Weak or Brittle Nails: What Your Body May Be Telling You
Weak, peeling, or brittle nails are very common and don’t automatically mean you have a vitamin deficiency or serious illness. Repeated exposure to water, cleaning products, nail polish remover, manicures, and other physical or chemical irritation can damage nails.
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American Academy of Dermatology
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However, persistent nail changes can sometimes provide clues about an underlying problem.
Possible causes
Iron deficiency: Brittle nails can occur with iron-deficiency anemia. Particularly characteristic are thin, spoon-shaped nails that curve upward.
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Mayo Clinic
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Fungal infection: Nails may become brittle, thickened, discolored, misshapen, or start lifting from the nail bed.
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Psoriasis or other skin conditions: Pitting, ridges, discoloration, or separation of the nail can occur with certain dermatological conditions.
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American Academy of Dermatology
Thyroid or other systemic conditions: Changes in nail thickness, shape, or growth can sometimes accompany medical conditions, although nails alone cannot diagnose them.
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Mayo Clinic
Normal aging: Vertical ridges and some changes in nail texture become more noticeable with age and are often harmless.
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Mayo Clinic
What you can do
Keep nails clean and dry, wear gloves when washing dishes or using cleaning chemicals, moisturize your hands and nails regularly, and avoid using nails as tools. When filing, file in one direction rather than sawing back and forth, which can weaken them.
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American Academy of Dermatology
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Don’t automatically start iron, biotin, or other supplements just because your nails are weak. Too much iron can be harmful, and the cause of brittle nails should ideally be established first.
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Mayo Clinic
When to get them checked
See a doctor or dermatologist if the change persists, affects several nails, causes pain or swelling, or involves significant discoloration, thickening, lifting, or failure of the nail to grow. A new or changing dark streak under a nail deserves prompt dermatological assessment because, although uncommon, it can be melanoma.
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American Academy of Dermatology
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Bottom line: Brittle nails are often caused by everyday damage or dryness, but persistent or unusual changes can sometimes point to iron deficiency, infection, or another medical condition. The appearance of the nails—and your other symptoms—matters more than simply having “weak nails.”
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