Brittle nails may sound like a relatively insignificant problem, but the brittleness can cause various issues. Some may be concerned about the aesthetics of such a nail, as it can look visibly weaker. Even when it does not, the integrity and strength is weak to the point that it cracks and breaks easily, causing pain.
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Symptoms
The nail will appear very weak, and this can present in a variety of ways. In terms of thickness, the nail can be thin and lose much of its integrity, causing it to break easily. The small chips and cracks that build up over time can cause it to be sharp, and easily snag on the fabric of socks, further breaking the nail and causing pain.
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Causes
There are a numerous amount of factors that lead to the nail being weak enough to become brittle. This could be due to a lack of nutrition from diet, dehydration, or other conditions such as anemia, diabetes, Raynaud's phenomenon, or hypothyroidism. More common causes would be from simply too little or too much moisture. This is seen in people who are working long hours and stay in their footwear for too long, creating excessive amounts of sweat. The most common cause of brittle nails is simply aging, as age will amplify prior health issues that may have led to the condition in the first place.
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Treatment
The best way to treat the brittle nail is to address the cause. Often the hardest part is pinpointing which lifestyle aspect is affecting the health of the nail the most. For nails that are moist too often, it is best to reduce it by making changes to the footwear, or changing socks more regularly throughout the day to reduce sweat. If nutritional deficiency is the main cause, changes to the diet under the supervision of a licensed dietitian will be best. More serious factors will need specific attention from the respective specialist, such as an endocrinologist to address hypothyroidism.
Treatment of the nail itself is simple - by keeping it short with regular trimming, we prevent the buildup of chips, cracks and unevenness, so the nail is unable to snag on sock fabric, which is where painful symptoms occur.
