If you have brittle nails caring for them can be a lot easier than you may think. Everyday tasks can have an effect on the condition of your nails however by taking note of the following, you can have your nails back to top condition pretty quickly.

How to Prevent and Treat Brittle Nails

Nail Polish Remover – If you like to paint your nails, be very careful about what you use to remove the paint. Many products contain very harsh ingredients such as acetone which strips moisture out of your nail. Look for products that are acetone-free.

Water – Simply being dehydrated can have a big affect on your nails. You can deal with this by drinking more water and rubbing moisturiser or olive oil on your nails.

Biotin – Many years ago researchers found that Biotin (one of the B vitamins) improved the strength of horses’ hooves. It turns out it not only works on horses but humans too! If you have very brittle nails you’ll need to take it in supplement form in order to get enough. 2.5mg per day is the suggested amount.

Thyroid – One symptom of an under active thyroid is brittle nails. Check with your doctor for further advice and/or have a look at the other symptoms of hypothyroidism to see if you have any.

Protein – Protein is made up of amino acids which are said to be the “building blocks” of our body. They are absolutely essential to our health because they create our cells and repair tissues. Not only will they reward you with strong nails but a healthy body in general.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) – We all know that EFAs are vital to our diets the problem is that most of us don’t get enough and we’re taking the wrong types of fat instead. Evening Primrose Oil contains Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) which has been shown to offer a huge range of health benefits including helping with brittle nails, hair, arthritis and PMS. Fish Oil is also supposed to very beneficial.

Vitamin Deficiencies – Other vitamins which you may be short of include zinc, iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin E and selenium. Brittle nails can be an indicator of poor diet and potentially other health problems. It’s always a good idea to improve your diet by eating more vegetables and/or taking a multi-vitamin or supplement specifically for improving nail strength.

OPI Nail Envy – OPI have a range of products which you paint on your nails to help if they are thin, brittle or ridged. My mum used it a while back to get rid of a very deep ridge on one of her nails. It worked amazingly well and would definitely recommend it to anyone.

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