Nails are made of special materials called keratin that helps it from natural wear and tear and physical forces. It is quite common for most of us to trim our nails regularly. But nails get peeled off from the nail bed due to certain factors. It is a rare phenomenon caused mostly due to pressure applied to the nails and over exposure of certain chemicals. If peeling of nails happens without any noticeable reason, it can be indicative of insufficient nutrients or some medical conditions. If the cause is found out peeling of nails can be managed.
Symptoms :
You can easily make note of peeling of nails which gets broken automatically without making any effort.
Causes :
There are several factors that can cause peeling of nails. It can be due to external and internal factors. If you know the risk factors that can cause damage to your nails, you can reduce them and prevent peeling of nails.
- External Factors :
Doing hard work with bare hands can put strain on your nails. This is more particular in people who are dish washing frequently, whose work involve in construction or gardening etc. Nails are made of keratin material that gives them shining texture. But when nails are repeatedly pressured by heavy weights and construction materials, it can break off the nail bed resulting in peeling.
Virus and fungus can infect the nails that are dirt and weak. People with weakened immunity and with chronic medical conditions like AIDS are prone to nail infection. Body’s natural defense system may not able to prevent the infection which may cause peeling of nails. Exposure to harsh chemicals and detergents can damage the outer enamel coating of nails leading to breakage. Factors like excessive dryness of skin can also cause nail damage.
Weather changes and extreme dry weather or high humidity can affect the natural moisture balance of nails resulting in peeling of nails. Taking medications like steroids/tetracycline for long periods can damage the nail texture causing damage. Certain skin problems like psoriasis can affect the normal growth of your nails. When more number of cells is produced than the body’s requirement it leads to accumulation of cells in large numbers forming scaly patches on the skin and nails. This can cause peeling of nails.
- Internal Factors :
Irregular diet habit and insufficient intake of proteins and amino acids can affect your nail growth. Your body needs to be supplemented with essential amino acids and proteins to repair the skin and nail-beds. If you are not taking them in your diet peeling of nails can occur in addition to various health issues. Amino acids like leucine and threonine are required to maintain your health.
Lack of minerals and vitamins in your diet can contribute to peeling of nails. Biotin is one of the essential vitamins needed by your body for natural growth of nails. If your body does not have enough amounts of vitamin A and B it can lower your immunity causing numerous health problems including nail damage.
Tests :
No additional tests are required to detect nail damage. You can easily identify nail damage when your nails get peeled off automatically without any effort.
Images, Pics, Photos and Pictures of Peeling Nails :
Treatment :
Understanding the root cause of the problem is the only way to stop nail damage. You can stick on eating balanced diet that includes all essential vitamins and proteins. Take plenty of vegetables and fresh fruits daily. Biotin is richly found in cauliflower, onions and Swiss chard. Eggs and chicken are protein rich foods. All green leafy vegetables and poultry foods are rich in Vitamin B. Vitamin A is found in carrots and cod fish. Most of the insufficient nutrition problems can be resolved by eating balanced diet.
If you are washing hands frequently you can wear protective gloves to prevent nail damage. You can apply moisturizing lotions and Vaseline to your skin regularly during cold weather to prevent dryness. You can also use nail enamel products and nail hardeners. Nail paints can easily lock the moisture of the nails thus preventing dryness and peeling of nails.
Trimming your nails regularly can prevent accumulation of dirt inside and hence you can reduce the risk of getting infected. If you get frequent skin infection consult your skin doctor. Keep your fingers in warm water (for few minutes) twice a week to restore the lost moisture. Do not share cosmetic products with others which can reduce the risk of infection.
