Problem Solver: Cracked Nails

Cracked nails can be more than just a cosmetic problem. Strong fingernails help protect the tips of your fingers. They also allow you to pick up small objects, and cracked or brittle nails can make that more difficult. Nails are made up of laminated layers of a protein called keratin. They grow from the nail bed, located under the cuticle, and their growth is slow. In fact, it takes four to six months for a fingernail to completely regenerate.

Healthy nails are smooth, without ridges, grooves, spots, or discolored areas. Many nail conditions are superficial, including spots, which are usually caused by an injury and will eventually grow out, and vertical ridges, which are a normal part of aging. Aging is also a factor in nails becoming more brittle, as is spending too much time with your hands in water (washing dishes, for example, or soaking in the tub).

Preventing Cracked Nails
In most cases, all it takes to keep your nails healthy is an ounce of prevention. Try the following strategies:

• Don’t bite your nails or your cuticles. This can harm the nail bed (the skin beneath the nail). And getting even a small cut next to a fingernail can lead to an infection.
• Trim fingernails with a sharp manicure scissors or clippers so they’re short and rounded on top. But first, soak your fingertips in water or bath oil for a few minutes to soften them. Clip hangnails instead of pulling them off.
• Wear rubber gloves when washing dishes or using harsh cleaning products.
• Avoid spending long periods of time soaking in the tub — long exposure to water can result in brittle nails that peel. If you absolutely must take that nice long bath, keep your hands out of the water.
• Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Apply moisturizer to your nails and cuticles every time you wash your hands, as well as after showers or baths. For extra protection, moisturize your nails at bedtime, then wear cotton gloves to bed.
• Give manicures a pass; the products involved can make nails brittle.
• Apply a nail hardener, but not one that contains toluene sulfonamide or formaldehyde. These can irritate the skin. Use nail glue or clear polish to fix splits to tears.
• Use nail polish remover sparingly. Instead of removing polish, touch it up. When you do need to take off old polish, use polish removers that don’t contain acetone, which can make fingernails dry, resulting in cracked nails.

Contrary to popular myth, eating more protein or calcium doesn’t help strengthen your nails; neither does eating gelatin or soaking your fingertips in it.

Treating Cracked Nails
If self-help doesn’t help, consult your doctor for additional suggestions. Some nail conditions can be a sign of health problem. Nails with yellow discoloration may point to a respiratory condition or an infection beneath the fingernail. Nails pulling away from the nail bed could be a sign of psoriasis or problems with medications. And horizontal depressions may result from an injury or an illness that requires treatment.

In most cases, all cracked nails need is a little TLC. Treat your fingernails to some kindness, and they’ll stay strong and healthy.