, lipids and additives. Specifically, taking as a reference the composition of a typical protective / restructuring gel for nails, you can find: isoexadecane, cyclomethicone, glycerin, cystinyl-disodium, disuccinate, wheat, ceresin (Peg-30), dipole-hydroxysistate, tricontany-pvp, cholesterol, tocopherol (vitamin E), acetate, panthenol (vit. precursor B5), glyco-propylene, octildodecanol, phospholipids, glycosphingolipids, lecithin, arachidyl propionate, retinyl palmitate, linoleic acid (ω6), linolenic acid (ω3 ), EDTA disodium, imidazolidinyl urea, magnesium sulfate, methyl paraben and propyl paraben.
Utility
Food supplements for nails, despite the wording, do not act in a SPECIFIC manner on the growth or reconstitution of the nail.
Like all other tissues, nails also grow based on organic stimuli and physiological mechanisms. It is logical that, as with the hair, the hair and the skin, also for the nails some pathologies and / or malnutrition can negatively affect the integrity and the speed of growth; however, the ingredients used in the formulation of the capsules are NOT active ingredients that are decisive for this purpose.
Ultimately, assuming such a state of malnutrition that can alter nail growth and maintenance, any supplement based on sulfur amino acids, mineral salts and vitamins can replace (perhaps more effectively) a food supplement for nails.
For topical gels the speech is different; they have a truly reconstituting effect on the nail ... but this is not necessarily due to the nourishment of the scale! Applying 3 layers of product undoubtedly determines a significant thickening and a consequent chemical-physical protection from shocks and corrosive agents; however, remember that the nail is made up of KERATINATED DEAD fabric! Therefore, even if the emulsion and gel ingredients were absorbed by "chemical diffusion", the keratinized cells would NOT be able to metabolize them in any way.
