Cure Brittle Nails With Brittle Nails Diet And Life Style Changes
Brittle nails spoil looks of your hands, so it will be good for you to know;how to cure brittle nails;and start following remedies for brittle nails, as soon as you notice them. Brittle nails not only look clumsy, but they are also prone to break and peel easily, exposing your finger and toe tips to infection.
Biotin Is Probably The Best Supplement Ingredient To Possibly Help Brittle Nails
I tell patients to go to their favorite, high-quality natural food store and ask the vitamin specialist for their best nail formula.; It’s important to know that many of the ingredients in these supplements are lavishly present in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, natural oils, beans, and fish.;
Eating a richly nutritious diet is key to supporting healthy nails and vitamin supplements should be used in addition to, not in place of, a healthy diet.
Be patient. Your fingernails grow slowly at a rate of about 1mm per month.; As you age, the growth slows down even more.; This means it will take several months for the dry and split portion of your nails to grow out.;
If your entire nail is brittle, it could take as long as a year for your nails to improve. Keep up the good nail care, nutritious diet and your vitamin supplements, hang in there and don’t give up!
Lastly, there are internal diseases that can affect splitting fingernails, the most common being thyroid problems and anemia.; Some skin diseases affect the nails as well and cause splitting.; If your nails don’t improve, see your doctor.
References:
Abdullah L, Abbas O., Common nail changes and disorders in older people: Diagnosis and management.Can Fam Physician. 2011;57:173181.
Eat More Foods That Promote Strong Nails
Avoid yo-yo dieting, which can lead to vitamin deficiencies that may put the strength of your nails in jeopardy. Make sure you eat enough protein and calcium too, which are thought to promote nail health, says Robin Evans, MD, Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist and clinical instructor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Loading up on biotin-rich foods, such as veggies, eggs, and nuts, may also help.
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Healing Insights For Splitting Fingernails And Cracked Dry Skin
Just yesterday, an 80-year-old man who is one of my dermatology patients asked me why his splitting fingernails were dry and brittle on the ends.; He’d always had strong nails. He wanted to know if I thought Knox Gelatin Capsules would work for him; it’s what his mother used when she had nail problems. They didn’t work for her, but he didn’t know what else to do.
Splitting and cracked fingernail problems can happen at any age, but it’s definitely one of those as we age stories. If your nails are splitting, there are things you can do to improve them, but there are also common “remedies” that actually make the problem worse.
Keep Them Protected From The Sun
Like the rest of your body, nails can get sun damage, too. They can yellow, turn brittle, or even develop vertical ridges that can last up to six months. You can also develop skin cancer under the nail. As for protection, most colored nail polishes will act as a physical barrier to UV damage, but you can find clear or nude polish with UV protection .
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What Are Brittle Toenails
When your toenails look cracked, dried up, and they peel at the edges, then these are considered brittle, which is a common affliction, especially in women and the elderly.
As we grow older, our body struggles to produce and maintain the natural proteins that keep our bodies looking and feeling healthy.
However, just like your skin, hair, teeth, and eyes can alert you of any anomalies in your body, brittle toenails can be a sign that says much more about you and your habits than age alone.
What Causes Brittle Nails
According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology , brittle nails fall into two categories: dry and brittle or soft and brittle.
Dry and brittle nails are the result of too little moisture. Theyre most commonly caused by the repeated washing and drying of fingernails.
On the other hand, soft and brittle nails are caused by too much moisture, often a result of overexposure to detergents, household cleaners, and nail polish remover.
Other causes of brittle nails include:
- Age. Nails commonly change as people age, often becoming dull and brittle. While toenails commonly get thicker and harder, fingernails often become thinner and more brittle.
- Iron deficiency. This condition occurs when the body doesnt get enough iron, which leads to low red blood cell levels. Your doctor may measure your ferritin level and provide supplementation if its found to be low.
- Hypothyroidism. Along with brittle nails, symptoms of low thyroid levels may include hair loss, fatigue, weight gain, constipation, and depression. Your doctor can treat hypothyroidism with the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine, which can be taken orally.
- Raynauds syndrome. Characterized by circulation problems in the extremities, this condition can affect nail health. Your doctor may prescribe calcium channel blockers, such as amlodipine or nifedipine, or alternatives, such as losartan, fluoxetine, or sildenafil.
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Be Patient With Nail Growth
If youre a chronic nail-biter, you know the victory of finally growing your nails out past your fingertips. Healthy habits plus patience pay off in nail care. But the primary focus should be on figuring out how to strengthen your nails, not solving the puzzle of how to grow nails fast. Stronger nails can lead to longer nails if you practice good nail care, but it all takes time. If you battle brittle nails and constant breakage, its smart to keep your nails clipped short until they regain strength; then theyll have the foundation they need to grow longer.
Avoid Contact With Water
Dont stop washing your hands or shower with gloves on, but do pay attention to ways you can reduce the time your nails spend in contact with water, because excessive water contact can weaken nail structure. For example, consider wearing gloves while doing the dishes or other wet work.
You know how soft and bendy nails get after a long bath? Consider this: The nail is like a sponge. It is 1,000 times more absorptive of water than the skin, for example, and so water can easily diffuse into the nail, Dr. Stern says. Excessive water exposure can put significant strain on delicate nail cells , which can lead to brittleness, peeling, and breakage, she says.
This is also why soaking nails before a manicure is bad practice. Not only does this make your nails more vulnerable to infection, according to Dr. Green, but it also doesnt allow nail polish to adhere as well or last as long.
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Use A Cuticle Oil Daily
According to Ama Quashie, session manicurist and founder of Ama salon, the secret to growing your best nails is: hydration, hydration, hydration. ‘To have strong nails, they need to be healthy and to be healthy, they need to be hydrated,’ she says. ‘Cuticle oil works by hydrating the cuticle and nail bed, which is why it’s such an important step in nail care, whether you’re growing your nails or simply want them to look their best.’
Her favourites? Skip the pricey branded bottles and opt instead for organic Dadi oil or a simple jojoba: they’ll do the job just as well and don’t cost the earth.
Strengthen Thin Nails And Care For Brittle Nails
Treat nails well. Feed them regularly to keep them strong and healthy. One way is to soak them in salt water for a few minutes and then dry them with a clean towel. Do this 2-3 times a week.Use a good nail polish remover with less chemicalsTrim your nails to prevent them from growing as much as possible. . The growth of long nails causes them to become long and curved, causing problems such as breakage. It is better to shorten them.
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Taking Care Of Damaged Nails And Brittle Cuticles
Our cuticles play a very important role on our fingers.;They protect that tender part where your nail attaches to your finger.; Cuticles can be damaged if you work a lot with your hands, wash them often, or you have dry skin.
The name cause of brittle nails is the repeated action of wetting and drying of your fingernails, this makes them to become dry and brittle.
The mistake most people make when they notice their cuticles are damaged is to pull, tear, clip cuticles. Below are some tips on how to properly care for damaged cuticles:
Implement the tips below to avoid your nails from being brittle:
Home Remedies For Brittle Nails
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While working in the kitchen or at home or at any workplace, you face a split nail and now its looking worse with broken nails. There are numerous therapeutic conditions which easily influence the shape of the fingernails. When your nails are weak that implies that your nails will effortlessly get split, chipped or even peeled or it can also be also due to presentation of nails to different damp conditions like swimming or dishwashing.
Even there are fewer infections, which can make nails brittle, which may incorporate fragility. Often brittle nails are considered as an indication of hypothyroidism, many a times. Taking biotin supplements can help sometimes of fragile nails, and use of lotions in the wake of absorbing water can likewise be of advantage.
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Try A More Natural Nail Polish
Quashie recommends giving ‘free from’ varnishes a go, which purposefully exclude any potentially toxic chemicals. ‘In terms of natural credentials, the scale runs from “three-free” all the way up to “13-free”, which means that brand does not have any of the most commonly used chemicals that have been identified as potentially harmful in their varnishes.’
So, which brands to go for? ‘Some great ‘free-from’ brands are Kure Bazaar, Nailberry and Butter London some of the larger brands such as Nails Inc and Orly are bringing out similar formulas too.’
Wear Gloves For Chores
When doing the dishes, cleaning and gardening, wear gloves. Detergents and cleansers are harsh on your fingernails, causing drying, spitting and peeling. Soil and gardening can also cause damage to your nails.
As Dr. Tanzi pointed out, the best way to take care of hands and nails is to avoid drying them out. Frequent hand washing with antibacterial soap is very harsh, she says. I recommend washing with a gentle cleanser, which will sanitize just as well as harsh products and a good moisturizer afterward to lock in the hydration. At night, a thicker moisturizer on hands with a rich cuticle cream will keep hands/nails looking great.
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Keep Them On The Shorter Side
If youre having trouble with weak nails, consider cutting down the length while you build up their strength, suggests Dr. Solomon. Shorter nails are less prone to breaking because there are fewer exposed edges to tear, and less surface area where water and chemicals can be absorbed. Once trimmed, prevent snags by gently rounding the edges with a nail file.
How To Treat Brittle Nails
There are many factors that can make your nails brittle, from a poor diet to drying your hands. If you find that your nails are brittle, you had better begin to take special care of your nails with to give them the proper hydration and strength they need to be healthy. There is nothing worse than seeing your nails grow and then break off, so read this OneHowTo article on how to treat brittle nails.
To treat brittle nails, you need keep them short as this means they will not constantly be breaking off and causing you pain. Calm down, your nails will not be short forever! It is best to keep your fingernails short during the strengthening process and once your nails are stronger you can let them grow out. You’ll have your glamazon claws back in no time!
When nails are brittle, it’s ideal to prevent further breakages. This can be achieved by applying a nail hardener to clean nails. Remove all traces of nail varnish before applying it. Once dry, the hardener will get to work protecting and strengthening your nails. It is ideal that you repeat this process at least every four days.
To treat brittle nails opt for dark colored enamels. Besides making your longest fingernails look longer, dark glazes are more resilient and they better protect your nails. Lighter, clearer gloss enamels don’t offer much protection to your nails. It is also advisable to buy moisturizing and fortifying enamels.
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Take Breathers Between Manicures
Bottom line: Your nails need to breathe. Constant use of polish, even non-toxic polish, can weaken the nail, says Dr. Solomon. If you find that your nails have become especially fragile , give them a month off from nail polish to allow them to grow and strengthen. Applying a keratin treatment between manicures, such as CND RescueRXx, can help nourish your nails during the hiatus.
What Can I Do To Strengthen My Nails
Do you frequently wash your hands or do the dishes? Nails that fluctuate between wet and dry environments can become brittle. In fact, the most common reason for brittle nails is that they simply dried out.
If you want to strengthen your nails, there are several easy and inexpensive options:
- Moisturize. Try a dedicated nail oil or a hand lotion with alpha hydroxy acid or lanolin. If nails are soft but brittle, they may be too moist so cut back on the moisturizer.
- Limit manicures. To strengthen brittle nails, limit the number of manicures to avoid subjecting nails to the chemicals in nail polish and polish removers. Especially avoid acetone-based nail polish removers. For soft, brittle nails, a layer of polish may actually help.
- Avoid alcohol-based sanitizers. Hand sanitizers are a convenient way to keep the germs away when soap and water arent available. But alcohol can dry out your nails and skin.
- Get a paraffin wax bath. As an indulgent nail treatment, an at-home paraffin wax bath soothes and moisturizes nails and hands. Soak your hands in the bath for 10 to 20 minutes; then give the wax time to dry before peeling it off.
- Wear gloves. When washing dishes or doing housework, wear rubber gloves to protect your fingernails.
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Just Add Water To Care For Brittle Nails
This patient’s brittle nail is caused by alopecia areata before biotin treatment. Same nail 10 weeks after biotin treatment.;
Brittle, splitting, peeling, and cracking nails theyre enough to drive a woman crazy. Make that one in five women, which is how many dermatologists estimate suffer from this collection of symptoms called brittle nail syndrome .
Brittle nails are sometimes linked to health conditions such as hypothyroidism and menopause. Some medications, including diuretics used to treat high blood pressure, also can promote brittle nails, as can deficiencies in iron and vitamins A, C, and B6. The condition also sometimes accompanies skin disorders such as eczema, lichen planus, and psoriasis.
Even with all these possible causes, its safe to assume your clients brittle nails are most likely caused by external factors such as excessive handwashing or wet work. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology , internal disease or vitamin deficiencies are rarely the cause of brittle nails. One tip is that if the fingernails split but the toenails are strong, then an external factor is the cause, states the AOCD.
Low humidity and dry heat tends to worsen the condition, as does cold weather.
The AOCD recommends combating brittle nails by soaking the nails in water for five minutes each day and then generously applying an AHA-or lanolin-based lotion. They also should reapply the lotion every time their hands get wet.
Going for the Cure
Invest In A ‘soft’ Nail File
You might have heard that glass nail files are better for filing with, but while they’re pretty, longer-wearing and easy to clean, it pays to invest in a ‘soft’ file, according to Session Manicurist, Ami Streets.
‘To get the best finish from your filing, always opt for a soft file to prevent tearing or splitting your nails,’ she says. Her top picks? ‘Orly’s nail file is probably one of best I’ve used because of the durability and the way it gives the smoothest finish really fast.’
‘Pro products are always best and usually more hard wearing. I really like the Natural Nail Company because you can choose a file depending on whether your nails are soft or hard, and there are even options for acrylics.’
What’s more, you really need to nail your filing technique. Back and forth see-saw motions will only cause the nail to splinter, so always file in one direction, using long, swift but gentle strokes.
Pro Tip: ‘Start from the outside edge and move into the centre,’ advises Streets. ‘This technique will give you a smooth finish and more control over the shape you’re trying to achieve.’
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