Weak or Brittle Nails: What Your Body May Be Telling You
Weak, peeling, splitting, or brittle nails are very common and usually aren’t a sign of a serious disease. Often, the cause is something as simple as repeated exposure to water, detergents, chemicals, nail polish remover, or physical trauma.
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Mayo Clinic
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Possible causes
Frequent water exposure: Repeatedly soaking and drying your nails can make them split and become fragile.
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Mayo Clinic
Harsh chemicals: Cleaning products and acetone-based nail-polish removers can damage the nail.
Iron deficiency: Brittle nails can occur with iron-deficiency anemia. Nails that become thin and spoon-shaped are particularly associated with iron deficiency.
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Mayo Clinic
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Thyroid problems: Both underactive and overactive thyroid disorders can cause nail changes, including brittle, peeling, or slowly growing nails.
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American Academy of Dermatology
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Fungal infection: A nail that becomes thick, discolored, brittle, crumbly, or separated from the nail bed may have a fungal infection.
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American Academy of Dermatology
Skin conditions: Psoriasis, dermatitis, and other skin disorders can affect the nails.
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Mayo Clinic News Network
Normal aging: Nails can become thinner and develop harmless vertical ridges as we get older.
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Mayo Clinic
What you can do
Keep nails relatively short, moisturize your hands and cuticles regularly, and wear gloves when washing dishes or handling cleaning chemicals. Avoid picking at your cuticles and limit harsh nail products.
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Mayo Clinic
Don’t automatically start iron or biotin supplements just because your nails are weak. If brittle nails persist or occur together with fatigue, hair loss, weight changes, unusual nail color, pain, or other symptoms, a healthcare professional can determine whether testing is appropriate.
When to get your nails checked
See a doctor or dermatologist if a nail changes color or shape, becomes markedly thicker or thinner, separates from the skin, develops a dark streak, bleeds, becomes painful/swollen, or stops growing.
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Mayo Clinic
Bottom line: Brittle nails most often reflect external damage or normal variation, but persistent or unusual changes can sometimes provide clues about iron deficiency, thyroid disease, fungal infection, or another underlying condition.
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