Why do nails peel and break and how to deal with it. Strengthening exfoliating nails at home

Many of us are faced with such a problem as brittleness and delamination of nails. This forces us to bashfully hide our hands and look for ways to eliminate this seemingly cosmetic defect. A variety of external or internal factors can negatively affect the condition of our nails, and the appearance of such a symptom should not be left without due attention. Sometimes, to eliminate such a cosmetic defect, it is enough just to put on rubber gloves or refuse to use aggressive household chemicals, but in some cases only a course of treatment of the underlying disease that provoked a change in the structure of the nail plates will help restore health and beauty to the nails.

That is why, in order to eliminate such a problem, it is always necessary to accurately determine the cause of brittleness and delamination of nails, and only after that proceed to their restoration, and in some cases to the treatment of the underlying disease. What causes can lead to a violation of the structure of the nail plate? How can you get rid of them? How to restore the beauty and health of nails? You will find answers to these questions in this article.

What external causes lead to brittleness and delamination of nails?

Violation of the structure of the nail plate can be caused by such aggressive external causes, leading to dryness and brittle nails:

  • prolonged contact with water;
  • frequent exposure to low or high temperatures (dry and hot air, hot water, etc.);
  • aggressive exposure to ultraviolet rays;
  • contact with aggressive chemicals (household chemicals, nail polishes, nail polish remover, building materials, etc.);
  • use of low-quality nail files;
  • improper care of hands and nails;
  • improperly performed manicure or nail extension;
  • mechanical injury.

The above external factors lead to overdrying of the tissues of the nail plate or its mechanical damage. As a result, the nail begins to delaminate, becomes dry and brittle.

What internal causes lead to brittleness and delamination of nails?

Violation of the structure of the nail plate can be caused by various internal causes that provoke malnutrition of the nail tissues. These include:

  • malnutrition or aggressive diets, leading to insufficient intake of minerals and vitamins from food (deficiency of vitamins B5, B3, B1, A, C, E and D, silicon, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, iron);
  • period of active growth of children or adolescents;
  • stress;
  • chronic fatigue;
  • bad habits (smoking, alcohol, drugs);
  • onychomycosis (caused by Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton schoenleinii, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Epidermaphyton floccosum, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Alternaria, Aspergillus and other types of fungi);
  • hormonal disorders and endocrine diseases (, dysfunction, etc.);
  • psoriasis;
  • diseases of the kidneys and digestive organs (intestines, etc.).

The above reasons lead to malnutrition of the nail plate and a change in its structure. As a result, the nails begin to exfoliate and break, furrows, depressions or areas with a changed color appear on them. In such cases, it is not possible to improve the appearance of nails with the help of external agents, and you can get rid of the problem only after eliminating the cause of its appearance (i.e., treating the underlying disease, giving up bad habits, normalizing nutrition).

What do nails look like with some diseases?

Overdrying of the nail plates, caused by insufficient intake of vitamins and minerals in the body or exposure to aggressive factors and chemicals, is manifested by delamination and increased brittleness of the nails. They lose their integrity, become dull and grow poorly. In such cases, a person needs to eliminate aggressive external factors, normalize nutrition and properly care for nails.

With the development of diseases of the internal organs, in addition to delamination and increased fragility, the state of the nail plates can change as follows:

  • the appearance of dents and depressions on the nail - with;
  • yellowish tint of the nail - with;
  • cyanosis or paler color of the nail - in diseases associated with circulatory disorders;
  • shiny, brittle and soft nails without a hole (sometimes with tubercles) - with hyperthyroidism;
  • thickened, exfoliating nail with transverse grooves in the form of stripes - with latent or recently transferred infectious diseases;
  • a yellowish nail with white spots and tubercles on the surface - with diabetes;
  • yellow spots on the nails - with lung diseases;
  • concavity of the nail (the surface looks like a spoon) - with;
  • a nail with a small scattering of white (pearl-like) convex tubercles - with a hidden course of a viral infection;
  • discoloration to yellow, gray and blackish, porosity, delamination and flaking of the nail (up to its loss) - with fungal diseases.

According to the above signs, the doctor may suspect a particular disease of the internal organs and prescribe a number of additional studies that will establish the true cause of the change in appearance and delamination of the nail plates. After that, the patient is prescribed a course of treatment for the underlying disease, which will not only lead to the elimination of dysfunctions of organs and systems, but also guarantee an improvement in the appearance of the nails.

General recommendations for eliminating delamination and brittle nails

When splitting and brittle nails, it is important to eliminate external aggressive factors that may affect their health:

  1. When in contact with aggressive detergents or other chemicals, earth, building materials, hard or metal sponges, use rubber gloves.
  2. Avoid prolonged contact with water.
  3. Limit exposure to high and low temperatures (wear gloves, use protective creams, etc.).
  4. Careful use of graters for cooking.
  5. Wearing comfortable shoes.
  6. Accurate trimming of nails with high-quality manicure scissors. The optimal shape for nails is oval or rectangular.
  7. Use only high-quality nail files (it is better to purchase glass ones). When filing nails, movements should be directed from the corner of the nail to the center. Do not file the nail plates on the sides.
  8. Learn how to do a manicure correctly or contact only an experienced specialist.
  9. Do not use poor quality nail polishes and nail polish remover containing acetone.
  10. Do not paint your nails constantly (it is advisable not to apply varnish more than once a week). 1-2 days a week to give the nails a complete "rest" from the varnish.
  11. Before applying lacquers in bright colors, apply a special base for colored lacquer.
  12. Do not abuse the frequent procedures such as acrylic nail extensions and painting with shellac coatings. It is better to refuse such procedures completely if you have brittle and exfoliated nails.

For a more effective restoration of nail health, these recommendations must be supplemented by the following activities:

  • normalization of nutrition;
  • replenishment of the lack of minerals and vitamins;
  • proper nail care
  • salon procedures (if possible).

How to balance nutrition with brittle and delamination of nails?

With increased brittleness and delamination of nails, you definitely need to think about the quality of your diet. It is an unbalanced diet and the abuse of strict weight loss diets that often lead to the fact that the body receives an insufficient amount of those substances that are needed for the normal development of the nail plate.

To prevent and eliminate delamination and brittle nails, the introduction into the daily diet of foods that are rich in such substances can:

  1. Keratin: eggs, sea fish, poultry and meat.
  2. Calcium: Cheese, dairy products, sesame seeds, egg white, spinach, legumes, cabbage and cauliflower, nuts and figs.
  3. Magnesium: buckwheat, oats, beans and soybeans, nuts, whole wheat grains, brown rice and spinach.
  4. Silicon: radish, radish, lettuce, nettle shoots, mushrooms and leeks.
  5. Sulfur: oats, buckwheat, seafood, meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, milk, legumes, garlic, onions, radishes and radishes.
  6. Phosphorus: seafood, meat, fish, eggs, seeds, nuts and whole grains.
  7. Iodine: sea kale, seafood, sea fish, feijoa.
  8. Zinc: liver, meat, poultry, legumes, pine nuts and peanuts, wheat, oats, barley and buckwheat.
  9. Iron: liver, lentils, pistachios, buckwheat, barley, whole wheat, oats, cashews, peanuts, corn, dogwood and pomegranate.
  10. Vitamin B5: kidneys, beef liver and beef, eggs, sea fish, milk, brewer's yeast, legumes, rye flour, mushrooms and nuts.
  11. Vitamin B3: liver, chicken, peas, porcini and button mushrooms, eggs, nuts, corn, whole wheat and oats.
  12. Vitamin B1: pork, liver, nuts (pine nuts, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, cashews), lentils, cereals and pasta.
  13. Vitamin A: liver, butter, garlic greens, wild garlic, broccoli, melted cheese and cheese, sour cream, viburnum, seaweed and seafood.
  14. Vitamin C: bell pepper, rosehip, blackcurrant, kiwi, sea buckthorn, oranges and broccoli.
  15. Vitamin E: nuts, dried apricots, sea buckthorn, whole wheat, rose hips, spinach, viburnum and sorrel.
  16. VitaminD: eggs, liver, sea bass, butter, sour cream and cream.


How to make up for the lack of vitamins and minerals with exfoliated and brittle nails?

For faster restoration of nails, it is recommended to take special vitamin and mineral complexes that contain the “building material” necessary for the formation of normal nail plates. Only a specialist can establish the lack of a particular vitamin or mineral, and that is why the selection of such drugs should be carried out by a doctor or agreed with him.

The most popular and effective vitamin-mineral complexes for restoring the structure of nails are the following preparations:

  • Vitasharm (Veropharm, Russia);
  • Perfectil and Perfectil plus (Vitabiotics, UK);
  • Revalid (Biogal, Hungary);
  • Lady's formula (PharmaMed, Canada);
  • Healthy hair and nails (PharmaMed, Canada);
  • Ageless skin (PharmaMed, Canada);
  • Volvit (Kusum Healthcare, India);
  • Biotin (NOW Foods, USA);
  • Medobiotin (Medopharm Arzneimittel, Germany);
  • Calcium D3 Nycomed (Nycomed Pharma, Switzerland), etc.

The duration of taking such vitamin-mineral complexes is determined individually and depends on the degree of lack of vitamins or minerals. Before taking the drug, it is recommended to carefully study the instructions and follow all the rules of admission.

How to properly care for exfoliated and brittle nails at home?

Despite the fact that the separation and brittleness of nails is a purely medical problem, proper cosmetic care and medical procedures can be a significant contribution to the restoration of their structure. There are many recipes for strengthening the nail plates that you can use at home and cook yourself from foods, medicines and oils.

Therapeutic nail bath with vegetable oil and green tea

Mix vegetable oil (olive or sunflower) and green tea in a bowl (1:4 ratio). Heat the resulting solution to a comfortable temperature and lower your hands into it for 15-20 minutes. It is better to do the procedure before going to bed. Pat your hands dry with paper towels and put on cotton gloves.

The oil and tea solution can be reused. It must be stored in the refrigerator (but not more than 3 days). The procedure is carried out daily for 10 days.

Salt baths for nails

Dissolve a tablespoon of sea salt in a glass of very warm water and dip your fingers into the resulting solution. The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes. The course of treatment is 10-14 days.

Gelatin baths

Dissolve ½ tablespoon of gelatin in ¾ cup of warm water, warm and dip your fingers into the resulting solution for 20 minutes. The procedure is carried out 3 times a week for a month.


Bath of infusions of pine needles and green tea

Pour a teaspoon of chopped pine needles with 200 ml of boiling water and leave for 20-30 minutes. Add ½ cup of strong brewed green tea to the infusion. Heat the resulting solution and dip your fingers into it for 20 minutes. The procedure is carried out every other day for 1-2 months.

Applications with burdock oil, iodine and lemon juice

To 200 ml of burdock oil add 8 drops of iodine and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Perform the procedure before going to bed. Moisten cotton pads in the resulting oil solution and fix them on the fingertips with an elastic band or thread (without pinching the finger). Put on cotton gloves and do not take them off until morning. Wash off the oily solution with soap and water. Applications to perform 2-3 times a week for a month.

Applications based on olive oil, lemon juice and vitamin A

Take 10 ml of olive oil and add 10 drops of lemon juice and vitamin A to it. It is better to do the procedure before going to bed. Lubricate the nail plates with the resulting oil and wrap them with cling film. Put on cotton gloves and do not take them off until morning. Such applications should be performed 4-6 times a month.

Applications of vitamins A and E

Buy AEvit capsules at the pharmacy. Open the capsule, apply the oil solution to the cuticles and nails. Rub with massage movements. This procedure is carried out daily (preferably before bedtime). The course of treatment is 20-30 days.

Applications of olive oil, iodine and lemon juice

In 20 ml of olive oil, add 4 drops of lemon juice and 3 drops of iodine. Mix, apply on the nail plate and rub. Leave on for 10-15 minutes and wipe off excess product with a paper towel. Such procedures can be carried out daily for a month.

Cranberry juice applications

Apply cranberry juice on the nails and rub with massage movements. The procedure is carried out daily before going to bed. The course of treatment is a month.

Instead of cranberry juice, you can use lemon juice, black or red currant juice.

Applications from cactus juice

Apply cactus juice to the nail plates and rinse with warm water after 10 minutes. Perform the procedure 2 times a week for 10 days.

Seal nails with wax at home

Carefully file the nails with a glass nail file (movements should be directed from the edge of the nail to the center). Make a therapeutic nail bath (for example, in a solution of sea salt) and rub vitamin oil or other care product into the cuticle. Melt beeswax and mix it with vitamin oil (1:4 ratio). Rub the resulting composition into the nail plates using a soft suede polisher.


What salon procedures are useful for brittle and exfoliated nails?

To restore nails in the salon, they can offer a number of procedures:

  1. Paraffin therapy. In a special electric heater, paraffin is heated, into which substances useful for nails and skin are added. After cleansing, the hands are dipped into the heated mixture, removed and the resulting “gloves” are left for 20 minutes. The paraffin film is carefully removed and the hands are lubricated with a moisturizer.
  2. Strengthening nails with soft biogel. The composition of the biogel includes substances that strengthen the nail platinum, which after application remain on the nails for a long time and protect them from microcracks.
  3. Nail sealing. To perform this procedure, compositions are used that include vitamins and minerals useful for nails. The nail is first polished and only after that a special paste is applied to its surface. This procedure is effective for 14 days. After its implementation, you can not do a manicure.

In addition to the above procedures, salon clients can be offered services for applying professional nail masks. Such therapeutic measures are always highly effective, but require not a one-time application, but a course of treatment.

Solution: the nail plate consists of keratin - fibrillar proteins, the synthesis of which requires the amino acids glycine, cysteine, alanine, contained in meat and poultry, eggs and sea fish.

Increase these foods in your diet. The following minerals will also help improve the condition of the nails.

Calcium. This element is necessary for the formation of bone and connective tissue, is part of the nucleus and cell membranes, it is involved in the processes of excitability of nerve fibers, affects the processes of muscle contraction.

His sources- cheese, cottage cheese and other fermented milk products, egg whites, it is also abundant in sesame seeds, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and white cabbage, legumes, nuts and figs.

Magnesium. It is involved in the production of DNA, in enzyme and hormonal metabolism, playing t an important role in neuromuscular regulation, is responsible for the health of the cardiovascular system.

His sources- whole grains of wheat, oatmeal and buckwheat, brown rice, rye bread, beans and soybeans, bananas, nuts, spinach.

Sulfur. This element is an integral part of all protein compounds in the body, and is also part of the B vitamins - thiamine and biotin. Sulfur takes part in the synthesis of keratin, collagen fibers, in the formation of connective and bone tissue, and is involved in the processes of hematopoiesis.

Her sources- meat and poultry, seafood, oatmeal and buckwheat, onions, garlic, legumes, radishes, radishes, bread, milk, eggs, cheese.

Silicon. This element is part of the connective tissue, cartilage, walls of blood vessels, hair, nails, bone tissue, tooth enamel.

His sources- turnip, radish, radish, carrot, young nettle, leek, lettuce, mushrooms.

Phosphorus participates in almost all biochemical reactions occurring in the body, is part of the nails, bone tissue.

His sources- meat, poultry, eggs, fish and seafood, unrefined grains, seeds, nuts.

The lack of these elements, as well as such vitamins responsible for the health of nails, such as A, B1, B3, B5, C, D, E, helps to fill in specialized vitamin-mineral complexes. Look for them marked: "to improve the condition of the skin, hair and nails." As a rule, they also include gelatin in their composition. The latter, by the way, can also be obtained from such wonderful dishes as jelly, aspic, hashi, jelly.

Reason 2: health problems

Solution: l capacious exfoliating nails primarily indicate a violation of metabolic processes in the body, because of which it does not receive the proteins and other substances necessary for the formation of a healthy nail plate. Nail exfoliation often begins after inflammatory diseases, especially if they were treated with antibiotics.

It is also a sign of a violation in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, pancreas, a number of endocrine diseases. Weakness of the nail plate can also indicate a decrease in immunity, exhaustion of the body due to overwork, experienced stress. So this problem may well be the reason for contacting a doctor who will prescribe the necessary examination.

Reason 3: Frequent contact with detergents.

  • get used to doing any household work related to detergents and other aggressive compounds in rubber gloves;
  • after washing, cleaning, washing dishes, taking a bath or shower, wash and dry your hands and apply a nourishing cream or vegetable oil to your nails;
  • twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, massage the periungual area with a special cuticle oil;
  • warm baths with sea or plain salt (1 tablespoon of salt per 0.5 liter of water) will help strengthen the nails. Do them twice a week for 20 minutes.

Reason 4: Improper nail processing.

  • when splitting nails, use not metal, but glass nail files;
  • file the nail, holding the file strictly perpendicular to the nail plate;
  • a layered nail should be filed from the sides to the center and from top to bottom;
  • choose a file with a fine abrasive coating;
  • Never sand split nails. This can lead to them breaking off.

The hands of a woman are always in public view, and therefore they must always look perfect. However, increased fragility leads to the fact that it becomes problematic for a woman to grow beautiful nails. Of course, you can turn to an experienced master and build up artificial nails, but this is not an option. They still do not look natural, and besides, they cause severe harm to their own nail plates.

If you have how to strengthen them at home, you can find out by reading this article to the end. However, before talking about this, I would like to say a few words about the causes of increased brittle nails. After all, if you eliminate them, the nail plates will quickly recover and begin to grow better.

The reasons

Increased fragility of nails is most often associated with regular exposure to chemicals on the nail plates. This includes not only household detergents that we use while cleaning the house, but also the use of cheap varnishes that contain substances (formaldehyde) that adversely affect the condition of the nails.

In this situation, you need to do two things. Firstly, during household chores, you need to wear household gloves on your hands, which will prevent the direct effect of harmful substances on the nails. Secondly, you should stop using cheap varnishes and cover the nail plates with colorless base coats every time.

In addition, quite often fragility and lamination of nails is caused by calcium deficiency in the body. It is very easy to determine this. Lack of calcium leads not only to a deterioration in the condition of nails, but also to hair loss, crumbling of teeth, and loss of appetite. If you have these symptoms, then you just need to drink a course of calcium.

Brittle nails can also be a sign of deficiency in the body and. Therefore, it is advisable to start taking a vitamin complex, which can be easily purchased at a pharmacy.

Also, with brittle nails, special attention should be paid to your diet. If you eat improperly, eat a lot of fatty and salty foods, then this can lead not only to a deterioration in the condition of the nail plates, but also to the development of serious pathologies.

Make sure you always include fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. Also, do not forget about the use of meat and fish. Especially a lot in the diet of a woman should be fermented milk products. They contain a lot of calcium and they have a beneficial effect on the work of the intestines, removing all toxic substances from it.

Only a doctor will help to establish the exact cause of increased brittleness and lamination of nails in your case. Do not lose sight of the fact that some pathologies can also cause brittle nails, such as cancer or fungal diseases. These pathologists require urgent specific treatment, which is undesirable to delay.

Why nails break, we have already talked. Now it's time to tell you about how you can have them. So, earlier it was already said about the need to take a vitamin complex. Its reception in combination with the methods described below for strengthening the nail plates will help you grow beautiful and long nails that will be admired by those around you.

You can use salt baths a couple of times a week. They are easy to prepare. You need to take a liter of warm water, stir a couple of tablespoons of sea salt in it and dip your hands into the resulting solution for 15-20 minutes. For the effectiveness of the procedure, you can add a couple of drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the saline solution.

An effective method of strengthening the nail plates is also lubricating them with ordinary iodine. You also need to do this procedure a couple of times a week, preferably at night. Do not be afraid, yellow marks on the nails will not remain. During the night, iodine is completely absorbed and leaves no traces behind.

You can also use regular lemon. Squeeze a little juice out of it and grease each nail with it. It is not necessary to wash off the lemon juice from the nails, it should be completely absorbed. This procedure should also be carried out 2-3 times a week.

Another effective method of strengthening nails is rubbing a mixture based on olive oil and lemon juice into the nail plates. These ingredients are taken in equal amounts. Wash off the mixture from the nails after the procedure is also not worth it.

In order for the nails not to break and grow better, oil vitamins A and E can be rubbed into them. You can buy them at any pharmacy, they are not expensive.

Ordinary glycerin can also become your "savior" with increased brittle nails. It is rubbed into the nail plates before going to bed, and cotton gloves are put on top. It is worth noting that glycerin softens and moisturizes the skin of the hands. Therefore, they can lubricate not only nails, but entire brushes.

In pharmacies, you can buy special colorless medical varnishes. They also give good results, but with regular use. During the recovery period of nails, it is better to refuse to use colored varnishes.

All these tools give positive results only if they are systematically applied.

So, if your nails are constantly breaking, then there must be a reason for this. It may be hidden in your desire to always look slim and attractive, which encourages you to always adhere to strict diets.

Remember that all diets that have strict nutritional restrictions are dangerous to health. They also lead to deterioration of the hair and nails. And all because as a result of restrictions, the body does not receive the proper amount of nutrients. Therefore, if you decide to “go on” a diet, then it must be balanced. An example of this is, which, in her own experience, has lost more than 20 kg!

So that the nails do not break, it also requires a high-quality and proper manicure. Do not use metal files. They contribute to the delamination of the nail plate. Cuticle cutting should also take place according to all the rules. This procedure must be carried out very carefully so as not to damage the nails. If you cannot do a quality manicure yourself, then it is better to entrust your hands to the master.

Do not forget about the general and the skin of the hands. Be sure to use special moisturizers. If you carefully study the assortment of cosmetics stores, you will find that they also have creams for the nails themselves, which contain substances that help strengthen and restore the nail plates.

However, remember that the less flavors and various additives in such cosmetics, the better for your nails. They must contain natural ingredients - plant extracts, herbal extracts, vitamins, vegetable oils, etc.

Long and beautiful nails are a reality. And you can easily see this if you start following all the above recommendations!

Video on how to strengthen nails

It's no secret that everyone likes beautiful well-groomed female nails. They not only attract the eyes of others, but also testify to the accuracy of a woman. However, not everyone can have beautiful nails, even if they really want to. One of the most common problems is the brittleness and flaking of the nails, as a result of which they have an unaesthetic appearance, despite the efforts made to put them in order. It is even impossible to hide such a state under varnish, since it practically does not hold on to them. Many women face a similar problem every day, but not everyone knows why the nails exfoliate and break and how to deal with it.

Health problems are one of the reasons for breaking and peeling nails

If the nails exfoliate and break, then, first of all, you should pay attention to your health, since often such problems arise due to violations of the internal organs. As a rule, an experienced and qualified doctor, based on the appearance of the nails alone, can suggest a specific disease and prescribe a more thorough examination. In what cases should you consult a doctor? If their color becomes paler than the color of the skin, and sometimes with blue, then these may be the consequences of a malfunction of the cardiovascular system. If there is a plate, a thickening of some of its sections, plus transverse in-depth stripes appear on its surface, then this may indicate that a person has some kind of latent infectious processes.

Nails exfoliate and break even with lung disease. In this case, yellowish small spots appear on their surface, if detected, it is recommended to consult a pulmonologist for a more thorough examination. If on the nail surface there are not yellow, but numerous white spots, then this may be the first sign of an increase in blood sugar. In this case, a blood test is necessary. The nails are brittle even after the appearance of a small scattering of white bulges on them, which may be the result of hidden viral diseases. If exfoliating nails take a concave shape, then this may be a prerequisite for a blood disease.

The impact of malnutrition on brittle nails

Answering the question: “Why do fingernails break?”, One cannot help but recall an unbalanced diet. The first sign of this is the longitudinal dents located on the nail plate. In addition, malnutrition entails a violation, which also negatively affects the nails, which become brittle and highly exfoliating. In addition, with improper nutrition, there is a lack of trace elements and vitamins. In this case, it is recommended to visit a nutritionist or replenish your body with vitamins such as D, A, E, B5, silicon, calcium. Part of the vitamins can be obtained by adding the following foods to your diet: fish, nuts, dairy products, dried fruits. With a lack of vitamin A, carrots should be consumed with any vegetable oil.

Harm from exposure to water and chemicals

If you are completely healthy, why do nails break? This can be caused by the negative effects of various chemicals, such as detergents and cleaners used in the home. For those who work in production, all kinds of solvents and resins are harmful. In order to protect nails from harmful effects, it is recommended to use when in contact with such substances. Ordinary tap water also has a negative effect, which greatly dries out the nail plate, as a result of which it becomes brittle and brittle. Therefore, after prolonged contact with water, the nails should simply be moistened with cream. There are people who cannot wash dishes with gloves on. In this case, it is recommended to carry out a procedure such as sealing, which is carried out in beauty salons. Its essence lies in the fact that a special strengthening agent is applied to the nail plate, which is then varnished. This coverage is enough for a week, then the procedure must be repeated.

The excessive use of varnishes and acetone to remove them also has a negative effect on the nails. Therefore, it is not recommended to wear nail polish around the clock. They need to rest at least a couple of days a week. To remove varnishes, it is better to use special tools, although they have a negative effect, but many times less than acetone.

Mechanical damage

But these are not all the reasons why nails break. An important role is played by the impact on them of various kinds of mechanical impact. Just think about what a big load goes on our nails in everyday life: pick something, pry it off, scrape it off. But they are densely superimposed keratin layers. With a strong mechanical impact, this density is violated. The more the load goes on them, the more they are damaged and exfoliate, as a result of which they become brittle. To avoid this, you need to follow a few rules. If your work is carried out using a computer, then you do not need to grow long nails, as they are quite damaged from numerous blows to the keyboard. Use protective gloves when transplanting flowers. Do not open bottles with your fingernails.

Incorrect polishing of the edge of the nail

Another reason why nails break is the incorrect processing of its edge when shortened. When processing the free part of the nail, it is not recommended to use an iron nail file, as it leaves behind a lot of tiny microparticles that lead to delamination and brittle nails. More harmless is a glass nail file for manicure or ceramic.

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that the thinner the nail, the finer the coating should be on the nail file. In no case do not tear off the exfoliated parts. It is only recommended to apply a strengthening agent on them. In order to preserve the integrity of the nail cover, you need to hold the tool correctly: the nail file must be perpendicular to the nail.

Brittle nails in children

In adults, all the reasons why nails break are understandable. But what to do if the nails of a child break, and at the same time he is absolutely healthy. It would seem that he does not come into contact with various chemicals in everyday life, does not use varnishes, is not subjected to mechanical stress, then why is this happening? It's no secret that the quality of water that flows from our taps is not of the proper quality. It is she, in most cases, who is the culprit of the fact that in young children the nails exfoliate and subsequently break. In such cases, you should heed the advice of doctors who recommend using boiled water for water procedures for babies.

Paraffin therapy and massage

We have already described all the reasons why nails break. What is missing for healthy nails can now be described in two words - "nutrition" and "moisturizing". One of the effective procedures is paraffin therapy. It can be carried out both in beauty salons and at home. After several such procedures, blood circulation improves, as a result of which the nails are saturated with oxygen and nutrients, which makes them strong and healthy. Once or twice a week at home, you can make compresses for nails (25 grams of glycerin, 70 grams of water, 5 grams of alum). In winter, two to three times a week, it is recommended to apply on

nails at night olive oil. Massage is quite effective for strengthening nails: the cuticle area is massaged with a rather soft brush moistened with glycerin or baby oil. It should be noted that the effect of this procedure will be more noticeable if it is carried out in combination with sea salt baths.

Oils and healing creams as a remedy for brittle nails

To strengthen and nourish nails, there are various therapeutic oils and creams that contain allatonin and panthenol and promote healing of the cuticle. To accelerate the formation of cells in the nail growth zone, it is recommended to use creams containing nutrients and liposomes. To protect against the negative impact on the nail plate of the environment - creams containing vitamin C, protein and keratin.

Baths for strengthening nails

If your fingernails break, you can use an easier way to strengthen them - baths. The most commonly used baths are warm water with the addition of kefir, essential bergamot, pine, ylang-ylang. Lemon juice also has healing properties, so it is recommended to use warm water with the addition of this juice. For exfoliating nails, you can also add a few drops of iodine and a couple of tablespoons of sea salt. It must be remembered that each such procedure should last from 10 to 15 minutes. To quickly strengthen the nail plate, the most effective bath is warm red wine with the addition of sea salt. The wine is heated to 40-50 degrees. The duration of this procedure can be increased up to 20 minutes. At the end of the hand, rinse with plain warm water, wipe dry and apply a nourishing cream.

In addition to red wine, white is also used to prepare baths: 4 tablespoons of olive oil and 5 tablespoons of vinegar per 100 grams. The fingertips are dipped into the resulting substance for 15 minutes, then wiped dry and smeared with a nourishing cream. For exfoliating nails, a bath consisting of 50 grams of wine and 100 grams of chamomile water infusion will be more effective. It is impossible not to note the effectiveness of simpler ingredients. So, to strengthen the nails, a bath is ideal, consisting of a glass of warm water, 2 tablespoons of black dry tea and 100 milliliters of freshly squeezed cabbage juice.

The reasons why the nails on the hands exfoliate and break, as well as strengthening nails at home and manicure procedures.

Hand care should be given no less time than face care. If you can make plastic surgery on your face or put “make-up” on it, then you can’t do anything like that with your hands! It is the hands that can be considered a “calling card” by which it is easy to determine the accuracy of a person, and often tell about his health! Particular attention is drawn to the nails. Many, having understood this fact, try to properly care for them from a young age so that the nails do not exfoliate and break!

Reasons for peeling and breaking fingernails

Due to their lack of education, the majority of people assume that the nails break and exfoliate only for those who take care of them incorrectly. In fact, this is just one of the few reasons leading to such a problem, all the others are hidden much deeper ...

It is conditionally possible to single out the following number of factors that lead nails to such a deplorable state:

  • Wrong nutrition.
  • Poor heredity and the presence of chronic diseases.
  • Impact of natural factors.
  • Features of labor activity.
  • Nail fungus.
  • Lack of proper care.

In a more accessible language, we can say that an improperly selected diet leads to a constant lack of minerals. The lack of vitamins and a sufficient amount of trace elements primarily affects the condition of the nail plates as a whole.

Bad heredity also leads to this, as a result of which a number of deviations have already been formed in a person at the gene level. Chronic diseases arise, the consequences of which often become breaking and delamination of the nail plates on the hands.

A sharp change in weather conditions - frost, wind, sun, with periodic exposure to unprotected hands can lead to delamination of nails. This can also happen from certain features of labor activity, for example, playing the guitar. When a person is constantly fiddling in a dirty mass and sorting through something with his “bare” hands, for example, manual sorting of seeds. Or work with chemicals without the use of protective gloves. This is caused by the use of low-quality nail polish removers, nail polish with a dubious composition.

A severely neglected condition of the nails requires frequent daily attention. In order to prevent, only three procedures are enough for a month.


When it is not possible to visit an expensive salon and order a treatment procedure, folk methods of treatment and prevention of delamination and fragility of the nail plate are often remembered.

Nourishing masks

Especially popular after massages and salt baths are nourishing masks prepared on the basis of fresh vegetables.

  1. Take one potato root, wash and peel, chop into cubes. Add chopped cabbage leaves to it. Grind all this with a blender or skip in a meat grinder to obtain a single mass. For viscosity, add fresh sour cream, which, by the way, is rich not only in vitamins, but also in nutrients. Mix. Apply the resulting mass to each nail, wait a quarter of an hour, rinse.
  2. Grind a peeled banana with a blender, add a chicken egg to it and apply the mixture on your nails. Wash off after about 10 minutes.
  3. Grind fresh carrots as finely as possible to a mushy state, add a teaspoon of olive oil to it and apply it all to problem areas. Wash off after 20 minutes.
  4. Rub your nails with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
  5. Apply cottage cheese combined with sour cream on the damaged nail plates.
  6. After performing one or another restorative procedure, it would be good to cover the nails with a protective medicinal varnish or apply warm beeswax on them. To do this, the substance is first melted, and then, directly with a brush for applying varnish, they cover the nail plates with it.

Non-supporters of traditional medicine and those who do not have free time for long and laborious restorative procedures may well turn to the nearest pharmacy kiosk. There, to restore the structure of the nails on the hands, they will offer various varnishes, balms, masks and, of course, a vitamin and mineral complex.

The fact is that despite the cause of what is happening, most likely with fragility and delamination of the nail plate, the vitamin and mineral balance in the body is already disturbed. The body simply does not have the right amount of nutritional components, in other words, strength, to quickly eliminate this problem, so it is advisable to drink a suitable dietary supplement or at least a vitamin-mineral complex in parallel with manicure procedures.

Also, do not forget that you need to constantly monitor your hands. In the cold season, protect them from frost and snow with gloves. In case of dryness, apply cream to the skin of the hands and nail plates. Periodically nourish the nails with various natural ingredients. Give your fingers a simple massage, and in the evenings, at least once a week, do salt baths. This is the only way you can achieve a complete ideal and do not hesitate to “demonstrate” your natural beauty of nails to others! You no longer have to hide your "unkempt" and "neglected" hands from the curious gaze of colleagues!

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