Having brittle nails can be frustrating and painful. Don't let brittle nails affect your daily life. Before we discover 5 Effective Tips on How to Deal with Brittle Nails let’s take a look at what causes brittle nails.
What Is The Cause of Brittle Nails?
Causes of brittle, weak and soft fingernails include:
- Too much or too little moisture.
- Nutritional deficiencies, especially of biotin, vitamin C, and iron.
- Improper application or removal of gel or acrylic nails.
- Chemicals like cuticle or nail polish removers.
- Hormonal changes during pregnancy or due to certain medical conditions.
1. Recognizing the Signs of Brittle Nails
By recognizing the early signs of brittle nails, we can take action to prevent it from getting worse. If you notice your nails are prone to chipping, peeling, or seem weak, make changes to your nail care routine.
Watch Dr. Sinan Mir, a longevity doctor, and former co-founder of the London Centre for Longevity and Metabolic Health, explains how your nails can indicate your health in the video below.
2. Check if Your Brittle Nails are Related to Vitamin Deficiency
Brittle nails could be caused by various factors. If you frequently deal with fragile nails, it may be worth investigating whether there is a lack of vitamins. We advise you to consult with your doctor to evaluate your current levels of vitamins.
What Vitamin Are You Lacking When You Have Brittle Nails?
Brittle nails can be caused by a lack of biotin, iron, and vitamins A and C. Here's a chart showing the connection between vitamin deficiencies and brittle nails:
Source: Nails in Nutritional Deficiencies
3. Incorporating a Healthy Diet for Stronger Nails
Eating natural foods rich in vitamins and minerals is vital for healthy nails. Include leafy greens, fruits, nuts, seeds, lean meats, and fish, which are high in vitamins A, C, and E, biotin, and iron.
Along with a healthy diet, we highly recommend Organic Hair, Skin & Nails Vitamins–3d by Muss to support your nail, hair, and skin overall well-being!
4. Give Nails a Break From Polish
Gel polish can cause dry nails if not applied or removed correctly. Acetone in gel polish remover dehydrates nails, making them brittle and prone to breakage.
Does Gel Polish Keep Nails From Breaking?
Gel polish can provide temporary protection, but long-term use may weaken nails due to potential dehydration and damage during removal.
If you want to keep your nails healthy, taking a break from nail polish is best to let them breathe and heal naturally. We encourage a balanced diet for healthy keratin levels, which protect and strengthen nails and hair.
| “Wearing nail polish for months can cause keratin degradation or damage.” |
5. Moisturize Your Hands
Moisturizing your hands is a crucial self-care practice that helps maintain soft, supple skin and prevents dryness and irritation. Various natural and commercial products can effectively hydrate and nourish your hands and nails, such as:
- hand creams;
- natural oils;
- aloe vera gel;
- hyaluronic acid serum.
In conclusion, consuming foods that are rich in vitamins A, C, biotin, and iron can fix brittle nails naturally. It is also important to practice good nail care and avoid harmful chemicals found in nail products.
Discover also how to get your hair strong and healthy.