Brittle, splintered nails are something I think most women are familiar with. They’re unattractive and annoying. Especially if they get stuck on your clothes or if you wish the nail polish to last longer than a few hours after a manicure. But brittle nails are no reason to despair. We’ll give you a few tips and tricks that you can use to repair them.

Causes of brittle nails

If the nails are so brittle that they do not only tear in a certain length, but also split in their deep structure, doctors speak of onychorrhexis (from Greek “onycho” = “nail” and “rhexis” = break, crack) or onychoschisis (from Greek “schisis” = splitting). If finger- or toenails split lengthwise (vertically), this is called “onychorrhexis”. If they splinter horizontally and in layers starting from the edge, onychoschisis.

Reasons of brittle nails can be:

No gloves when doing housework: Washing-up liquid, detergent or soap, solvent-based nail polish removers, but also too much water will draw moisture from the skin and nails and dry them out.
Artificial nails and shellac damage the horny layer of the fingernails and make them soft and brittle.
Injuries to the nail plate due to incorrect manicure and pedicure.
Nutrient deficiency: If certain minerals, vitamins, trace elements and essential fatty acids, zinc or calcium are missing, the nails also suffer. Thus iron deficiency favours brittle fingernails. But a lack of vitamin A, B and vitamin C as well as biotin and folic acid can also cause brittle nails.
Diseases: Other causes of brittle nails include skin diseases such as nail fungus, eczema, as well as psoriasis and nodular lichen. But thyroid diseases such as hypothyroidism can also lead to brittle nails.

Brittle nails: The right care

The best way to prevent brittle nails from developing in the first place is still the right care. At first you should pay attention to the length of the nails: Keep splintering nails as short as possible. To prevent splintering, keep the file straight at the front when shortening, file slightly at right angles to the sides. Do not go too deep under the nail. Also important: Supply the nails regularly with nutrients. To keep them supple, massage in nail oil all around the nails in the morning and evening. Ideal for this: pure apricot oil.

Tips against brittle nails by nail artist Anke Spreeberg

Oil orgy: “For brittle hands, an oil pack helps. First treat the skin with a sugar-oil peeling, then embalm it with apricot kernel oil, wrap a guest towel around it – and bring time. Because it only gets fine after about an hour. Tip: do not constantly disinfect your hands. Hand disinfection in particular contains drying alcohols.
Massage time: “Basically massage the cuticle and cuticle bed with oil three times a day. Here, too, I use pure apricot kernel oil because it contains the most unsaturated fatty acids. Important: Apply oil with a Q-tip also to the underside of the nail. Even with varnished nails. This keeps the nail plate supple.”
Undercut: “Use only a soft toothbrush when cleaning the underside of the nail. Whoever approaches it with a metal file or nail scissors risks the finest hairline cracks in the nail bed. The nail can then break more easily.”
Gloss: “Polishing buffers smooth grooves or splinter nails, but tear the surface open. Nail powder usually contains beeswax and kaolin – sprinkle on a polishing pad and rub it over the nails. The wax polishes itself into the nail and smoothes it gently.”

Nail cracked? This is how SOS help works

With instant glue

If a nail is torn, it can be repaired using various methods – for example, special instant adhesives are practical for use at home. However, you should be very careful when applying it: Just like superglue, they contain cyanoacrylate adhesive, which should never touch the skin.

The stencil technique

You can also have a brittle nail repaired by a professional. In the nail studio the torn nail is varnished with a special gel, which is then hardened under UV light and then filed into shape. Artificial modelling can only be done by a professional – but it is also suitable for short nails where the crack extends far into the nail bed.

The tea bag trick

Saving a torn fingernail with a tea bag? What sounds strange at first actually works. Many millions of users have already been convinced of this on the Internet. How to repair a torn fingernail with a tea bag can be read here.

Useful for manicure: Nail polish with care

Even with brittle fingernails you don’t always want to do without colourful nail polish. So that this does not damage the nail additionally, but in the optimum case also still maintains, one should pay attention with the purchase of the lacquer directly to the contents materials. Varnish with diamond dust should harden the nail plate, for example, by forming a protective layer.

In addition, there are now plenty of calcium-based nail polishes on the market that have been specially developed for brittle nails. If you would like to apply colored nail polish, you will find cool nail polish trends and pretty mini ideas for your nails here. Too often, however, fingernails should not be (ab-)painted, because nail polish removers can put a lot of strain on them. We have all tips on the subject of nail polish for you.

Grooved nails? To make them nice and smooth

To make rough nails shine, apply a groove filler regularly. It contains microspheres that even out unevenness. These can be bought in drugstores or beauty online shops. A polishing file or a polishing block is also suitable for smoothing, which makes the fingernails really shine. However, you should not use the polishers too often, as they naturally affect the structure of the nails – even if minimally. Nail professionals recommend not to polish the nails more often than every 4-6 weeks.

Strengthen nails from the inside – that’s how it works:

Take 2.5 milligrams of biotin daily. A study has shown that the nails become more stable after three months. Alternative: swallow silicic acid containing silicon or stir silicic acid gel into yoghurt. First successes are also visible after three months.

Nutrition: What you can eat to get healthy fingernails

At the top of the menu to prevent brittle nails are tomatoes. They contain biotin, lycopene and vitamin A, which promote nail growth and make the fingernails stronger. We have great tomato recipes for you.

Also beneficial for nail growth: sweet potatoes, pumpkin seeds, green beans, eggs, bananas, fish rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, carrots, milk and broccoli. Eating lentils, spinach, soya and meat also helps to strengthen nails and prevent iron deficiency.

Splitting nails or getting fat? Careful!

If fingernails or toenails become darker on the sides, they become brittle and thick and the nail plate becomes unsightly, a nail fungus may be present.

This should be avoided with brittle nails

Do not use nail clippers. If there is already a crack in the nail, there is a danger that it will be completely broken off. Do not clean the nails from the underside with a sharp object. This will make the nail brittle, and fungi may grow in the nail. Better: clean the underside of the nail with a soft brush. Is Shellac an alternative to conventional nail polish? Not for brittle nails – we explain in our article why you should be careful with Shellac.