Brittle nails: good habits for healthy-looking nails

Why do my nails break?

Nails are made of layers of keratin, a protein, stacked a bit like the pages of a book. When these layers lose their flexibility or cohesion, the nail becomes soft, brittle or peels at the tip.

The most common causes are external:

• water and detergents: washing up, cleaning, frequent hand washing. Going from wet to dry over and over weakens the nail;
• solvents, such as acetone nail polish remover used often;
• knocks and bad habits: using your nails as tools, biting them, pulling at hangnails;
• cold and dry air, which dry out the hands and the skin around the nails;
• filing or cutting too harshly.

Less often, fragile nails can be linked to a deficiency (iron in particular), a thyroid problem, a fungal infection or a skin condition. That is why it is worth seeing a doctor if things do not improve, as I explain below.

Brittle nails: what to do day to day

The first step is to protect your nails from what damages them. These are simple habits, but doing them consistently is what counts.

• Wear gloves for washing up, cleaning and gardening. This is tip number one.
• Dry your hands well after every wash, including around the nails.
• Do not use your nails as tools to open, scrape or peel things: use a coin, a knife or scissors.
• Keep them fairly short while they strengthen: a short nail catches less and breaks less.
• Avoid biting them or pulling at hangnails. If a bit of skin sticks out, trim it cleanly with clean clippers.
• Protect your hands from the cold with gloves as soon as it turns chilly.

Filing and cutting your nails properly

How you cut and file has a big impact on how strong your nails are.

• Cut after a shower or bath, when the nail is softer and less likely to split.
• Choose a fine file, glass or fine-grit card, rather than harsh metal files.
• File in one direction, from the outside towards the centre, without a back-and-forth sawing motion that opens up the layers.
• File dry nails, never wet ones.
• Go for a rounded or square shape with soft corners, which withstands knocks better than a very pointed one.

Also avoid buffing the surface of your nails too often: buffing thins the nail plate and can weaken it. Very lightly, once in a while, is plenty.

Moisturising nails and cuticles

We remember to moisturise our hands, much less our nails. Yet a small routine makes a difference.

1. In the evening, apply a moisturiser to clean, dry hands, massaging well around and over each nail.
2. Once or twice a week, treat yourself to a longer moment: a few minutes' lukewarm hand soak, then a rich product massaged into the nails and cuticles.
3. Push back cuticles gently with a stick after the soak, never cutting them back to the quick.

For this massage I love Forever's Aloe Vera Gelly: a non-greasy gel with 84.46% aloe vera gel that hydrates and can be applied in a thick layer. For very dry, rough areas, like the skin around the nails in winter, Aloe Propolis Creme has a richer, more enveloping texture, with chamomile, allantoin and vitamins A and E that leave skin soft and supple.

What about nail polish?

You can keep wearing it. Apply a protective base coat, choose an acetone-free remover and give your nails a few days' break between applications. For long-wear manicures, have them removed properly rather than peeling them off.

Brittle nails and deficiencies: the role of diet

People often say brittle nails are a sign of deficiency. It is possible, but it is not the most common cause: external factors come well ahead. Only a doctor can confirm a deficiency, with a blood test if needed. Do not take iron supplements "just in case".

A varied diet provides what your nails need to form:

• protein: eggs, fish, meat, pulses, dairy;
• iron: red meat, black pudding, lentils, dried beans, paired with a fruit rich in vitamin C;
• zinc: shellfish, meat, wholegrains, pumpkin seeds;
• a variety of fruit and vegetables, rich in vitamins.

As for supplements, Forever Marine Collagen provides marine collagen, vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc and biotin. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, and zinc contributes to normal protein synthesis. Food supplements should not replace a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Also bear in mind that nails grow slowly: it takes several months for a fingernail to renew completely. Nails that have already formed will not change; it is the new growth that benefits from your good habits.

When should you see a doctor?

Slightly fragile nails are rarely a cause for concern. However, ask your GP, a pharmacist or a dermatologist for advice if:

• your nails stay brittle despite several months of good habits;
• they change colour (yellow, white, brown, or with a dark band);
• they thicken, change shape or lift away from the nail bed;
• the skin around the nail is red, swollen or painful;
• you also notice severe tiredness, hair loss or other unusual signs.

These signs may have a treatable cause, such as a fungal infection or a deficiency. It is better to know than to keep trying products blindly.

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