Brittle nails that come apart: Causes and Natural remedies

Brittle nails, which break and flake, can have many causes: fortunately, for every cause, there is an effective natural remedy that will make us find healthy, strong, and beautiful nails.

Brittle, cracking, and flaking nails are frequent problems that can depend on several factors. For example, this annoying imperfection can be due to vitamin deficiencies, aging, inappropriate cosmetic products, and psoriasis or mycosis of the nails.

Depending on the cause, it is possible to intervene to combat the fragility of the nails and prevent them from breaking frequently and from flaking.

So let’s see the most frequent causes related to the fragility of the nails, how to prevent the nails from weakening, and how it is possible to remedy and find healthy and strong nails in a short time.

What are the causes of flaking nails?

The causes of brittle nails that flake can be of various kinds. The most common cause is linked to physiological aging. With time, our body undergoes a series of phenomena that we know as aging and can provoke, among other things, greater fragility of the nails.

Another cause of brittle nails could be nutritional deficiencies of vitamins or minerals, in particular, vitamin A and calcium, or the use of poor-quality cosmetics, including detergents, creams, and nail polishes. The use of nail polish and acetone used to remove it, in particular, can cause brittle nails over time, which will tend to break more easily and flake off.

In recent years, the fashion of gel nail reconstruction has spread: this practice, if carried out by people who are poorly prepared or who use cheap products, can ruin the nails, weaken them and make them more prone to breakage or flaking.

Another cause of flaking nails can be found in the use of aggressive products (for example, those used for household cleaning) that attack the skin and nails, causing dehydration and dryness and favoring the flaking of the nail.

Finally, nails can appear brittle due to nail bed psoriasis and onychomycosis. These pathologies can affect the nails of the hands and feet and cause yellowing of the nails, brittleness, and flaking.

Obviously, choosing the most suitable natural remedy to combat brittle nails will depend on the cause that causes the nail to flake off: let’s see the most effective natural remedies.

Brittle nails: natural remedies and practical tips

1. Olive and lemon oil against nail aging

If your nails are fragile due to physiological aging, you can intervene with olive oil and lemon juice or, as an alternative to lemon juice, lemon essential oil. It is a very effective grandmother’s remedy, which you can use in two different ways.

The first method consists of filling a small container with three spoons of extra-virgin olive oil and the juice of half a lemon; mix well, dip your fingertips in the mixture and leave for at least a quarter of an hour, then rinse with warm water and a small amount of mild detergent.

With the second method, you can instead prepare a massage oil by adding 15 drops of lemon essential oil to 30 milliliters of olive oil and use the oil obtained by massaging on the nails at least once a day, preferably in the evening before going to sleep.

For even more effective action, distribute the product on the nails and then put on a pair of cotton gloves: in this way, the oil will remain in contact with the skin all night and perform its emollient and reinforcing function.

2. Phytokeratin for nails attacked by cosmetics and detergents

Phytokeratin is a natural substance that helps strengthen nails and hair. To take advantage of its properties, you can prepare a fortifying butter to be used in case of brittle nails: phytokeratin, combined with castor oil, olive oil, glycerin, and lemon essential oil, will help to find healthy and strong nails in case of brittleness caused from poor cosmetic products, incorrect treatments or aggressive detergents.

For a DIY treatment, melt in a water bath 5 grams of Shea butter with 20 milliliters of olive oil, 5 milliliters of castor oil, and 3 grams of beeswax or vegetable wax (for example, mimosa wax).

When the mixture of fats in a water bath is fluid, remove from the heat and stir: let cool and add 1 gram of phytokeratin, 2 milliliters of glycerin, and 3 drops of lemon essential oil. Use this conditioner at least once a day, massaging it on the nails for a few minutes.

3. Treat mycoses for healthy and strong nails

Fungal infections are persistent and mainly affect the toenails, causing yellowing, fragility, and flaking. In addition, fungi proliferate in optimal conditions for their pH and humidity, so it can help intervene by adjusting the pH and eliminating excessive humidity.

To treat mycosis of the nails, you can use foot baths and hand baths based on hot water and bicarbonate, to be carried out every evening for at least two weeks: dissolve two tablespoons of bicarbonate in the water of the foot bath or hand bath and dip your feet or hands for at least fifteen minutes.

Baking soda is also useful for absorbing moisture inside the footwear and creating an environment that is not very favorable for the proliferation of fungi: distribute a spoonful inside the footwear every evening, eliminating it the next morning. After the foot bath or hand bath, apply a spoonful of aloe vera gel with a drop of Tea tree essential oil or a teaspoon of pure Neem oil to your fingernails.

4. Combat nail psoriasis

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that can affect the skin, scalp, and nails. Nail psoriasis causes fragility and flaking of the nails, and those who suffer from it will have to intervene on the disease to have healthy and strong nails.

To improve the appearance of the nails, it is advisable always to keep them short and apply locally products containing vitamin A, urea, and salicylic acid. If you suffer from nail psoriasis, the advice is to contact a dermatologist to evaluate the most effective therapy and treatments to control the disease.

How to prevent fingernails from flaking

Based on our well-being and, consequently, of our beauty, there is always nutrition: an unbalanced diet rich in saturated fats, sugars, and industrial foods, can never be compensated by cosmetic treatments. To have strong and healthy nails and prevent their flaking, it is essential to eat well, regularly consume fresh fruit and vegetables, and hydrate the body by drinking at least a liter and a half of water a day.

In addition to taking care of nutrition, you must also take care of your nails every day: avoid nibbling them for stress or nervousness, do not apply cheap and poor-quality cosmetic products, limit the use of household cleaners and wear gloves during cleaning.

Then avoid using nail polish (and acetone) every day: use it only for important occasions and choose eco-bio products that respect the composition of the nail. If you want to make specific cosmetic treatments for nails, always contact qualified and trained beauticians.

To prevent fungal infections of the nails, always dry your feet well before wearing socks and shoes and pay attention, especially in the swimming pool and in the changing rooms of the gyms: wear a pair of slippers when you frequent these places, as they are characterized by ideal conditions for proliferation mushroom, due to crowding and humidity.