Home Remedies for Cracked Fingernails

Cracks or split occur on fingernails when they turn brittle. The medical term for cracked brittle nails is onychoschizia, and it is more commonly found in women than men. It is a clear indication that the nails are not in a healthy state. There are several factors that can be responsible for cracks in the fingernails.

Lack of moisture can dry out the nails and make them brittle. If the nails are exposed to lots of harsh chemicals present in soap, nail polish, or nail polish remover, then they can become dry and brittle.

Those who have underlying health disorders like malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, circulation problem, and skin diseases, such as psoriasis, may also suffer from broken fingernails quite often.

As lack of moisture in the nails is one of the main causes of dry and broken fingernails, you must keep your body hydrated with 8-10 glasses of water every day. This will prevent drying out of the nails, thus, reducing the chances of splitting.

Frequent hand washing can have a damaging effect on your nails. When excessive moisture gets absorbed into the nails, they become weak and fragile. Moreover, harsh chemicals present in soaps can cause a lot of harm to the nails as well. Use a mild soap with high moisturizer content for washing your hands.

An excellent natural moisturizer for damaged, brittle fingernails is olive oil. Soak your fingernails into a bowl of olive oil for few minutes and then massage the oil well into the nails and fingers. Petroleum jelly is equally effective for adding moisture and repairing cracked fingernails.

When you have yellow cracked fingernails, then it is a sign of fungal infection. Nail fungus can be treated with antifungal creams, however you can try a natural remedy with the help of apple cider vinegar. Soak a cotton ball into apple cider vinegar and apply it thoroughly all over the infected nail. This will fight off the infection really well.

There is no doubt about the fact that the appearance of a split fingernail is unsightly and you hate to see it again and again. Moreover, the crack may cause pain and discomfort as well. To get rid of this problem, you can repair the cracked nail with the help of nail glue. Take a toilet tissue and cut it in the shape of the fingernail.

Now, move up the cracked part of the fingernail slightly and put the tissue into the crack. While doing this, just take care that the tissue does not get folded under the nail. Next, apply a minute droplet of nail glue on the part of the tissue that lies outside the nail.

Let the applied glue spread up to the crack that lies below the nail, and leave it untouched for about half an hour. Once the glue is dry, use a nail file to remove the extra portion of the tissue which is not glued to the cracked part of the nails.

Split fingernails can be prevented to some extent with a little bit of nail care. Keep the nails clean and dry. While cleaning the nails, do not pick the nails too much as it can cause cracks in them.

Nail biting is a bad habit and should be avoided as it weakens the nails. Do not use nail polish removers that have acetone or formaldehyde, as these chemicals are bad for the nails. Also, when you go for manicure, it is advisable that you use your own instruments.