How Many Millimetres Do Nails Grow a Month, and How Often Should You Fill or Redo Gel Nails?

By Nanny Nails, nail salon in Nakhon Phanom | Updated 28 Sept 2026

Three weeks after your gel manicure, you hand over money at a coffee shop and suddenly notice a pale strip of natural nail at the base of every nail. The first question is: how many millimetres do nails actually grow a month? And is it time for a fill or a whole new set? This article gives the numbers, a week-by-week table of how much your nails grow, a simple way to measure your own, and when to come back for new gel nails.

The short answer first. Fingernails grow about 3 millimetres a month, or roughly 0.7 to 0.8 millimetres a week. Toenails grow about half as fast. Two to three weeks after a gel manicure, the gap at the base is about 1.5 to 2.5 millimetres wide, which is when most people start to notice it and want a new set.

How many millimetres do nails grow a month?

The main figures given are very similar.

The first two rows give round figures for people in general. The third covers a small group of young people, so its figures run a little higher. For planning your nails, a simple rule is enough: fingernails about 3 millimetres a month, toenails about 1.5 millimetres a month.

Three millimetres sounds like very little, but on a nail that is only a centimetre or so long, it shows clearly.

How much do nails grow each week?

We divided the monthly figures above into weeks to show what happens with gel nails. The first number in each range uses 3 millimetres a month; the second uses the measured figure of 3.47.

These numbers are the width of the bare strip that appears between your cuticle and the edge of the gel. The gel sits on the nail plate, so however much the nail grows, the gel is pushed that far towards the tip.

The picture above is what happens every time you wear gel. On day one the colour sits right against the cuticle. After about two weeks a thin strip appears. By week three or four, the strip is wide enough for people next to you to see, and the tip has grown longer too.

How long does it take for a nail to grow back?

This question usually comes from someone whose nail was damaged, came off after a knock, or got thin from peeling off gel, and who wants to know how long it takes to get a whole new nail.

• Fingernails Full regrowth takes at least six months. A fingernail that comes off entirely can take 6 months or longer to grow back.
• Toenails It takes 12 to 18 months, or one to one and a half years.
• Marks on the nail A mark that starts at the base has the longest way to travel. White spots on fingernails can take up to 6 to 9 months to grow out, and 12 to 18 months on toenails.

To keep it simple: a whole new fingernail takes about six months or more, a toenail about a year to a year and a half, and a mark near the base of a fingernail can take up to 6 to 9 months to reach the tip. That is exactly why caring for your nails now matters: damage done today stays on the nail for months.

How to measure how fast your own nails grow

The figures above are averages. If you want to know your own rate, it is easy. The method is to make a small mark on the nail near the cuticle, note the distance, and measure again one to three months later. At home you do not need to file a mark into your nail; use what you already have.

If you are wearing gel

1. Note the date of your manicure on your phone.
2. After about 3 weeks, hold a small ruler next to your finger and take a close-up photo showing the gap between your cuticle and the edge of the gel.
3. Read how many millimetres wide the gap is and divide by the number of weeks. That is your weekly growth rate.

If you are not wearing anything

1. Find a mark already on your nail, such as a small white spot or a clear line.
2. Take a photo with a ruler and measure the distance from your cuticle to the mark.
3. Take another photo 3 to 4 weeks later. The extra distance is how much your nail has grown.

Your index or middle finger shows it most clearly because the nail is bigger. Do not compare with your little finger: little fingernails grow more slowly than the others. If your number is a bit above or below the average, there is no need to worry. Whether fast-growing nails mean good health, and what makes nails grow faster or slower, is covered in our separate article do fast-growing nails mean you are healthy.

How often should you redo gel nails?

Going by growth alone, fingernails start to show a gap from the second week, and it is just over 2 millimetres wide by week three. That matches what we wrote in how long do gel nails last: gel nails generally look good for about 2 to 3 weeks, and most people get a new set around then.

Besides the gap at the base, two other things happen as the nail grows.

• The tip gets longer The gel-covered part is pushed further from the base and the tip grows out, so the tip takes more force when you press or knock it.
• The gel edge starts to lift The longer it goes, the more chance the edge lifts and lets water underneath. We cover lifting in gel nails lifting: leave them or go back to the salon.

You can plan around it like this.

• You use your hands a lot, or your nails grow faster than most Book your next set at around two and a half to three weeks.
• You are gentle with your hands and pick a colour that hides the gap About three weeks, or a little longer.
• You have a big event Book so the day falls in the first week or early in the second, when the gap is still under a millimetre and a half. Your photos will look freshly done.
• Toenails They grow about half as fast, so the gap shows much later. Many people find gel on their toes still looks good after a month.

What is a gel fill?

In the nail world, a fill means not removing all the gel. Instead, the old gel is filed thinner, new gel is added only to the grown-out gap at the base, then it is smoothed and the whole nail gets a fresh top coat. Some salons do this for strengthening overlays or extensions where the gel layer is thick.

At Nanny Nails, to be clear: we do not offer gel fills. When customers come back for a new round, we remove the old set and do a fresh one every time. Removal is charged as follows.

The removal price is added to the price of the new set you choose. The upside of a full new set for you is that you can change the colour or design every round instead of living with the old one. If you want the gel off to give your nails a break, we also offer removal only, including shaping; the price is in the table below.

Two things not to do while you wait for your next set

• Do not pick or pry the gel off Remove gel with acetone, not by peeling it, because the gel pulls the top layer of your natural nail with it. As we saw, a fingernail takes six months or more to grow a whole new plate. If you want to remove gel at home, read how to remove gel nails at home.
• Do not use your longer nails as tools Near the end of a round your tips are longer than on day one, so opening cans or peeling stickers puts all the leverage on the nail edge. Use your fingertips or a tool instead.

Which colours make the gap at the base less obvious?

Nails grow at the same rate under every colour, but some colours let the gap show later, so your nails look neat for longer to anyone looking.

Fades with a clear base The new growth blends into the base that is already clear. This helps the most.

Glitter on a nude base The sparkle draws the eye to the nail itself, and the nude base is close to your natural nail colour, so the gap does not stand out.

Solid dark colours such as black, deep red or navy look sharp, but the gap contrasts with them the most. If you love dark shades, plan to come back a little sooner.

Toenails grow slowly and last longer

Toenails grow about 1.5 millimetres a month, half the speed of fingernails. A month after a gel pedicure, the gap at the base is only about a millimetre and a half, roughly what fingernails show after two weeks. That is why gel on toes usually feels like it lasts much longer than on fingers.

If you want both hands and feet done, we can do them on the same day; just mention it when you book so we allow the time. When your fingers are due for a new colour, your toes may not need redoing yet.

Gel nail prices at the salon

Gel colour prices include shaping, base coat and top coat. See the full menu on our services and prices section. We have more than 536 gel shades, and every set comes with our 7-day care period.

What customers say about how long our nails last

Read all our reviews on the reviews page.

One number to remember

If you remember one number from this article, make it this: fingernails grow about 0.7 millimetres a week. Three weeks after a gel manicure, the gap at the base is about 2 millimetres, a good moment to come back for a new set. Toenails grow about half as fast. And a damaged nail needs six months or more to grow a new plate.

Meanwhile, you can pick next round's colour in our gallery. Clear-based fades and glitter on nude are two styles that keep nails looking neat towards the end of a round.

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