Many people suffer from brittle fingernails. Women in particular often complain about the brittle look of their fingernails and seek advice on how to make the nails look healthier. Brittle nails are not only a negligible lack of beauty, but often also a warning sign of poor nutrition. Therefore, unstable looking nails should by no means be taken lightly. With these tips, however, brittle nails will soon be a thing of the past.
What helps against brittle fingernails?
A common reason for the occurrence of brittle nails is a lack of calcium. Calcium is largely responsible for the health of the nails and should therefore be taken more frequently if soft or brittle nails occur.
Dairy products in particular have a high calcium content. Yoghurt, quark and other dairy products should therefore also be included in the diet. In many cases, this already ensures rapid, visible recovery of the horny cells.
Calcium can of course also be added to the body through food supplements and supplements, this is particularly recommended for those affected by brittle nails with lactose intolerance.
Quick help
In addition to the mineral calcium, vitamins B and H are particularly important for healthy and firm horn cell formation. For example, there is enough vitamin B in fish, dairy products, liver products, broccoli, spinach and kale.
With brittle nails, these foods should also be included in the menu if possible. Vitamin H, on the other hand, is contained in many different foods, but mostly only in very small amounts, for example in beef liver, egg yolk, oat flakes, mushrooms, whole wheat flour, fish, spinach, pork and beef, bananas, apples, milk or even Walnuts.
If you want to add vitamin H to your body in other ways, you can do this, for example, in the form of biotin products that can be purchased over the counter at your trusted pharmacy.
In addition to the methods described above for preventing brittle nails, regularly bathing your fingernails in olive oil can also lead to a quick improvement in the situation. Instead of olive oil, a lemon bath can be used for this purpose. However, if the origin of the brittle nails is due to poor nutrition, these baths will of course not provide any permanent remedy, but only combat the symptom temporarily.
Alternative remedies
Another quick treatment method for brittle fingernails is the rubbing of the nails with glycerine, which is also available in cream or stick form in every pharmacy. The glycerine has a hardening effect on the nail substance and thus quickly ensures a more stable and healthier look for the fingernails.
In order not to permanently load the nail horn, nails should not be permanently varnished, but should be able to breathe "freely" for a few days, which means that you should not wear nail polish for a few days. During these days off, it is also advisable to treat the nails with a nourishing oil or cream.
Frequent use of aggressive nail polish remover can also lead to brittle nails. The use of nail polish remover should therefore be done as rarely as possible. It is also advisable to refrain from wearing artificial nails for a while with brittle nails, as these also have a stress effect on the nail horn.
If you also treat your nails gently on a daily basis, you will only suffer from brittle nails in rare cases. It is therefore advisable to reduce contact with water and degreasing cleaning agents to a minimum to protect the nail.
In addition to the unsightly appearance of brittle nails, the following also applies: unstable nails are often a sign of illness. Frequently, hormonal disorders or metabolic diseases are the cause of brittle nails. If there is no improvement despite treatment and good nutrition, we recommend a visit to the doctor to get to the bottom of the cause of the fragility.
