Q: I am 85 years old and am hoping you can help me. My fingernails are splitting on both hands. I always wear gloves when I have my hands in water. They are very painful. This only happens in summertime but in the winter, the skin around my fingers cracks open and is also very painful, so I have issues year-round.
Is there anything you can suggest to me that I could try? I would appreciate hearing from you.
A: Women are more prone than are men to onychoschizia – nails that split, are brittle, thin or are soft. When fingernails are affected but toenails remain strong, an external factor is most frequently the cause.
The act of running a house involves washing floors and dishes, cleaning sinks, preparing meals, doing laundry, and other tasks too numerous to mention. Hands are in water, subjecting nails to moisture. Then they are dried, subjecting them to becoming too dry. And, it’s this constant process that may cause your nails to respond as they do. While you may wear gloves while doing the dishes, you may not do so when you wipe down the kitchen table or counter or when you rinse out the sponge or cloth you use to perform that act. So, nails can become dry and brittle from too little moisture when exposed to dry heat in the wintertime or soft and brittle from too much moisture or from a reaction to harsh chemicals in detergents or cleaning solutions.
Then, there is the occasional individual who may have a vitamin deficiency such as iron deficiency that causes nails to split, or the person that uses fingernail polish and removes it with a solution that contains acetone. You don’t indicated when you last had lab work drawn. You may choose to speak with your physician to determine if any vitamin deficiencies were present. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, 2 mg of biotin taken daily will stop nails from splitting and becoming brittle. Women who are pregnant should not take biotin but it should be safe for others.
Many portions of the body can reflect a person’s health, and fingernails are no exception. For example, white nails could be an indication of liver disease. Pale nail beds may be an indication of anemia. Nails that are yellow in color, that thicken and are slow-growing may indicate emphysema or another lung disorder. Diabetics are prone to fungal infections and brittle nails. Therefore, if you can identify and address any underlying conditions, you may be on your way back to healthy nails and a healthier body.
I recommend you limit the amount of time your nails are exposed to water. This may not be when you are washing dishes and wearing gloves, but when you shower or sink into a tub of hot water at the end of a long day. The water should be lukewarm rather than hot to prevent drying and flaking. Keep your nails well-lubricated with a moisturizer by applying hand cream to your hands, nails, and the cuticle area. The lotion used should contain lanolin or alpha hydroxy acids. File your nails to prevent them from getting too long and breaking.
If you have any questions as to why your nails split, speak with your primary care physician. He or she may have some ideas based on your medical history that can get you back on track.
