Your nails say a lot about your health. If they’re weak and brittle, discolored, or forming ridges, your digits could be signaling that something else is going on inside your body.
Peeling nails are no different. While it’s one of those annoying beauty issues you may be tempted to ignore, there are a number of different reasons for peeling nails. Your diet, manicure techniques, or even an underlying condition could be to blame.
But once you figure out what’s going on, you can seek proper treatment. “Giving your hands and nails some TLC might do the trick but if not, visit your doctor or dermatologist for guidance,” says Dr Shirin Peters.
“Your dermatologist will ask questions about possible causes or exposures and any medical conditions or medications that could play a role.”
They may also take a clipping of your nail and send it to a dermatopathologist to be examined under a microscope to get a better idea of what’s going on.
Not sure why your nails are peeling? Ahead, experts break down the most common reasons, plus what you can do to return them to their former glory.
1. Your hands are frequently wet
“The most common cause [of peeling nails] is repetitive wetting or drying of hands,” says dermatologist Dr Blair Murphy-Rose.
“So it happens often with hairdressers, house cleaners, and other jobs requiring frequent soaking of hands.”
Your nails may also peel if you spend time in hot or humid places. “Too much moisture or prolonged exposure to moisture causes the nail to swell with water and become soft,” explains Dr. Peters.
“The end result is a soft and brittle nail that is susceptible to damage from minimal trauma.”
To prevent this from happening, Dr. Peters recommends wearing gloves when doing the dishes, drying your hands and nails thoroughly after washing them, and regularly applying a hand cream that contains vitamin E to replenish any moisture that is lost.
2. You buffed your nails too much
Just as moisture-laden nails can be prone to peeling and splitting, so can nails that are dried out from too much buffing, according to Dr. Peters.
“Excessive dryness causes the nail to become brittle so minor trauma easily damages the nail,” she explains. That means a small nick can turn into a big split when nails are too dry.
Be sure to use a rich moisturiser or nail oil after buffing your nails to keep them from drying out, suggests Dr. Rose.
3. The chemicals in your products are too harsh
Certain chemicals (like those needed for adhesive for gel or acrylic nails) and ingredients found in everything from hand soap and sanitisers to laundry detergent can dry out nails and make them prone to peeling, says Dr. Peters.
She recommends looking for products labelled “hypoallergenic” because they typically contain milder or natural chemical agents. If you’re not sure where to start, she likes Aveeno, Cetaphil, and Dove bath care products.
4. You’ve experienced nail trauma
Picking at polish, biting your nails, or using your nails to open a can of fizzy drink might not sound very traumatic, but activities like this really can cause nails to start peeling.
“While the exact mechanism is not entirely understood, generally speaking, nail peeling occurs when cell-to-cell adhesion is disrupted,” says Dr. Rose.
“Our nails are made of many layers of compacted cells. The connection between one cell and other adjacent cells can be compromised as the bonds between them loosen. This is what occurs when the nail peels. The cell-to-cell adhesion breaks down and the layers separate.”
To prevent that separation from happening, Dr. Rose recommends applying a nail strengthener like OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener—and be sure to use a gentle, acetone-free nail polish remover instead of picking polish off bit by bit.
5. A nutrient deficiency could be playing a role
“Peeling nails have been associated with low calcium, as well as a deficiency in iron, vitamin D, and B vitamins like biotin,” says Dr. Peters. “These vitamins all help keratin—what the tissue nails are made of—grow stronger.”
Eating a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins is a good place to start addressing nutritional deficiencies, but you might also want to ask your doctor if you could benefit from taking certain supplements.
6. A thyroid issue might be to blame
While typical signs of a thyroid disorder include weight changes, anxiety, fatigue, and brain fog, peeling nails can also be a red flag that you should have your thyroid levels checked.
“Thyroid disease causes a slower turnover rate of the skin and nails so older nail tissue stays around for longer, causing nails to become brittle,” explains Dr. Peters.
7. You have a fungal infection
“Onychomycosis, or fungal infection of the nail, can cause several different types of nail dystrophy including nail peeling,” says Dr. Rose.
You may also experience thickening of the nails and white or yellow-brown discoloration, according to experts at the Mayo Clinic.
If you think you have a fungal infection, make an appointment with your dermatologist, as they can be tricky to treat. Your doctor can confirm that you have an infection and will likely prescribe oral antifungal medication to help the nail heal.
8. You have hand eczema
Sometimes certain skin conditions like eczema can trigger nail peeling. Eczema can manifest in different parts of the body including the hands.
Hands can become dry and flaky with red inflamed areas that are prone to cracks and fissures causing intense itching and burning.
“If inflammation surrounds the nail, this can impact normal nail growth and appearance and nails can grow with irregularities including a tendency to peel,” says dermatologist Dr Dana Stern.
To avoid nail peeling, make sure to manage eczema symptoms by keeping the skin on the hands hydrated with your favourite moisturiser.
9. You need to exfoliate
When skin feels dry we tend to reach for a body scrub to slough off any flakiness. The same intention applies to nails.
“The nail is composed of layers of dead nail cells so to a certain degree, nail peeling happens due to a lack of exfoliation,” says Dr. Stern.
Using an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) like glycolic acid, which has been shown to help rejuvenate nails, can help jumpstart exfoliation.
When to see a doctor
Peeling nails is common and shouldn’t typically be a reason to worry. With time, depending on the severity of the peeling as well as the cause and the efficacy of treatment, symptoms should subside.
Usually, there is no internal cause, but if peeling is simply not healing or comes on suddenly in someone who always has great, healthy nails, see your dermatologist or doctor to explore possible causes like thyroid disease or anaemia, says Dr. Stern.
Getting some blood tests and a thorough examination can help paint a clearer picture of what may be going on.
Newsletter
