Home Remedies for Brittle Nails
Hands and feet are actually thought to be the most important
sign of your beauty and it reveals that you really love to care them. Brittle
nails spoil all of your beauty if it does not care properly. It is commonly seen that brittle nails are
very weak and can easily cracked without any effort is such an irritating
problem. This problem annoys more if the cracked nail is stuck in something. It
affects both men and women. The three main factors that are the usual causes of
having brittle nails:
- Aging
- Long term use of nail polish
- Frequent exposure to water
Some of the diseases are also found in the history of the
causes of brittle nails such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, psoriasis,
lichen planus, lung diseases, eczema, fungal infection and anemia. Other causes
include exposure to certain chemicals that would be harsh for your nails,
dehydration, nail paint remover, surviving in excessively dry environment, lack
of nutrition, deficiency of vitamins and calcium in body and some kind of
trauma.
Sometimes there is a serious health problem to which brittle
nails are highly concerned like lupus or heart disease, hepatitis and jaundice.
So If you are worried about splitting and cracking nails, you just take a look
around your kitchen, you will find all the natural ingredient there to treat
those brittle nails in an easy and quick way. Home remedies takes a huge time
to recover but never give any kind of side effects like medicines and other
medical products do. So here are some of the amazing remedies given below that
will keep your nails strong enough:
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is suggested because it contains nourishing
properties and recovers your nails from weak to strong. Saturated fat is
present in coconut oil that actually works as a moisturizer. It also prevents
your nails from fungal infection and others.
- Take some quantity of coconut oil and make it slightly warm in microwave oven. Massage this warm oil on your brittle nails and massage gently for five minutes. It will help in improving blood circulation and keep the nails moisturized for the long time. Do this remedy three times daily.
- Alternatively, mix one-quarter cup of warm coconut oil and little amount of lemon juice in a bowl. Soak your nails in this solution for about 10 minutes before sleeping. Repeat it 2 or 3 times daily.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is great ingredient for all your skin
problems including brittle nails. Apple cider vinegar is rich in nutrients and keeps
your nails healthy like vitamins, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron. It
contains special compounds called malic acid and acetic acid which help to
fight against nail infections.
- Take a bowl and mix equal amounts of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and water.
- Soak your hands in the solution for few minutes.
- Immediately push down the cuticles.
- Do this remedy once daily and within few days, your nails will become much stronger than before.
3. Vitamin E Oil
The main reason of having brittle nails is lack of moisture
so that vitamin E oil is best for this purpose to keep your nails moisturized
and hydrated.
- Break and open the vitamin E capsule to extract the oil from it.
- Apply this on your nails before going to bed.
- Massage gently for about five minutes to help increasing the blood circulation.
- Do this remedy daily for two weeks.
4. Horsetail
Horsetail is an herb that can also use to treat the brittle
nails as it has high amount of silica, an essential mineral for strong and
healthy nails. This herb can help get rid of white spots in your nails.
- In a cup of hot water, add two tsp of dried horsetail herb.
- Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
- Let it cool down then soak your nails for about 20 minutes.
- Pat dry your nails then rub olive oil on them.
- Leave it all the night while wearing gloves for better results.
- Repeat this remedy four times a week.
You can also drink one to two cups of horsetail tea daily
for added benefits.
5. Tea Tree Oil
Oil massage is the best treatment from all in case of
brittle nails. Tea tree oil is good if brittle nails are due to the fungal
infections. It will also help treat discolored nails.
- Mix one-half tsp of vitamin E oil and few drops of tea tree oil.
- Rub this solution on brittle nails and massage gently for few minutes.
- Leave for 30 minutes.
- Rinse it off with lukewarm water then pat dry.
- Apply moisturizing lotion and do this remedy two times a day for a month.
6. Sea Salt
Sea salt contains lots of minerals that are good for your
nail health. It strengthens the nails and keep them strong. It gives a
brilliant shine to your nails.
- Mix two tbsp. of fine grain sea salts in a small bowl of warm water.
- Now add two drops of wheat germ oil and frankincense, myrrh and lemon essential oils.
- Soak your nails in this solution for 15 minutes.
- Rinse it off with warm water then pat dry.
- Apply a hand cream and follow this remedy three times a week.
7. Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a great option if you want to improve the
condition of your brittle nails. It helps in brighten up your nails and make
them look whiter than ever.
- Take a small bowl and mix one tbsp. of fresh lemon juice and three tbsp. of olive oil. Slightly warm the mixture in microwave for few seconds until you notice the mixture is now warm to touch. Apply this on your nails with the help of a cotton swab before going to bed. Wear gloves and leave it overnight. Follow the remedy once on daily basis for 3 weeks.
- Another thing you can do is mix equal parts of fresh lemon juice and argan oil. Now soak your nails in this solution for 20 minutes. Follow it one time in a day for 3 weeks.
8. Beer
Beer is also an effective remedy for brittle nails because
it contains selenium, phosphorus, potassium and biotin which help in making
your nails strong and healthy.
- Heat one-quarter cup of olive oil and slightly warm it to touch.
- Mix it with one-quarter cup of apple cider vinegar and one-half cup of beer.
- Soak your nails in this mixture for about 15 minutes.
- Follow the remedy twice a week.
9. Blackstrap Molasses
Lack of iron is one of important causes of brittle nails,
blackstrap molasses is thus a good source of iron and it contains several other
nutrients that are needed to keep your overall health good.
- Mix one tbsp. of blackstrap molasses in a cup of hot water or milk.
- Drink this two times a day.
Note: This remedy is not recommended for those who are diabetic.
10. Biotin Supplement
Biotin is very much required in your body to keep your nails
healthy and strong. According to the study shown in Switzerland that was
published in the Journal Cutis found that people with brittle nails were
supposed to have 25 percent increase in nail plate thickness after taking 2.5mg
of biotin daily for at least six months.
- Take biotin supplement daily after consulting your doctor for the proper dosage.
- Include biotin-rich foods in your daily diet like egg yolks, whole grains, soybeans, fish, milk, lentils, cereals, cauliflower and bananas.
Additional Tips
- Wear plastic gloves in order to protect your hands and nails from exposure to water or other harsh chemicals.
- Rub petroleum jelly or thick cream on your nails to keep them moisturized all the day, especially in the winter season.
- Avoid using nail paints, lacquers and adhesives.
- Do not cut away the cuticles. Use cuticle cream or oil to avoid dry skin and hangnails.
- Avoid alcohol-based hand sanitizers because it can make your nails dry.
- Always choose fortified nail polishes.
- Follow a healthy diet chart and drink enough amount of water to keep your body hydrated.
- Expose your nails to the natural sunlight for few minutes daily to nourish them with vitamin D.
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