Our nails are made of layers of a protein called keratin. This protein is also found in skin and hair. Constantly typing and tapping, along with daily household chores has a big impact on hands and more specifically, nails. Combine this with unhealthy eating habits and the result – weak, thin and brittle nails.
Thin and brittle nails means that the nails easily become cracked, chipped, split, or peeled. Taking care of nails not only improves how our hands look, but also helps them stay hygienic and healthy.
Here are the main causes of thin and brittle nails:
Biotin Deficiency
Biotin, a part of the B vitamin complex, helps the body break down the amino acids needed to develop healthy nails. Although it is rare to have a serious biotin deficiency, not getting enough biotin in your daily diet can leave nails thin and brittle.
Increasing your biotin intake – through supplements like Inversion Femme or through biotin-rich foods like egg yolks, sardines, nuts, beans and whole grains – can restore strength and health to hair and nails.
Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency aka anaemia may also result in brittle nails. Iron helps the body produce haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying portion of red blood cells. This lack of oxygen prohibits the healthy growth of your nails.
Anaemia can also cause cold hands and feet, pale skin, headaches and a poor appetite. A diet of iron-rich food or iron supplements can resolve the deficiency.
Excessive Use of Nail Polish
Nail polishes contain drying ingredients which dry up the moisture from the nail plate and weaken it. Even the new non-toxic aka ‘five-free nail polishes’, which skip the solvent toluene and the plasticizer dibutyl phthalate, along with other potentially irritating ingredients, can leave nails dry and yellow.
Give your nails a break and go without nail polish in between manicures. Remember to moisturize with hand lotion after every wash.
Acetone Based Nail Polish Remover
Aside from nail polishes, the remover is also harmful to nails. They can dry out your nails, leading to peeling and splitting (which can increase your risk of getting a nail infection).
Avoid removers with an acetone base as they strip the natural oils in your nails along with the polish. Instead, try a soy-based, acetone-free option with oils that leave nails moisturized.
Excessive Water Exposure
The hot weather is sure to drive you towards the swimming pools, beaches and taking extra showers. All this overexposure to water can result in peeling and dry nails. The cells that hold the nails together don’t do so well when they are forced to shift from wet to dry constantly, or if they absorb a lot of different and harmful compounds usually found in swimming pools.
Be sure to moisturize after every swim and wash so as to minimalize the drying effects and wear rubber gloves when doing chores.
Nail Biting
Nail biting leaves fingernails ragged and prone to additional damage and infections. Keeping your nails trimmed short and filing them with an emery board into a rounded shape can prevent the splitting and peeling from getting worse.
How Does Inversion Femme Help?
Inversion Femme is specially developed to nourish the nail matrix, bed and maintain strong and healthy nails. Inversion Femme provides key vitamins, minerals & nutrients for the growth of strong and healthy nails including selenium, zinc, biotin, copper, iron which contribute to nail growth.
It also includes vitamins C, B2, B5, B6 and Beta-carotene which all contribute to the maintenance of healthy nails. This unique formula also includes green tea extract, grape seed extract, omega 3 and omega 6, which lead to happier, healthier and strong nails!