Nail Growth & Strengthener

If your nails are brittle and break off before they've grown to your desired length, it is probably no cause for alarm. Your nails may be too dry or brittle, which is causing them to break. In rare cases, nails may be breaking as the result of an underlying condition. Consult your doctor if your nails are yellow, curled or contain indentations, recommends MayoClinic.com.

Significance

If your nails are weak and break off, you may be exposing them to harsh detergents, like dish soap or household cleaners, that are drying them out, according to the Health Services of Columbia official website in the article "Fingernails Fray and Chip All the Time." If you are allergic to an ingredient in your soap or household cleaner, nails may become even more brittle and weak. Additionally, nail breakage may be the result of a vitamin deficiency. You may be lacking calcium, zinc, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C or iron in your diet.

Identification

Watch your nails for problems to look for underlying conditions that may be causing your weak nails, recommends MayoClinic.com in the article "Nails: How to Keep Your Fingernails Healthy and Strong." If your nails look opaque or white in color or have a dark mark that doesn't go away after a few months, your nail breakage may be due to another condition, like nail fungus. Keeping your nails dry and clean, filed short and free of opaque-colored nail polish may help you identify nail problems before they get worse.

Prevention/Solution

Wear rubber gloves when washing dishes, cleaning and doing laundry by hand to prevent contact with harsh detergents, recommends MayoClinic.com. In the book "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Women," Elizabeth Abel, M.D., clinical associate professor of dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine recommends applying petroleum jelly on and around the nails to seal in moisture and make them grow stronger. Nail polish removers that contain acetone may weaken the nails; instead, use a remover that contains no acetone and limit your use to once a week.

Considerations

Biotin is a vitamin found in cauliflower that is thought to increase the thickness of nails. MayoClinic.com recommends taking 2.5 mg of biotin daily to strengthen nails and make them thicker. In "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Women," Elizabeth Abel, M.D., clinical associate professor of dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine argues that taking biotin supplements does not strengthen brittle nails and instead, applying more moisture to the nails is effective.

Misconceptions

Over-the-counter nail hardeners are touted as nail strengtheners, but they may actually make nails break more easily, according to Health Services at Columbia. Because nail strengtheners don't allow moisture into the nail, they may not be effective, particularly if some of the nail hardener chips off.