External changes in the fingernails signal the development of the disease. Naturally, only a dermatologist can determine the exact cause of the defect. But initially it is worth studying why fingernails peel, the causes and treatment of the disease.
Why do fingernails break? reasons
If your fingernails are peeling or your toenails are brittle, then the development factors are internal or external in nature. Internal include:
- Following a strict diet, the diet does not contain the necessary minerals and vitamins (Mg, I, Ca, S, Zn, Fe, P, vitamins A, C, D, E, group B).
- The effect of stress on the body.
- Diseases of the skin (psoriasis), gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, endocrine system.
- Diabetes.
- Hormonal disbalance.
- Frequent overwork.
- Age.
- Heredity.
- Fungal infection.
- Excessive alcohol consumption.
- Smoking.
External reasons include:
- contact with water without special gloves;
- exposure to chemistry;
- mechanical damage;
- exposure to temperature changes;
- manicure performed poorly or tools of poor quality;
- influence of ultraviolet rays.
The above factors cause dehydration of the nail plate and answer the question of why fingernails break.
Genetic causes
Hereditary weakness of fingernails occurs repeatedly. Normally, the body produces a certain amount of keratin and sulfur to harden it. But with a genetic failure, the amount of sulfur is not enough and the hardness of the nails decreases.
To confirm this reason, a person is recommended to submit a fragment of the plate. If a hereditary factor is determined, then the fight against splitting and increased brittleness of nails should be stopped. A person is prescribed only strengthening preventive therapy.
Poor care, manicure
One of the factors behind weakness, fragility and splitting of nails is improper hand care. Manicure tools should be made of high-quality materials, the remover should contain a small percentage of acetone, and the composition of the varnish should exclude aggressive substances.
Nail manicure
The procedure of extensions and gel polish, which has been popular for the last 5 years, has a significant impact on the health of nails. After gel polish, nails weaken, their thickness decreases, and infections often occur. It is recommended to visit nail salons for hand care, nail design and strengthening only from real professionals.
Basic rules for home care:
- do not use a metal or glass nail file;
- Grinding is prohibited;
- the movement of the file should be in one direction perpendicular to the nail;
- if there is detachment, you must start from the sides, moving towards the middle.
All manicure accessories must be made of high quality materials.
Working with aggressive substances
Every day a person comes into contact with household chemicals, which contain chemical components. To prevent injury to the top layer of skin and nail plate, it is recommended to use special gloves. Only they provide a 100% guarantee of protection.
Hormonal imbalances
A change in the level of the hormone estrogen in the blood usually manifests itself as a violation of the structure of the nail plate. The development factor may be menopause, menstruation, pregnancy and lactation, adolescence or pathology of the endocrine system.
Folk remedies to help crumbling nails:
Place your palms together, pour in glycerin, pour this amount of glycerin into a bowl, dilute with cooled boiled water. Soak a piece of cotton cloth and apply to your nails. Keep it for half an hour.
Fill 1/3 cup with nourishing cream. Take 0.5 teaspoon of red hot pepper, ground to a powder, pour it into a glass. Wait for the mixture to reach room temperature. Spread on your nails and leave for a quarter of an hour.
Apply beeswax for 30 minutes. Cut a leaf from the agave, place the juicy side on the sore nail plate, and leave for 15 minutes.
Melt the wax and dip your fingertips into it. When the wax has completely hardened, you can put cotton gloves on your hands. Keep your hands with wax in gloves all night until the morning.
Conditions in which nails peel and break
There are several varieties of how fingernails break. Moreover, each has individual prerequisites for development, symptoms and methods of treatment.
Onychoschisis
| Symptoms | Provoking factors | Treatment |
| The plate delamination occurs in the area of the regrown area; the color may change to gray. | frequent application of varnish; grinding, polishing; traumatization; poor quality manicure; exposure to chemicals; X-ray induced dermatitis. | taking vitamin A, intramuscular injections of vitamin B12, consuming 10% gelatin. |
Onycholysis
| Symptoms | Provoking factors | Treatment |
| The plate partially or completely peels off from the bed. | injuries received; syphilis; fungal diseases; skin diseases; exposure to chemicals; endocrine system disorders. | The exfoliated part is removed, syntomycin ointment is applied on top, gelatin and vitamin A are prescribed. |
Onychorrhexis
| Symptoms | Provoking factors | Treatment |
| Longitudinal grooves and deep cracks are formed. | skin and gastrointestinal diseases; vitamin deficiency. | Vitamin A is prescribed for 30 days. |
Raynaud's syndrome
| Symptoms | Provoking factors | Treatment |
| Finger spasms, vasodilatation, swelling, redness of the tips. If left untreated, ulcers and tissue necrosis will appear. | Constant trauma to the phalanges; hypothermia; stress; endocrine system disorders; rheumatic diseases. | At all stages of life, a person is forced to take vasodilator drugs. In especially severe cases, sympathectomy is prescribed. |
External reasons
Aggressive effects of chemicals and environmental factors leading to dehydration of the nail plate:
- When nails peel, the reason may be contact with household and industrial chemicals, alkali, hot water without using gloves (see also causes of cracks on hands).
- Using formaldehyde-containing nail polishes.
- The use of acetone-containing solvents for removing varnish and diluting thickened varnish.
- Nail extension.
- Violation of the technique of removing artificial nails.
- Chronic hypothermia and exposure to dry air.
Mechanical damage to the nail plate:
- Incorrect manicure and pedicure technique.
- Nail injuries associated with professional activities: musicians, PC operators, guitarists, etc.
- Bruises, compression of the nail.
Treatment of brittle nails
Restoring the nail plate is possible in several ways.
The main methods and methods of treatment are divided into:
- drug therapy;
- use of cosmetics;
- salon treatments;
- ethnoscience.
Home treatment therapy includes:
- Applying balms, masks, oils, rubbing in vitamins, creams, wax.
- Baths with natural ingredients.
When nails break, treatment should only be prescribed by a dermatologist. Otherwise, there is a possibility of worsening the condition.
Cosmetic procedures
In the cosmetic industry there is a wide selection of products to strengthen, restore, and nourish the skin and nails of the hands. They can be oil, wax, varnish, cream.
Protective screen Mavala
The following are considered effective:
- Oil from Misslyn Nail Oil.
- Protective coating from MAVALA.
- Oil from ANNY.
- Firming product from NINELLE.
- Hand cream from CLARINS.
In addition to cosmetics, do not forget about taking vitamins and minerals.
Salon treatments
For chronic fragility and separation, it is worth visiting a cosmetologist's office. The performed complexes restore, normalize blood circulation in the fingers and activate the growth of the plate. Salon procedures include:
- Strengthening with wax or paraffin. The protective film formed after application seals all cracks, returns shine to the nails and protects from mechanical damage.
- Hand massage, aromatherapy, application of nourishing masks.
- Sealing the marigolds. During this procedure, your hands are immersed in a bath of sea salt; the water relieves inflammation and soothes the skin. The plate is polished and wax is applied on top. The effect lasts about 90 days.
- Ultraphoresis with vitamins.
- Restoring blood circulation and metabolic processes in the hands using the diathermy procedure.
- Massage.
The choice of procedure depends on the advanced stage of the disease.
Pharmacy products for strengthening
Preparations for restoring and giving strength to nails can be bought at any pharmacy; they cost little. The most effective are:
Vitamins
- Essential oils (burdock, castor, sea buckthorn).
- Sea salt.
- Iodine.
- Vitamins A, E, C.
- Natural wax or paraffin.
- Cosmetic clay.
Don't expect instant results. Any remedy will take time.
Folk remedies
If the problem is not so pronounced or the development factors are a lack of vitamins, improper care or the consequences of extensions, then traditional medicine is an excellent solution.
Baths
Folk remedies are used to treat diseases, used as symptom relief and prevention.
Effective recipes:
- Wrap with a solution of vitamin A, olive oil and lemon juice. You will need to mix 10 ml of each component, apply to your fingernails and wrap with film. Wear cotton gloves over the top. Repeat frequency three times a week at night.
- A mixture of iodine solution, lemon juice and any oil. Dilute a couple of drops of lemon juice in 15 ml of any oil, add 3 drops of iodine and mix. Apply the resulting mixture overnight.
- Baths with gelatin. Dissolve 2 g of gelatin in 50 ml of warm water. Place your hands in the bath for 15-20 minutes. The course lasts three times a week for 30 days.
What about salon procedures?
Yes, it is worth noting the undoubted advantage of salon procedures in the fight against delamination, as well as brittleness of nails. However, the salon must be chosen carefully; it must employ a professional who can identify your problem and select individual treatment.
It is worth noting that incorrectly selected treatment may either simply have no effect or aggravate the situation.
Proper home care in combination with salon treatments will bring your nails to a healthy state in a relatively short period of time. Take care of yourself, and in case of any problems, it is best to contact a specialist who will accurately determine your problem and select a course of treatment; in addition, you can agree with him on the inclusion of home methods in your care.
Causes and treatment of child’s nails peeling
Brittle nails are a symptom of a fungal disease or a deficiency of vitamins and minerals. Before starting treatment, parents and their child must consult a doctor, take tests and, after establishing a diagnosis, follow the specialist’s recommendations. Typically, therapy consists of increased nutrition or taking vitamins.
If a child's toenails peel off, it is a consequence of injury or fungal infection. Treatment therapy must also be developed by a doctor. Self-medication is not allowed.
Internal reasons
- poor diet or lack thereof. With an irregular diet, a person does not receive the required amount of vitamins, and this is where problems with nails begin. A person should eat enough foods containing calcium and iron. This is, for example, fish, which also contains magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin D, which contribute to better absorption of calcium. Also, the diet should contain protein foods, fruits and vegetables, which contain folic acid, silicon, zinc, and amino acids.
- genetic predisposition. Some people have very weak and thin nails from birth. The reason lies in the fact that these people have a low percentage of cysteine, it is this amino acid that is responsible for healthy nails. In this case, you should refuse nail extensions and try to protect your nails from the influence of the external environment.
- internal diseases. Every doctor can easily determine the state of health and the presence of disease by the external signs of the nail. For example, layering of nails with a bluish tint indicates diseases of the cardiovascular system. If compactions and deepened transverse stripes appear on the nail, this indicates infectious processes.
How to strengthen brittle nails
Faced with splitting, weakness, and discoloration, the question arises of how to strengthen brittle nails. If there are no malfunctions inside the body, then most likely it is necessary to simply change the technology of care. Even improperly trimmed cuticles can cause breakage.
Initially, you should choose several options for care: masks, creams or oils. They saturate the skin and plate with vitamins, protect it and activate tissue regeneration. To strengthen, wax, medicinal varnishes, decoctions and oil are used.
Effective decoctions of elderberry, alder, pine needles, green tea, nettle and wheatgrass root. The prepared decoction is not intended for oral administration, but for hand baths.
External reasons
- frequent hand contact with water. If your hands are often in water, your nails become thin and brittle; these changes can be observed by every person after taking a bath. But with regular exposure, it will be much more difficult to return your nails to good condition. In this case, it is recommended to apply protective cream and use gloves. And also regularly use medicinal varnishes and other products.
- chemical reagents. These include detergents, dyes and chemicals, alcohol and acetone. You should be careful with these substances, as they dry out your nails and make them vulnerable. Lovers of beautiful manicures should pay attention to the quality of their varnishes, since using cheap, low-quality ones can upset the water-fat balance of the nail plate.
- mechanical impact. For example, if you have a bad habit, biting your nails is the key to permanently peeling nails. Also, when using nails as an opener, this severely injures the nail and provokes microcracks, which leads to delamination. The quality of the nail file is also of great importance; it should be glass or specially coated, but in no case metal.
Nutrition
If fragility is observed, then it is worth determining what is missing in the body. To do this, it is imperative to consume foods rich in: Mg, Fe, I, Zn, Ca, S, P, vitamins A, C, D, E, group B and fatty acids.
All necessary substances are contained in the following foods:
- sea fish;
- olive and sunflower oil;
- cheese;
- White mushrooms;
- honey;
- milk products;
- blueberries, raspberries, coconut;
- coffee beans;
- sesame, nuts, dried fruits.
Also found in greens and pumpkin seeds.
Separation of the corners of the nails due to vitamin deficiency
A sign of vitamin deficiency is separation of the corners of the nail plate. To treat, eat foods rich in vitamins . Look at the peeling nails photo.
To compensate for the lack of carotene, tocopherol and ascorbic acid, consume more: raw or sauerkraut; cheese; fish that has white meat; hazelnuts
If the body lacks iron, anemia develops and the nails become split. Eat to replenish the element: beef, beef liver, green apples, dill, parsley, lettuce, beets. Drink teas from nettle, dandelion, burdock.
If there is not enough calcium, then take vitamins with calcium and foods with vitamin D. These are fish oil, cod liver, chum salmon, mackerel.
Preventive measures
Some changes in your nails do not mean anything serious, but in other cases certain changes may require medical attention. According to the Mayo Clinic, you should consult your dermatologist or doctor if you see any of the following:
- Changes in nail color, such as discoloration of the entire nail plate or a dark streak under the nail.
- Changes in the shape of the nails, such as curling.
- Thinning or thickening of nails.
- Swelling or pain around the nails.
- Separating the nail from the surrounding skin.
- Bleeding around the nails.
Thin fingernails are a common problem. If you do not want to be one of those who encounter it, follow these prevention recommendations:
- Keep an eye on your manicure tool. Scissors should always be well sharpened. As for nail files, it is better to give preference to glass or ceramic ones.
- Don't skimp on varnishes and coating removers. Make sure that the products do not contain formaldehyde or acetone.
- Choose the right hand cream. It is important that there is a note on the packaging that it is also intended for nails. These products contain special keratin additives that strengthen nails.
- Stay hydrated. You need to moisturize your nails not only from the outside, but also from the inside. Drink more fluids.
- Use strengthening varnishes. Don't be under the illusion that they can solve the problem. But a layer of such a product will protect the nail from external negative influences and reduce fragility.
- Don't "load" your nails. Do not use them to open the lids of cosmetic products or hit the keyboard. Also, hand-squeezing clothes after washing contributes to thinning and brittleness of the nail, as they bend.
- Eat right. Give preference to protein foods.
- Nourish your body. Twice a year (spring and autumn) take vitamin complexes.
- Reduce the amount of salt in your diet. It promotes the leaching of calcium from the body.
