BRITTLE NAILS. WE FIND THE CAUSE AND REMOVE THE PROBLEM.
Brittle fingernails, causes and treatment
INNA CODRU , DECEMBER 11, 2017
Brittle nails are not only annoying or just look unsightly. They can be very painful. Destruction of the underlying layers of the nail causes them to break away from the skin, causing bleeding and sometimes infection. Why nails become brittle and how to avoid it.
The best thing you can do to protect your nails is to make them strong. The good news is that you can do it with some simple changes. Of course, you can also use medical remedies for brittle nails, this will certainly help in the process of strengthening them, whether they have become brittle due to a poor diet or after the removal of acrylic nails.
Well, let's see what needs to be done to get rid of brittle nails.
It is necessary to determine the exact cause of brittle nails
Before you start treating brittle nails, you need to find out why such a problem has appeared. For some, this may have been due to an inappropriate diet. When calcium is reduced in the diet. Without enough calcium, your bones, teeth, and nails can begin to weaken and break down. Brittle nails can also be a symptom of vitamin D deficiency. The fact is that the body cannot absorb enough calcium without vitamin D.
As soon as you begin to correct the source of the problem, you will find that the symptoms also begin to disappear. The great news is that many natural foods that contain calcium can help make up for the lack of calcium in the body. Just add these foods to your diet and it will help you get both calcium and other essential vitamins that will protect your nails.
However, there are times when brittle nails are a symptom of a more serious problem. For example, these may be early signs of a fungal nail infection. No matter how many super-healing treatments you use on your nails, brittleness will not go away without treating the infection itself.
Psoriasis and eczema can spread to the nails as well as some other skin conditions. It's worth finding out if this happened to your nails. There are other, more serious conditions that include brittle nails as a symptom. The only way to completely clarify the situation is to find the underlying problem.
Another reason for brittle nails is how they are used throughout the day. A common misconception is that nails can replace some tools. People can open tin cans with them, use them as an anti-stapler, etc. While the treatment will strengthen the nails, such use will continue to weaken them. This is an endless cycle, and if you do not get rid of such habits, brittle nails will remain your problem.
Nails are not meant for pulling out nails or for drumming them on the table. This weakens the entire nail, and can cause the nails to grow poorly and crooked. You will suddenly find that they crack, break at various angles, causing pain and bleeding.
Excessive use of nail polish or the use of acrylic nails is another common cause of brittle nails. The chemicals penetrate the nails and can cause them to soften. This is an actual problem for lovers of acrylic nails. When acrylic extensions are made, the protective layers of the nail are subjected to certain chemical or mechanical stress so that the acrylics can sit correctly and beautifully. And this is not good for a natural nail.
To protect your nails, it would be a good idea to limit your use of nail polishes and acrylic extensions, but we don't always want to do that, do we? So instead, we'll focus on tips to help strengthen your nails with both acrylic extensions and nail polishes. The main thing at the same time is to exclude any other cause of brittleness of your nails. And after that, you will be able to effectively improve their appearance and nourish them with inner strength.
Well, here are some tips to help strengthen brittle nails and protect them.
Coconut oil is your best friend
Sometimes it can feel like Coconut oil is great for everything)). And the reality is, it really is! It is loaded with antioxidants that help fight cancer and are high in vitamins to boost the immune system, fight the buildup of toxins, and keep the circulatory system in good condition. On top of all this, the oil hydrates and soothes the skin, helping to protect it from damage and alleviate some of the most common skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Now we will see that it is great for nails too! If you suspect a fungal infection in your nail, or if you need help strengthening your nails before your next extension, you can start using coconut oil.
Coconut has antibacterial and antifungal properties. The oil goes directly into the nail, healing it from the inside. The vitamins will also help strengthen the nail plates so nails look brighter and healthier than ever before.
So, what is the right way to use coconut oil for your nails? It's simple! All you need to do is place regular natural coconut oil in a bowl large enough to fit your fingers. Dip your fingers there, hold for 2-3 minutes and then rub the oil into your nails and fingertips with light massaging movements. This will help absorb as much of the oil as possible. You can also apply it all over your hand to soften the skin. This oil is not only great for those who have brittle nails, but also for those who are trying to take care of their hands.
This method also protects and softens the cuticles. Too many people cut or push back cuticles, but if you're not a professional, you probably won't do it right. The consequences may not be entirely pleasant, as cuticles help prevent infection of the nail, since they, figuratively speaking, seal the nails from bacteria and fungi in our daily life.
Allergic to coconut? If you cannot use this oil, then there are others. Instead of coconut oil, try olive oil or flaxseed. Or any other oil with a high content of vitamin E, necessary for strengthening nails.
Increasing the content of vitamin E
Vitamin E is very effective in strengthening nails. It is also one of the easiest vitamins to get from regular food. Fruits and vegetables are brimming with this vitamin, so it's time to change your diet to focus on vitamin E.
You see, vitamin E is an antioxidant for the body. It fights the creation of free radicals, which are well known for causing cancer. However, they do more than just increase the possibility of cancer cells. Free radicals can be the source of many cellular abnormalities. This includes a decrease in immunity.
Antioxidants are very effective for the immune system. With the immune system working properly, the body can fight off both bacteria and fungi. This means that you can deal with the sources of many nail infections.
You do not need to look for vitamin E in its pure form to apply it to your nails)). It will be quite simple to include more foods containing this vitamin in your diet. If you can't make it because of your diet or any other reason why not use some vitamin E supplements?
And the most important thing is that you can use vitamin E and coconut oil at the same time. You will get additional protection for your body, and will help it fight infection, while getting stronger and healthier nails!
Massage with honey and lemon... Your nails will be satisfied.
Why not make a wonderful smelling mixture of honey and lemon? These two ingredients are ideal for healing, stress relief and protection. They are not just good for nails, but good for the whole body. But right now, we want to protect our nails, so we're going to use this wonderful mixture directly on the nails.
Just combine these two ingredients. The best proportions are about four drops of lemon juice to two tablespoons of honey. If you have sensitive skin, you can reduce the amount of lemon. Lemon is acidic and can cause irritation in some people. If you can't use the juice, you can always grate some lemon zest into the honey and still get a healthy blend.
Honey also has antibacterial and antifungal properties. If brittle nails are caused by a fungal disease, you may be fighting against the root cause of your problem. Honey is also full of antioxidants and vitamins to strengthen and protect against other damage in the future. You'll also get an extra layer of protection against the damage that nail polish does.
Lemon, like honey, is loaded with vitamins that are very good at protecting and healing your nails. Lemon juice can help brighten and clean nails, and also helps retain moisture (remember, dryness is one of the reasons that makes nails brittle). Just rub this composition into your nails, massaging, and then rinse with warm water. Repeat this procedure daily for 10-12 days.
This is the ideal method for those who regularly get acrylic or gel extensions . It is equally useful for everyone who does not use any build-up. And it can even be applied over the tops of the nails to protect the nail plate both while wearing the extended nail and after removing it.
Once you are done with this treatment, use a moisturizer. One of the biggest problems with brittle nails is that they become seriously debilitated, dry and painful. Brittleness is a consequence of dryness, so you need to keep the moisture that comes to them by all means.
Moisturizing hands before washing dishes
You can make your own moisturizer with some coconut oil and lemon, or you can use your regular store-bought cream. Just before you are going to wash the dishes, apply cream, and then put on rubber gloves. As you wash the dishes, the moisturizer will soak into your hands. The warmth of the water will help open up the pores in your hands and nails, helping moisturizers absorb. Once you're done, you'll be left with both soft hands and beautiful nails )).
One of the main advantages of this method is that you moisturize your nails quickly and deeply. Many of the above options are primarily for overnight use. You can use the same one for an hour, at any time of the day, and then go about your daily activities.
However, this option is NOT suitable for those with fungal infections. The fungus grows in such warm and humid conditions, and then will spread to the rest of your nails.
Choice of over-the-counter drugs
There aren't many over-the-counter medicines out there that can help get your brittle nails in perfect condition. However, there are enough drugs for fungal infection and many of them do a good job of treating this nail infection. And once you've beaten the fungus, you can go back to natural remedies to treat brittle nails caused by this lesion.
Of course, there are some cosmetic products that are well advertised and can help in your case. Most often, these are moisturizers that moisturize the nails and eliminate brittleness in this way. But you will need to decide if it is worth spending money on them. In many cases, natural nail treatments are the best choice.
Be wary of nail polishes that claim to strengthen nails. In many cases, among other things, they contain other chemical compounds that lead to brittle nails and it is better not to choose them as the basis for your manicure.
You'd also better avoid letting your nails soak in the water for too long. Water softens the nails at first, but after that they begin to dry out more, bend and break (especially if you do not use moisturizers after such “water procedures”). They will become weaker. Just use water carefully, use gloves when washing dishes or doing laundry. In nail care, water will be needed mainly only to wash coconut oil or honey-lemon mixture from hands)).
Protect your nails the best you can
Keep under control situations that can lead to nail damage. Do not bang them on the table, use them as a scraper when washing pots, or to open jars. Many people do this every day and do not understand how they harm their nails and help them become brittle.
Remember that the use of cleaning products can lead to serious nail problems. Therefore, always (!) make sure that gloves are always on your hands when cleaning the house or washing dishes. It doesn't matter what gets on your hands, regular dish detergent or bed linen bleach. If you have to use them for even a short period of time, always cover your nails.
Those who for some reason have to keep their hands in the water for a long time need to be especially careful, because they expose their nails to all the dangers mentioned above. For some, the use of gloves will be enough to avoid such bad exposure, however, there are other people who simply cannot avoid constant contact with water.
Swimmers, lifeguards and some coaches may find their nails getting weaker and weaker. You will need to find a way to protect your nails between water exposures, which may include using the home remedies mentioned above for longer periods of time.
While brittle nails are annoying and sometimes very painful, it's important to remember that despite the severity of the problem, it's fairly easy to fix. If you do not want to resort to the use of special medical treatment, you can use many of the methods mentioned above to begin to deal with the causes of brittle nails. First of all - moisturize them and, of course, if necessary, get rid of fungal infections.
Even if you have some other disease that affects the condition of the nails, this does not prevent you from restoring the health of your nails at the same time, and, of course, taking steps to improve your health in general. These steps will help you completely get rid of brittle nails for life.