8 Reasons Your Nails Keep Breaking

Written by Ishani Karmakar  • 

How many times have you looked at your nails, wallowing in self-pity, and cringed at their state? You keep wondering what exactly you did to deserve those brittle nails, and how come Neha’s nails are always so perfectly pretty? Well, girl, it’s all about nutrition. Don’t dismiss me saying that you had a salad yesterday. No, what your nails are like now is the result of several days of work by the living tissue that is beneath your cuticle. So, what exactly is causing your nails to break? Read on to find out.

1. You Are Always Texting And Typing

You Are Always Texting And Typing
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Image: IStock

Always on your phone texting bae? Or, maybe, you are the workaholic types, typing away on your laptop to glory? Well, your nails are taking the brunt of your habit. The clickety-click sound that is made when you type is actually your nails hitting against a hard surface. Which, of course, is damaging, and may lead to splitting or fraying of the edges. But, despair not. The trick is to type with your top of your fingers – the fleshy part. If you cannot manage to do so with super long nails, consider keeping them short. This will make it easier to type with your fingers.

2. You Are Anemic

Get a blood test done. If your nails are concave or depressed, it may be a sign of low iron levels. Iron facilitates the production of hemoglobin, which is responsible for transporting red blood cells rich in fresh oxygen throughout your body. That, obviously, includes your nails as well. If there is a dearth of blood flow to your nails, your nails will turn brittle and stop growing. You must take this very seriously and work towards correcting your diet to include more iron-rich foods. Also, visit your doc and ask if you can take iron supplements.

3. You Don’t Bother About Removing The Nail Polish

I know, you couldn’t care less about removing that polish that is still on your nails from the last time you put them on for the party. That “it will chip off on its own” funda is not very healthy for your nails. Nail polishes contain ingredients that are extremely drying. They sap the moisture from the nail surface and weaken the plate. It doesn’t matter if the polish has dried, it will still make your nails dry and brittle. The solution is to stay nail paint-free as much as you can. When you put it on, make sure to remove it within a week. Also, give your nails time to breathe between applications.

4. You Don’t Care About Moisturizing You Nails

You Don’t Care About Moisturizing You Nails
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Moisturizing is the key to good skin and nails. It is not enough to just moisturize your nails once a day; try to do that every time you wash your hands with a soap or handwash. Water and soap dry your skin out. If the skin below the cuticles gets dry, it can lead to brittle, dry nails. The solution is simple. Just keep a tiny bottle of some oil-free moisturizer with you, and use it whenever you can. A little TLC will go a long way here and make your nails super shiny and healthy-looking.

5. You Apply The Base Coat First

All those nail tutorials insist that you apply the base coat first? Tsk tsk. They forgot the moisturizing part. It doesn’t matter whether it’s called the base coat or whatever, the first thing that goes on your nails should be a moisturizer. Only then proceed with the rest of the manicure. This is because the chemicals in the base coat, like ethyl acetate and butyl acetate, can affect your nail plates, making them weaker and more brittle.

6. You Don’t Believe In Taking Supplements

Supplements are not a sham. Biotin, a B vitamin, is a well-known hair and nail growth supplement (1). In fact, ingesting 2.5 mg of biotin every day improves nail strength and reduces nail brittleness in six to nine months. If your nails have started to peel, definitely ask your doctor for a biotin supplement.

7. You Use Too Much Of Nail Polish Remover

You-Use-Too-Much-Of-Nail-Polish-Remover
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Nail polish removers are not good for your nails. Period. The acetone in the remover strips your nails of the natural oils and makes them brittle and dry. Even the solvents in non-acetone removers are very drying, so try to minimize their use as much as possible.

8. You Are A Water Baby

Well, it’s true. Being in the water most of the time can make your nails brittle. This is a concern for swimmers or those who love to soak in the tub for hours. However, you can counter this by limiting your water expose to not more than 30 minutes a day. Also, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Your nails will thank you for it.

That’s all, folks. Now you why your nails break the way they do, and Neha’s doesn’t (lol!). Well, Neha, Sheila, Pooja – anybody whose nails you envy. Just be careful and don’t commit these mistakes again. Soon, you will be flaunting pretty pink nails, Amen!

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