Leave your weak nails alone in 2024.
Dr. Mary StevensonA dermatological surgeon at NYU Langone says a number of factors can cause brittle, easily breaking nails — but if your nails are constantly breaking and refusing to grow, there’s hope.
First things first: No, your childhood biting habit is not the reason your nails won’t be long today, no matter what your mother says.
“Onychophagia — or nail biting — typically does not cause permanent damage to the nails, but does make them shorter and thinner at the ends,” Dr. Stevenson told The Post. “Our nails grow from the matrix, which is just below our cuticle and at the proximal end of our nails is the white crescent shape – called the lunula – which is a visible part of the end of our matrix, where the nail grows. “Out of is.”
But there are some behaviors that can make them weak. You’re not getting enough protein in your diet, which will reduce keratin, the protein that makes up our nails. Nutrient deficiencies of vitamin B and iron can also cause harm.
Others include hand washing, using abrasive cleaning materials such as dish soap and detergents, and trauma to the nail bed.
Your manicure can also be damaged, especially if you take gels or use too much acetone.
“We need our cuticles. Pushing them back and removing them breaks the seal formed by our nails to keep out things like bacteria and fungus, the doctor said.
“Letting your nails ‘breathe’ or taking time off from manicures is not essential for healthy nails, however too much acetone or abrasive manicures that can be removed with nail thinners and acetone soaks, or improper manicures can damage our nails. Can weaken.”
So what can you do to fix them?
Dr. Stevenson said, “Careful care of your nails, lack of excessive manicures with acetone removal, using gloves when washing dishes, avoiding abrasive products and increasing your intake of biotics through supplements or your diet, all these nail “Can help with health.”
“Biotin and iron help maintain nail health – these are often found in prenatal vitamins, which I recommend to my patients with weak nails.”
And don’t expect to see results in just a few weeks. Unfortunately, lifestyle and diet changes take a long time to show up on your nails.
“It usually takes about 6 months for a full nail to grow back, so being kind to your hands for a while is essential to improving their health,” the doctor said.
In the meantime, practice good nail hygiene and nourish your cuticles by applying oil or hand lotion to them.
