What Are You Lacking When Your Nails Split
If you have splitting nails, you could be lacking some essential vitamins in your diet. A deficiency of B vitamins, such as biotin, can cause split nails. If you eat a normal, healthy diet, then you shouldnt be deficient in biotin, but it can happen.
Mineral deficiencies such as iron can also have a big effect on your health. Besides causing brittle nails, iron deficiency can also cause other things like fatigue and dizziness.
Soothe The Split Cuticles With Coconut Oil
For mild cuticle damage, coconut oil is a great natural remedy worth trying. It helps to moisturize the cuticles and the skin around nails and strengthen the cuticle tissue.
Was Your Pet Food Recalled
Spray a pet antiseptic on the toe this will disinfect the area and relieve any discomfort from the open wound.
If the wound bleeds again, apply pressure or use a styptic pencil or powder.
4. Bandage the paw.
Dogs dont like having their paws bandaged, so this can be a tricky procedure.
- You can try wrapping the paw in a loose-fitting bandage, using first-aid tape to hold in place.
- Another method is to place a clean sock on the paw and tape it into place. A sock often works better than a regular bandage because its less restrictive for the movement of the paw, which makes it more likely that your dog will not pull it off.
- If your dog pulls the bandage or sock off, you may want to place a plastic cone around the dogs neck for a few days until the wound heals.
5. Change the bandage every day and keep the area clean.
Change the bandage or sock once daily to check the healing process and to keep the area clean.
Remove the bandage and bathe the paw in warm water.
Check the paw for the following signs of infection:
- Swelling of the toe
- An oozing pus discharge
- Bleeding that may or may not be mixed with pus
If you see signs of infection, take your dog to the vet immediately. Your vet will most likely prescribe antibiotics to clear up the infection.
If the wound is healing as it should, place a new bandage or sock on the paw. If your dog is wearing an E collar, after 23 days, the wound should be healed to a degree that your dog will not lick it and the E collar can be removed.
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Knowing Your Type Of Brittle Nails And Treatment Options
Brittle nails can appear cracked, chipped, broken, split, peeling, and thin. They do not look very attractive and can sometimes hurt. They can range from mild to severe with different brittle nail treatment options.
- Mild and most common
- More Severe
SYMPTOMS
Brittle nails, or nail psoriasis, can alter the way your nails appear dryness and a slight discoloration of the nails to a white or light yellow. Your nails can also feel a little thinner than normal and the skin underneath may thicken.
MILD BRITTLE NAIL TREATMENT
Treatment for your brittle nails requires patience because nails grow slowly. For minor symptoms, avoid drying out your nails by wearing protective gloves when using cleaning chemicals or moisture-stripping soaps. Be sure to moisturize and condition with DermaNail Nail Conditioner, which works to rebuild your nails.
SYMPTOMS
In more moderate to severe cases, a higher level of discoloration, including a darker yellow, brownish red, and/or green, may occur. You may also see nail debris at the base, ridges on the top, and/or signs of slight peeling or cracking in your nails.
MODERATE BRITTLE NAILS TREATMENT
In addition to the treatment of mild cases of brittle nails, you also want to avoid creating further damage to your nails. Be gentle with them keep them trimmed and file them daily to avoid any further splitting or breaking while they try to heal.
SYMPTOMS
SEVERE BRITTLE NAIL TREATMENT
Use Neosporin For Cracked Bleeding Cuticles
Serious cracked and bleeding cuticles are susceptible to infections and thus need extra attention and care. For this, you will need Neosporin ointment or cream .
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Stop Cutting Your Cuticles
Although cutting fingernail and toenail cuticles can make them longer and more beautiful, they can cause damage to the cuticles not to mention bacterial and fungal infections.
According to Dana Stern, MD, a dermatologist at Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York City, The cuticle is the natural barrier to fungus and bacteria and once you breach that, protection is lost.
Cutting cuticles can also create a vicious cycle. Speaking to Cosmopolitan magazine, Simcha Whitehill, a nail care specialist based in NYC says, Once you get into the habit of cutting your cuticles, you always have to cut them because they grow back quickly, but not as pretty.
Those cuticle clippers are only good for removal of hangnails. For cuticle removal, dish away the nail clippers and instead use an orange stick to push the cuticle behind a bit not too far still as this can also be problematic. It is also advisable to dip your hands in warm water for 10 minutes or so before pushing back the cuticles to soften them.
Three Ways To Treat Cracked Nails
A cracked nail can ruin the appearance of your fingers or toes, even if you just a manicure or pedicure but the good thing is, there are ways to treat cracked nails! Weak nails can be due to many reasons and not necessarily a bad diet. Dish washing, planting or any harsh activity can cause immediate damage to your nails. A lot of women experience a cracked nail on a regular basis and look for ways on how to treat split nails, so you’re not alone! Bring your nails back to life with those simple three ways to treat cracked nails…
1. Regular trimming and filing.
If you want to treat your cracked nails, it’s exceedingly important that you constantly trim them. The more you keep them even and not too long, the more you prevent them from cracking. Long nails tend to be weaker and more subject to breakage and cracking.
2. Minimize nail polish application.
Give your nails a break. Constant application of nail polish and nail polish remover leads to nail damage on the long run. By limiting nail polish, your nails will be able to rest and this way you will be able to treat cracked nails properly. You will also hinder any harmful chemicals that are present in some nail polish removers from accessing your fingernails.
3. Keep them moisturized.
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Why Is My Nail Splitting Down The Middle
Nails can split down the middle for a variety of reasons. Usually it happens because your nails are too dry and weak, possibly from lack of moisture or Keratin. You could be putting your nails through too much by constantly painting them, and nail polish remover can really dry out your nails. Try to go without polish for a week or two to regain the moisture level.
Other possible reasons are your diet, stress, or maybe you wash your hands too frequently. Usually nail splitting isnt something to worry about too much, but if it goes from cuticle to nail bed, it can be a serious issue.
How Do You File Toenails Correctly
Be gentle about this. Otherwise, you could damage your nails. Once you have them properly trimmed down you can start filing. here is how you should do this.
- Start by filing your toenails in just one direction, going from corner to center. This will prevent fraying the nail which can lead to damage in your nail bed plus toenail breakage. It will also make a clean shape. Filing your toenails with care will assist you in keeping your toenails in shape.
- Keep filing straight across in just one direction until you get the right shape.
- Condition and moisturize your freshly trimmed and filed nails by applying Vitamin E or aloe-infused lotion to the toenail beds.
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Other Underlying Causes Of Brittle Nails Include:
Age
Age can affect the strength of nails and naturally decrease in strength over the time becoming dull, thinner and more brittle.
Anaemia
Brittle nails, hair loss, fatigue, weight gain and depression are some of the common symptoms associated with low thyroid levels.
Raynauds Syndrome
It is a condition characterised by improper blood circulation in the extremities which affect nail health making it brittle and dry.
Other health conditions that are associated with brittle nails include lung disorder, psoriasis, lichen, alopecia, areta, eczema, fungal infections and endocrine disorders.
Brittle nails can be caused by internal or external environmental factors. Generally, if the fingernails split, but the toenails are strong, then an external factor is a cause.
Brittle nails can be easily treated by trying some of these simple and effective home remedies which support to make your nails look strong and beautiful.
Signs & Symptoms Of Cracked Nails
The problem of cracked nails is diagnosed by a physician on the basis of some signs that consist of depressions across the nails, horizontal splitting of nails, fungal infection in the nails, and comprehension that the patient encompasses other ailments like liver disease. Usually, signs overlie with symptoms, but are objective instead of subjective observations exercised by the doctor. Some other signs of cracked nails include toenails with similar problems, whether it occurs on both sides of the body and whether the nails are showing lesser luster as compared to the past.
The symptoms of cracked nails are felt by the patient and are used as a basis for finding signs for diagnosis. Some of the most common symptoms for cracked nails include the amount of ridges or breakage in nails, the duration of time for which problem has existed, whether it is a recent injury or whether the thickness of nail has changed. Some other symptoms of cracked and dry nails include nail biting, discoloration of nails, and red lines across the beds. These symptoms are used for delineating the problem so as to develop a treatment approach.
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If You Have The Following Symptoms In Your Nails Here’s Where You Need To Focus On
-Vertical ridges often reflect a weak digestive system that does not metabolise minerals or proteins well and a deficiency in vitamin B12 and iron.-White spots show calcium or zinc deficiency. They often appear after a period of eating sweets, especially refined sugars that deplete minerals out of the body.-Bitten nails reflect nervousness, mineral deficiency, or intestinal parasites.-Hang nails show a lack of protein, vitamin C and folic acid in the body due to low intake of these nutrients or poor absorption.-Brittle nails show low iron or vitamin A, imbalanced thyroid or kidney function and poor circulation.-Reddish-purple nails show weakening of the body and general fatigue.-Dark red nails show blood stagnation due to eating heavy, salty or fatty foods.-Pale nails show poor blood circulation, anemia and low liver and kidney energy.
How Do You Treat A Split Nail
In order to improve the health of your nails, you have to look at your diet, as well as moisturize, and protect your hands. This is something you should be doing every day to make sure that your nails are strong, and prevent split nails from occurring in the future. Make sure to check if there are any signs of infection or damage to the nail bed, as this can be a significant issue.
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Practice Good Hygiene For Nails
It is essential to keep the nails trimmed neatly and give them a rounded shape with a gentle curve. Also, make sure to rub the hand lotion on to the cuticles and fingernails while applying it on your hands. Besides, avoid biting finger nails, pick, pry or poke things with your nails, and avoid picking at the cuticles as well.
Dermatologist’s 3 Simple Tricks To Treat Cracked And Splitting Fingernails
#1. Hydrate your nails and add oils.
Do this by using creams, oils and ointments on your nails every day after they’ve been wet. My favorite remedy is good old fashioned Bag Balm which is made with wool alcohol . Know that the thicker the cream, the better. Oil-rich products or ointments are best. The trick is to use something that stays put for a while and does not rub off right away.
One of my other favorite hydrating ingredients for nails is glycerin. It is in my Dry Skin Hand Cream. This is a great product to apply to your hand and nails numerous times a day after washing. It is non-greasy and convenient making it easy to use. It’s important to moisturize skin and nails immediately after water exposure: applying moisturizers to dry nails is not nearly as effective.
Always apply moisturizer within minutes after your bath or shower, or after washing your hands. Do it as often as possible.
I love this hand cream I wash my hands so many times during my work day that they would be chapped and cracked if it weren’t for my Dry Skin Hand Cream. I keep it in my lab coat pocket! Dermatologist Dr. Cynthia Bailey
Use the Hand Cream many times during the day and the Bag Balm at bedtime to create an intensive healing treatment to help keep your nails from splitting. If your nails are really bad, you may want to even apply Bag Balm to them numerous times a day after washing your hands.
#2. Clip and file your nails when they’re wet.
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How Do I Stop My Toenails From Splitting
Split nails rarely occur with toenails, but it does occasionally happen, and its for the same reason as with fingernails. Dont pick at them, dont keep them in water too long, and use a moisturizer or other hydrating and strengthening product. Split toenails can result from constant pressure inside your shoe. Runners or other athletes often have problems with their nails and this is referred to as athletes nail. Women who wear stiletto heels are also traumatizing their toenails so please give your feet a rest whenever possible.
You want to keep those nails from drying out, but washing them or putting them in water is not the answer. Other factors that may cause split nails are whats in your diet, and what sort of stress or trauma is present in your life. The direct stress is also a leading factor for split fingernails. Be conscientious and do not use your fragile nails to open anything- take the time to grab a pair of scissors or whatever tool is necessary. Remember your nails are not tools.
Brittle Toenails: Causes And Home Remedies
Written byDr. Victor MarchionePublished onJanuary 20, 2017
Brittle toenails arent something to be ashamed of, as many people suffer from this condition. You may feel that due to your brittle nails, you cant enjoy wearing sandals in the summer or open toe shoes to events. Theres no denying that brittle nails look unsightly, even if you try to pretty them up by applying nail polish.
Brittle toenails appear as if the nails have been chewed on, because the nails look uneven and split at the end. Furthermore, even though initial growth of the nail looks good, once it grows beyond a millimeter past the end of the toe, the same chipping and uneven process begins againmeaning you need to keep your toenails quite short to keep them looking good.
There are many different causes for brittle toenails, but the specific condition onychorrhexis refers to an ailment that causes lengthwise ridges on the surface of the nail.
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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.
Broken Nail And Bleeding
Broken nails can cause a nail bed injury. In some cases, the nail can get completely torn off, crushed, pinched, or blood can pool beneath the nail. This is known as a subungual hematoma.
Nail bed injuries are far more serious than typically fingernail injuries. This is because they can harm the nail matrix from which nails grow. If not treated properly, the nail may stop growing back from the nail matrix.
The first thing you should do in this case is seek immediate medical attention to prevent or further injury. But heres what you can do if your nail bed is injured and you cant get to the emergency room right away:
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