Cracked and weak nails send the wrong signal to your body, but you can easily address this situation with some simple lifestyle adjustments.

Avoid biting or picking at your nails; even small cuts can damage the nail bed. Apply moisturizer regularly. Discuss dosage options for biotin supplements with your healthcare provider.

Do Maintain a Balanced Diet

Your nails indicate overall body health, so you must consume a diet rich in essential vitamins and minerals to build nail strength. Biotin gummies or iron supplements may be ideal for ensuring your nails remain strong and healthy.

Nails are composed of keratin, which is a protein. Consuming foods rich in proteins—like lean meats, chicken, fish, and eggs, as well as nuts, leafy greens, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes—is great for nail health. Biotin supplements may also help strengthen and promote nail growth if taken under medical advice.

Sugary food and beverages can contribute to dry and brittle nails, so avoiding them is one way to maintain good nail health. But don’t feel restricted from occasional indulgence if you crave something unhealthy; just ensure that you balance out with other healthy choices throughout your day.

Don’t Bite or Pick Your Nails

Biting nails is not only unhygienic—it exposes your mouth to all the germs on your hands—but it’s also damaging, potentially leading to infection of nails and cuticles. If you find it hard to quit this bad habit, keeping a diary or asking friends for assistance might be useful (they could become “nail police”).

According to the Cleveland Clinic, hangnails should be avoided since pulling at them can rip live tissue apart and expose your hands to bacteria and infection. Instead, use a nail file or clippers with clean blades to gently remove or clip away this flap of skin, or use scissors to trim it away with clean blades.

Opting for natural nail strengtheners, such as base coat and top coat, to help your nails resist breaking and tear as you strengthen them can help your nails resist breakage, become stronger, and last longer. They are easily available at most beauty stores or online. Or try applying nail hardener as a daily moisturizer for nails and cuticles; if this proves unsuccessful, speaking with a dermatologist may offer assistance to break this bad habit.

Do Keep Nails Clean and Dry

As with your skin, nails require regular care to remain strong. One effective strategy is regularly cleaning them to eliminate dirt and bacteria buildup. A nail brush or cotton swab works great. Use soap and water on them and dry them off thoroughly afterward. Alternatively, you could opt for hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content.

Wearing gloves when performing household tasks that involve hazardous chemicals is also highly recommended. This will protect your hands and nails from potential harm and reduce the risk of fungal infections.

Trimming your nails regularly is also key to your well-being. Letting them become overgrown increases the risk of infection. To maintain optimal health, trim them once every week with manicure scissors or clippers after taking a bath or shower when the nails are softened enough for trimming. For best results, try cutting diagonally across but rounding off corners a little.

Don’t Use Harsh Chemicals Without Protection

Cuticles are the final line of defense between your nails and bacteria in the outside world, so they must remain healthy. Healthy cuticles will keep the nail bed safe from harmful chemicals or germs that could weaken them; to aid this cause, wear rubber gloves when handling cleaning products with harsh ingredients or handling toxic cleaners; also, look for polishes free from acetone, formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate or toluene when purchasing nail colors that support clean beauty companies! Purchasing non-toxic polish brands also support supporting clean beauty industry initiatives!

Moisturize your nails and cuticles regularly to reduce brittleness. Use ointments designed to lock in moisture and promote healthy nails. Also, avoid rapid dieting as this may lead to vitamin deficiencies, which lead to brittle nails; consume foods high in proteins, calcium, biotin, and omega-3 fatty acids instead. If your nails become brittle or damaged, immediately seek treatment from an antibacterial ointment and home remedies; in rare instances, see your dermatologist.

Do Moisturize Your Nails and Cuticles

As with skin, nails require regular nourishment for maximum strength and health. Achieve this by applying cuticle oil daily, protecting them from bacteria, fungus, and infections while keeping them flexible and strong. Cuticle oils are available online or from local beauty supply stores – some even come equipped with vitamins or antioxidants!

Regularly clean under your nails to reduce germ buildup, using a nail brush or soapy water. When performing tasks such as dishwashing and housecleaning, wear gloves to reduce exposure to germs on your hands and nails.

Don’t bite or pick at your nails, as this can damage cuticles and lead to infections. Also, avoid pulling off hangnails, as this could rip live tissue with it. Limit the use of nail polish and opt for low-odor polish remover without acetone, as these practices will protect both yourself and others around you.

Don’t Skip Base and Top Coats

Cracked, weak nails can be unattractive and an indicator of poor health. Luckily, lifestyle adjustments may help strengthen and improve their overall condition.

At its core, nail care requires daily maintenance: keeping them clean and nourishing them with moisturizing nails and cuticle cream or oil to maintain healthy nail beds and keep nails hydrated, according to dermatologist Rina Allawh.

Applying a base coat before painting your nails is another essential component of a manicure that many neglects to take advantage of. A base coat provides a protective barrier, helping minimize color transference onto nails and reduce streaking.

Top coats are often overlooked in manicures, as polish is more exciting to apply. However, choosing one formulated with ingredients such as kukui nut oil and nitric oxide will help protect against chipping and extend the wear of your polish. Look for one that promotes healthy nails while prolonging its wear for optimal results.

Do Trim and Shape Nails Carefully

Use a nail file to shape your nails into an S curve that follows the natural arc of your fingers. This will elongate and polish your nails and keep them from becoming overgrown. Trim your nails regularly as well to maintain a healthy length. If your nails are brittle or discolored, try an oil instead. When purchasing nail polish without acetone, try keeping use to an absolute minimum.

Your fingernails are integral to your body, revealing much about its health. Following the recommendations in this article can strengthen and promote healthy nail growth over time, with noticeable results. Wear gloves when working with harsh chemicals, do not bite or pick at them, and consume a balanced diet with enough proteins, zinc, and biotin for stronger nails.

Don’t Overdo Gel or Acrylic Nails

Gel nails and acrylics are popular nail enhancements, yet they may not be ideal for everyone. Both procedures can harm natural nails if done incorrectly, and both require ongoing care to look healthy.

Before choosing between gel or acrylic nails, take a moment to assess your lifestyle, natural nail condition, and budget. Suppose your activities put your nails at risk of breaking and chipping. In that case, acrylics may be more durable and resistant than their gel counterparts – they’re less prone to breaking than gel ones, making acrylic nails the better option if heavy hands tend to use their nails more frequently throughout the day or engage in activities which put them under unnecessary strain.

Gel nails offer more flexibility and less yellowing than acrylics and can be applied on nails of all lengths without cracking or yellowing. In addition, their removal process is gentler on natural nails during removal; plus, they’re less likely to peel. Plus, they come in multiple colors!