What should you know about brittle damaged nails?

Nail damage may look like peeling layers, rough ridges, a split edge, white marks, thinning, or partial lifting. Biting, picking, aggressive filing, gel removal, solvents, detergents, and knocks can injure the plate or the skin that makes it. Repeated wetting and drying also makes fragile nails more likely to bend and break. A nail that becomes thick, yellow, crumbly, or detached may have a different cause, including infection, but appearance alone cannot confirm it.

The visible plate cannot mend itself after it cracks. Healthy nail replaces it as it grows, so protecting the base and avoiding more trauma matter more than covering the damage. Changes at the nail root or around the skin should be checked.

Trim damaged edges carefully and smooth snags with a fine file. Use gloves for washing dishes and cleaning, dry thoroughly, and moisturise the nails and cuticles after hand washing. Take breaks from extensions, gel products, and harsh removers; never peel a coating away. Do not cut living cuticle or use sharp tools beneath the nail. If a nail is discoloured, thickened, crumbling, or lifting, ask about testing before beginning Nail Fungus treatment, since other conditions may look similar.

Make an appointment if damage does not improve as the nail grows, affects several nails, or is associated with pain, warmth, swelling, pus, bleeding, colour change, or separation. Seek prompt advice after a crush injury or if a dark mark is new and changing. Persistent nail changes should be assessed sooner when diabetes, circulation problems, or reduced immunity could make complications harder to notice.

What part of the nail is damaged? Could an infection or inflammatory condition be contributing? Is a sample or other test useful? How can I protect the nail during work, sport, or manicures?