Having dry, brittle nails that break or tear is so heartbreaking.
We reached out to a dietitian, a dermatologist, and, of course, a licensed nail artist to fill us in on how to prevent your nails from breaking, once and for all. From exactly how to bolster your diet to which environmental factors may be wreaking havoc on your digits, these experts tackle nail health from every angle. They weigh in on the bad habits to break, the biotin myths to beware of, and your best bets for achieving the nails you’ve always wanted.
Keep reading for all the expert-approved tips to learn how to keep your nails from breaking.
Remember You Are What You Eat
Like so much of our outward appearance—from how clear our skin is to how shiny our hair is—our nail health begins with the nutrients we put in our body. “Eating a well-balanced diet as well as increasing your biotin intake is your best bet for helping to strengthen your nails,” explains registered dietitian Melissa Bailey, MS, RD, LDD of The Nourished Fork. “Biotin is a B vitamin found in a variety of foods.”
Bailey notes the highest amounts of biotin are found in animal proteins, like eggs, chicken, and salmon. However, you can also consume biotin in plant-based foods including nuts, seeds, spinach, and sweet potatoes. “For comparison, an egg yolk contains approximately 10 micrograms of biotin while a serving of spinach has seven micrograms,” says Bailey. “I always recommend getting any vitamin and mineral naturally from your diet, as your body absorbs them better from diet than in a supplement form.
However, if you have a biotin deficiency, New York board-certified podiatrist Adam Cirlincione, MD, says taking biotin can help strengthen and nourish nails. “Deficiencies in biotin can have an effect on hair, nails, and skin, which may be why many people increase their biotin intake to support healthy nails,” he says. “Symptoms of biotin deficiency can include hair loss, dry scaly skin, rash around the mouth, eyes, and nose, and brittle fingernails. Biotin has been proven to help strengthen brittle nails, which in turn can help them grow.”
Bailey recommends prioritizing real, vitamin-rich foods to get your nutrients. “Your best bet is a healthy diet, and if you still feel like you need an extra boost, a daily multivitamin should be all you need to get the right amount of biotin for strong nails,” she says. “Because biotin is water-soluble, meaning your body excretes what you don’t need, higher levels are typically okay to consume,” she assures. “However, that does not mean you should go out and take massive doses of biotin as your body can’t use it all.
Another great option is the Tenoverten The Foundation Base Coat from Violet Grey ($18). It’s a more natural way to strengthen your nails as it is an “8-Free” formula, which means without the top eight chemicals, including dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene, and formaldehyde, that are in many nail polish formulas. For a budget-friendly option to strengthen your nails, check out Sally Hansen Mega Strength Hardener ($8).
If you have gel or dip nails, avoid picking, peeling, or pulling the artificial nail off. This is not only potentially painful but can damage your nails. To safely remove them, you must soak them in an acetone solution. The acetone solution can dry out your nails, but it won’t damage your nails as much as pulling off the gel or dip nails. The American Academy of Dermatology Association says that soak-off gel nails will actually cause less peeling and brittleness to your natural nails than acrylic nails, however.1 You can also consider getting artificial nails only for special occasions to let your nails recover in between.
If you have gel nails or dip nails, however, be aware that acetone-free nail polish won’t remove them. Only pure acetone is strong enough to dissolve the artificial layer. If you have artificial nails and soak them off using pure acetone, make sure you use an oil or other hydrating lotion afterward to prevent them from getting brittle
