![Broken nails – what are the possible causes?](https://www.indigo-nails.com/media/magefan_blog/2020/08/lamliwe-paznokcie.jpg)
Broken nails are a reason for complexes of many women. The perfect manicure made on long, neat and shiny nails remains a dream for people suffering from brittle nails. When regular filing and growing not only fails to produce the desired results but also increases the frustration associated with the unexpected loss of a carefully maintained nail plate, it’s necessary to find the cause of this situation.
Why are your nails brittle? Improper diet
Identification and correct diagnosis of the cause of brittle nails is quite a challenge, because there’s no single answer to the question: Why do nails break? One of the main suspects in the case of “brittle nails” is an imbalanced diet, poor in important nutrients such as silicon, zinc, potassium, calcium, iron, B vitamins, vitamin F, vitamin C, vitamin A, and magnesium. Lack or shortage of these basic vitamins and minerals can lead to the nail plate breaking much easier and more often. By including green leafy vegetables, legumes, olive oil, avocado, grains, whole grain bread and yeast in your diet, you’ll ensure a daily dose of vitamins and take care of your nails from the inside.
Not only nutrition. Brittle nails – causes
Inadequate hand care (or total lack of it) is also considered to be one of the basic factors leading to brittle nails. Regular use of moisturizing and regenerating cosmetics not only for nails but also for your hands will have a positive effect on their overall condition, including the most troublesome areas.
Presently, a wide range of products available on the market makes it easy to find a hand cream with favourite texture, composition and scent. Unfortunately, having a hand cream in your handbag all the time does not always mean that you apply it regularly. You need to develop this habit. Besides creams, cuticle oils and different varieties of body lotions you should also remember to use a product intended to protect the nail plate – like a hybrid base or conditioner. At this point we can recommend our Protein Base, which once again won the Quality International award this year.
Unobvious causes of brittle nails
There are several habits unfavourable for the condition of your nails, which you do not always realise. The nail plate is weakened by excessively long soaking in water and exposing it to extreme temperatures – both high and low. Inadequate removal of nail polish with acetone-based remover or pure acetone, as well as not using protective gloves while cleaning, thus having contact with detergents, will certainly not have a positive effect on the condition of your nails. The action of at least one of the factors described above is definitely harmful to all, even the neatest nails, and can cause them to break.
Take care of your nails
Having diagnosed your problem – brittle nails – you can begin effective prevention of this type of defects in the future. Introducing a special “diet”, supporting your nails from the inside, i.e. inclusion of products rich in minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, silicon and vitamins C, E, B and A in your daily diet will certainly have a positive effect on the condition of your nails. Your nails will look beautiful once you’ve taken care of the proper hydration of your body and started drinking large amounts of water.
You should also remember to care for your hands. Do not soak them in water for too long, wear protective gloves when using detergents, and protect them especially in winter, when exposed to temperature changes. The use of moisturizing and regenerating cosmetics will also be useful. Finally, if you decide to perform the manicure yourself, pay attention to the correct use of files – always file your nails in one direction.
We strongly encourage you to use a professional stylist working in our company showrooms who will certainly take care of the proper condition of your nails.
Published:
01.10.2018
Updated:
06.11.2023