Flaking nails: causes and remedies to make them strong
If you have nails that flake, break and are extremely brittle, know that there can be a variety of causes. Fortunately, there are valid and effective natural remedies to quickly find healthy, strong and beautiful nails! One of the first things to do is to constantly devote time to nail care, doing a good manicure. Watch the video below and follow our advice, it will only take a few minutes.
Flaking nails: what there is to know
Brittle, cracking and flaking nails are more common than you might think and depend on several factors. This annoying blemish may be due primarily to the lack of certain specific vitamins, aging, the use of inappropriate cosmetic products, but also to psoriasis or mycosis of the nails.
If the cause is known and identified, it will be possible to intervene to combat the fragility of the nails and prevent them from flaking, breaking very frequently.
Below we will see what are the most frequent causes linked to the fragility of the nails, how to prevent their weakening and how to remedy them by finding healthy and strong nails in a short time.
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The main causes of flaking nails
At the base of the flaking nails there are causes that can be of various kinds.
- Aging
The most common is linked to physiological aging: with the passage of time, in fact, our body undergoes a series of phenomena that we know as aging and which can cause, among other things, greater fragility of the nails.
- Unbalanced diet
Even following an unbalanced diet that involves a lack of vitamins and minerals, in particular vitamin A and calcium and other precious nutrients, can lead to the fragility of the nails over time.
- Poor quality cosmetics
Flaking nails can also be a consequence of the use of poor quality cosmetics including cleansers, creams and nail polishes. The use of nail polish and acetone used to remove it, in particular, can cause the nails to become brittle over time, which will tend to break more easily and flake off.
- Gel reconstruction
Currently, the fashion of nail reconstruction with gel is also very widespread: 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.
- Aggressive cleaners
Furthermore, if you do not pay particular attention to household cleaners and do not use gloves, this can quickly lead to premature flaking of the nail, which will be literally attacked by the substances present in the detergents, causing dehydration and dryness and favoring breakage.
- Illnesses
There are also diseases such as psoriasis or l "onychomycosis which can make the nails appear brittle: these pathologies can affect the nails of the hands and feet and cause them to yellow, brittle and flake.
To understand how to intervene, it all depends on the cause that triggered the fragility of the nails. Below we will show you some natural but very effective remedies to try right away.
Flaking nails: 4 natural remedies to try right away
1 - Olive oil and lemon to fight against nail aging
As we said at the beginning of this article, "physiological aging can lead to fragility of the nails. In these cases you can make compresses with olive oil and lemon juice or lemon essential oil. This is a" grandmother's remedy " very effective, which you can use in two different ways.
- Fill a small container with three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the juice of half a lemon; mix well, dip your fingertips into the mixture and leave for at least a quarter of an hour, then rinse with warm water and a small amount of mild detergent.
- As an alternative to the method just described, prepare a massage oil by adding 15 drops of lemon essential oil to 30 ml 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 an even more effective emollient and reinforcing action, after applying the product, use a pair of cotton gloves that will help keep the skin in contact with the mixture for several hours.
2 - Nails attacked by cosmetics and detergents? Try phytokeratin
Phytokeratin is a natural substance that helps strengthen nails in case of brittleness caused by poor cosmetic products, incorrect treatments or aggressive detergents. To take advantage of its properties you can prepare a fortifying butter to be used in case of brittle nails. Add the phytokeratin, castor oil, olive oil, glycerin and lemon essential oil.
- For a do-it-yourself treatment, melt 5 g of shea butter in a bain-marie with 20 ml of olive oil, 5 ml of castor oil and 3 g of beeswax or vegetable wax. When the mixture becomes fluid, remove from heat and mix well: let it cool and add 1 g of phytokeratin, 2 ml of glycerin and 3 drops of lemon essential oil.
Use this conditioner at least once a day, massaging it for a few minutes on the nails.
3 - Healthy and strong nails free from mycosis
Mycosis is an "infection that mainly affects the toenails, causing yellowing, brittleness and flaking. Fungi proliferate especially if there is a lot of humidity so the first thing to do is to regulate this aspect.
To treat nail fungus, foot baths and hand baths based on hot water and bicarbonate can be used, to be carried out every evening for at least two weeks. Here's how to prepare them.
- Dissolve two tablespoons of baking soda in the water of the foot bath or hand bath and immerse your feet or hands for at least fifteen minutes.
Bicarbonate is also useful for absorbing moisture inside the shoes and creating an environment that is not conducive to the proliferation of fungi and bacteria: just put a spoonful every night, eliminating it the next morning before putting on the shoe.
If the mycosis on the nails is very extensive, after the foot bath or the hand bath, apply a little aloe vera gel with a drop of tea tree essential oil, or a teaspoon of pure Neem oil.
4 - Remedies for nails affected by psoriasis
Psoriasis is a disease that usually affects the skin, scalp and nails. In the case of the latter it causes fragility and flaking and it will be necessary to intervene immediately to restore the normal beauty of hands and nails. In all these cases, the advice we give you is to always keep your nails short and apply locally products based on vitamin A, urea and salicylic acid. Ask your dermatologist for more information who, through an in-depth visit, will be able to advise you on the most suitable therapy.
Is it possible to prevent flaking nails?
The main secret to having healthy and strong nails is to eat well, choosing a healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables and consequently in vitamins and minerals. An unbalanced diet rich in saturated fats, sugars and industrial foods can never be compensated for by cosmetic treatments.
It is important to take care of your nails every day: try not to eat them due to stress or nervousness, do not apply cheap and poor quality cosmetic products, carefully choose the detergents to use at home and wear gloves when using these products.
Limit the use of nail polish to a few days a month, in this way it will also decrease the use of acetone which is often aggressive for the nail area.
If you have decided to do the gel reconstruction of the nails, contact qualified personnel.
To prevent nail fungus, always dry your feet well before wearing socks and shoes and be especially careful in environments such as swimming pools and gymnasiums.
