What should you know about dry brittle nails in winter?

Cold outdoor air and heated indoor rooms reduce moisture around the hands. Frequent handwashing, cleaning products and long exposure to water can then leave the nail plate more prone to peeling, splitting and catching. Picking polish or cutting cuticles can add trauma. Nail fungus can also change a nail, but brittle nails alone do not establish that cause. Look for thickening, yellow or white discoloration, crumbling, lifting, or changes affecting several nails.

Apply a rich hand cream or ointment to the nails, cuticles and surrounding skin after washing and before bed. Wear lined gloves outdoors and protective gloves for wet household work. Keep nails short with a fine file, smooth snags in one direction, and avoid using nails as tools. Give damaged nails a break from harsh removers, extensions and aggressive cuticle work. Do not share nail tools, and clean tools between uses.

Arrange a medical review if a nail remains thick, discoloured, crumbly, lifted or painful after winter care, or if the skin around it is swollen or draining. A clinician can examine for infection, inflammation or injury; Nail Fungus is one condition that may need consideration when characteristic changes persist. Seek prompt care for rapidly spreading redness, severe pain or fever.

Does the nail pattern suggest dryness, trauma, inflammation or infection? Should a nail sample be checked? Which moisturiser and protective routine fit my work? Should I pause polish, extensions or salon treatments?