Brittle nails snap and split because the nail has lost moisture and flexibility, most often from constant wetting and drying, acetone, cold weather, age or years of enhancements. Most people notice a difference within a month of keeping water off the hands, filing smooth and oiling every day. Brittle nails that came on suddenly, with other changes, are worth a GP visit.
- Brittle nails snap and split because the nail has lost moisture and flexibility.
- The five everyday causes of brittle nails are water and detergent, acetone, cold air, age and enhancements.
- The routine is gloves, a glass file and a daily oil. Hardeners can make brittle nails worse.
- If brittle nails came on suddenly, or with other changes, see your GP.
What are brittle nails: do they snap or bend?
Brittle nails snap, split or crack instead of bending: the nail feels hard and dry, with no give.
A nail that folds over and tears is the opposite problem, a soft one, and it needs different handling. A nail that separates in layers at the tip is peeling, which is a third thing again. If yours snap and split, you're in the right place. Plenty of nails are a bit of both, and the routine below is a safe start for either. If a nail has already split, how to fix a split or cracked nail covers what to do first.
What causes brittle nails?
Brittle nails usually come from five everyday causes: water and detergent, acetone, cold air, age and years of enhancements.
Here they are in full, and I'd bet you've got at least two of them going on.
- Water and detergent. Dishes, cleaning, the shower, the pool: soaking and drying again and again takes moisture out of the nail faster than it goes back in.
- Acetone and harsh removers. They strip the oil from the nail and the skin around it.
- Cold, dry air. Winter, heaters and air conditioning dry out your nails the same way they dry out your hands. There's more on this in taking care of your nails this winter.
- Age. Nails often get drier as the years go by, and they lose some of their flexibility. Not fair, I know.
- Years of enhancements. Gel, acrylic and SNS are fine to wear, but taking them off can take layers of nail with it.
Most people have two or three of these at once, which is why one fix rarely does it. Take two or three of them out of your week and you've changed the odds.
A brittle nail is rarely one problem. It's usually water, plus a rough file, plus a cold season, and that's why one routine works on all of them at once.
Why do hardeners make brittle nails worse?
A hardener makes the nail stiffer, and a brittle nail is already short of give, so a hardener takes away what is left.
A stiff nail that can't flex is the one that snaps. For soft nails that fold, a short course of a strengthener can help, but for nails that snap, oil is the better first move. The full reasoning, with the products sold in Australia, is in the best nail strengthener in Australia.
What actually helps brittle nails?
The routine is four habits: gloves for water, a glass file, a daily oil and no picking.
The one people skip is the oil, so start there. Here's the lot:
- Gloves for water. Wear them for the dishes and the cleaning, and dry your hands properly afterwards. Yes, even for a quick wipe-down.
- Glass file, one direction. A glass file leaves a smoother edge than a coarse emery board, so the layers catch less. File dry nails, from the side towards the centre, and don't saw back and forth.
- Oil every day. One click a day covers ten nails. Brush it along each cuticle and over each nail, then massage it in. If your nails are recovering from damage, twice a day, morning and night, is a good rhythm.
- No picking, no tools. Use a spoon, not a nail, to open a tin. Your nails aren't tin openers.
The oil I used on my own clients for years before it went on sale is the Body Collective Nail Growth and Strength Serum pen. It works on natural nails and over gel, SNS, acrylic and dip, and oil keeps the nail flexible, which is exactly what a brittle nail has lost.
And here's the same routine as a quick do and don't list, for the fridge door:
Do
- Wear gloves for water and cleaning.
- Oil every day.
- File dry nails with a glass file, in one direction.
- Take polish off less often, with a gentler remover.
Don't
- Soak your hands for long.
- Reach for a hardener when the nail snaps.
- File nails when they're wet.
- Pick at gel or acrylic to get it off.
How long does it take for brittle nails to improve?
Most people notice a difference within a month, and softer cuticles come first.
Results vary, and the nail you can see was made two to three months ago, so it takes that long for a new nail to reach the tip. Be patient with yourself and keep the habits going. Here's roughly how it goes:
- Within days
- Most people notice softer cuticles.
- Within one to two weeks
- Most people notice visible growth.
- About a month
- Fewer snags and breaks, if the habits have held.
- Two to three months
- The nail you can see was made two to three months ago, so this is when a new, more flexible nail reaches the tip.
Do nails get more brittle after 40?
Nails often change in your forties and fifties, and if yours have got drier and more brittle you are not imagining it.
The routine's the same, and it matters more. Lots of my clients notice the change around that age, and they usually want to know whether it's normal.
When is it not just dryness?
If your nails went brittle suddenly, or at the same time as other changes in how you feel, it may not be just dryness, and it is worth seeing your GP.
Thyroid and iron are two of the things a GP can check, which is why I'd rather you asked than guessed. I'm a nail technician, not a doctor, and I can't tell from a nail, so I won't tell you to buy a supplement.
If it came on suddenly, hurts, is discoloured, thickened or lifting, see a GP, dermatologist or podiatrist.
If it turns out to be everyday dryness, a daily oil is where I start, and the pen's below.
Nail Growth, Strength & Repair Serum | Easy Twist Pen
A$16.95
A daily oil for nails that snap: hand blended on the Gold Coast, and one click a day covers ten nails.
Add to cartSweet almond oil is a nut derived oil; people with nut allergies should talk to their doctor first.
Questions people ask
Why have my nails gone brittle all of a sudden?
A sudden change is worth a GP visit, especially if other things have changed too. Everyday causes can also arrive quickly: a cold snap, a new cleaning job, lots of hand washing, or removing gel or acrylic. If nothing like that fits, or the nails also hurt, change colour or lift, see a GP, dermatologist or podiatrist.
Can a vitamin or mineral shortage cause brittle nails?
A vitamin or mineral shortage can be one reason for brittle nails, but I cannot tell from a nail and I will not guess. Everyday causes like water, detergent and acetone are far easier to spot. If your nails went brittle suddenly, or you feel unwell in other ways, ask your GP rather than starting supplements.
What actually helps brittle nails?
Keep water off them with gloves, file smooth with a glass file, and oil every day, because hydrated nails flex instead of snapping. Avoid hardeners, which make a brittle nail more rigid. Most people notice softer cuticles within days; results vary, and a month is a fair time to judge.
