Damaged and Brittle Nails: 14 Tips and Tricks to Remedy Them
Do you have brittle, peeling, and soft nails? Then you've come to the right place, here are all our tips and tricks to take care of your damaged and brittle nails!
Before we start, here's a quick overview of the different forms a damaged nail can take:
- a ridged nail: vertical lines appear on the surface of the nail, i.e., along its length.
- a peeling nail: the nail is made up of two superimposed layers, and in the case of a peeling nail, these layers split apart.
- a brittle nail: this refers to a nail that breaks very easily.
- a soft nail: the nail bends when pressure is applied to the free edge (the tip of the nail).
- Remove the damaged part
Did you know that your nails have the same composition as your hair? They are made of keratin fibers. Just like with your hair, you must first remove the damaged part to prevent them from deteriorating further.
But for this, forget the nail clippers, which tend to split nails, and opt for a nail file instead.
- Choose the right nail file
Before we discuss the technique, let's focus on the material, which is just as important. Opt for a fine-grit nail file, whether it's a stone file or a glass file. Why? Because this type of grit is much more suitable for the nail, which is made of keratin. This helps prevent it from flaking, in a way.
Avoid emery board nail files, which, because they are soft, create vibrations that don't allow for a precise gesture. When filing, the less precise a gesture is, the more likely it is to "aggress" the nail. Also, avoid metal files, which damage the keratin.
- File your nails more gently
The basics: always file in the same direction, without going back and forth, to protect the nail during "cutting." This can be from left to right or from right to left.
- Opt for a suitable nail shape
Underlined text: Fragile nails break much more easily. To avoid any snags, it's best to adopt a rounded nail shape so they don't catch on every surface.
Therefore, prefer short nails to prevent impacts that could damage them even more.
- Apply a base coat
Before polishing your nails, remember to first apply a base coat (or base coat) to protect them from pigments. This creates a protective layer between the polish and the nail plate.
- Adopt treatment and healthy polishes
To take care of fragile nails, it is preferable to use healthy products, also known as "natural" products, that do not contain problematic ingredients. It's even better if these polishes can also be used as treatment polishes.
This is notably the case with the 3-in-1 polish, #13 Parfaite. It fills ridges, hardens the nail, and enhances its beauty thanks to its star ingredient: durian. Its power? It stimulates the production of keratin and zinc, which helps renew nail cells. And you can even use it as a base coat (see tip #4).
In the case of peeling nails, it is even preferable to protect them as much as possible from daily microtraumas (keyboard use, DIY, etc.) - while they recover - with a protective polish.
- Use a gentle nail polish remover
And of course, we don't forget the nail polish remover! Although it's used to remove polish from your fingers, it's still a product that can either damage or take care of your nails. What's more, nails particularly need care after being covered with several layers of polish.
Therefore, prefer a "natural" nail polish remover without controversial components (acetone, benzophenone, hydrocarbon benzene, methyl ethyl ketone, toluene). A note regarding acetone: it attacks the lipid film of the nail (the first layer that protects it from external aggressions).
The formula of Clever Beauty nail polish remover is also ideal for damaged nails, because in addition to gently removing polish, its composition gives it the particularity of nourishing and moisturizing the nails. It notably contains castor oil, an ingredient recommended for nail health.
- Apply an emollient cream
Ideally, apply an emollient cream frequently to your hands and nails. It's even better if this cream has been prescribed by a dermatologist, as it would then be perfectly suited to your problem.
- Stop biting your nails
Yes, this very bad habit damages the nail, because it receives daily bites. To help you stop, you can opt for anti-nail biting polish with a bitter taste that can cut off any urge to go back.
If that's not enough, also consider hypnotherapy. Indeed, some hypnotherapists offer hypnosis sessions to stop biting your nails. However, you need to be determined, receptive (not everyone is susceptible to hypnosis) and go beyond your possible skepticism.
- Protect your nails during household activities
Avoid direct contact between your nails and household products, especially if they contain problematic and toxic ingredients. Indeed, it is highly likely that they are just as harmful to your nails.
To get around the problem, when you're cleaning or washing dishes, you can either:
- use healthier products;
- wear gloves.
In addition, this will also protect your hands!
- Avoid excessive humidity
This may seem surprising, but humidity can cause nails to peel.
Therefore, when possible, avoid washing your hands too frequently, wear protective gloves when shampooing or peeling fruits and vegetables.
- Take a lemon juice bath
This tip applies to ridged and brittle nails to strengthen them. Mix a little sweet almond oil and a few drops of lemon juice in a bowl. Then, soak your nails in the mixture for a few minutes; this will help strengthen them.
- Eat a balanced diet
The advice may seem quite commonplace, and yet, eating well is crucial! We are what we eat, remember. Thus, the beauty of your nails depends on the foods you consume.
Depending on the appearance of your nails, here are possible nutrient deficiencies:
- damaged nails: vitamin B (cereals, brewer's yeast, wheat, almonds, nuts);
- ridged nails: zinc (pumpkin seeds, cashews, pecans, peanuts, pistachios, and almonds);
- soft nails: calcium (thyme, tofu, almonds, spinach, black and white beans).
- Do a course of treatment
It is possible that all the advice provided may not be sufficient. Therefore, you might consider doing a course of treatment. This could be a magnesium supplement if you are deficient, or taking vegetable gelatin capsules. However, before any course of treatment, it is best to consult your doctor or pharmacist.
If, even after applying all these tips, you still don't see results after a few weeks, it would be safer to talk to your doctor who can prescribe a blood test to check that everything is fine with your health.
Do you have any other tips to share for maintaining strong and healthy nails?
