Flexible and strong, with a delicate pink shimmer and a matte shine – this is how a healthy natural nail should be. It is characterized by a smooth surface that can withstand mechanical stress without breaking or tearing. Healthy nails look attractive and can be easily worked on with nail polish, gel modeling or an acrylic structure. But the actual job of the nails is to protect the fingers and toes and protect them from damage. Damaged nails cannot fulfill this task, making it easier for fungal spores and bacterial infections.
What you can do if you have problem nails 💡
Torn nails, chipping nail plates or yellowish discoloration - there are many signs that your nails can draw attention to. Nail designer Stefanie tells you how to recognize problem nails and what you can do about them.
Damaged nails
Nails can be damaged by various influences, including chemical substances such as acetone or injuries caused by mechanical influences. These can occur, among other things, if a finger is pinched or is filed down too deeply to remove the gel modeling.
• Chemical substances
• Mechanical load
• Incorrect manicure
What you can do:
In the event of an injury, the nail should be properly cleaned and disinfected before being protected with a plaster. In the event of major damage, you should also see a doctor to avoid infections and subsequent damage. Under no circumstances should you rework a damaged nail with gel modeling, says nail designer Stefanie. She recommends letting the affected nail heal in peace, although a little patience is required - otherwise you risk infections and fungal development, which can cause further damage.
Dark spots on the nail 😣
If you clip a nail or drop something on your toenail, a bruise may form under the nail. This slowly grows out over time. However, dark spots under the nail that appear without you remembering an accident can be a sign of melanoma skin cancer.
• Injuries caused by blows
• Finger entrapment
• Black Skincancer
What you can do:
If you have severe pain, a doctor can drain the blood that collects under the nail to relieve the painful pressure. However, if the black spot remains in the same area, you should consult a dermatologist, because this spot can hide black skin cancer, which can also affect the skin under the nail.
Soft nails
Thin nails are often very soft and therefore tear very easily. In general, they also grow back comparatively slowly. In addition to various cleaning products that may contain plasticizers that affect the nail, it is primarily hormone fluctuations that can cause soft nails. These may affect you if you are pregnant, going through menopause, or taking certain hormone treatments (such as anti-hormone treatment for breast cancer). Other causes of nails that are too soft include a lack of minerals or vitamins, as well as possible metabolic disorders, which can include thyroid dysfunction.
• Chemical substances
• Hormonal fluctuations
• Pregnancy
• Menopause
• Hormone treatments
• Mineral and vitamin deficiencies
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Metabolic disorders
What you can do:
If only one nail is affected, you should clarify whether the nail was damaged in its bed or whether there is a fungal nail infection. If your nails are generally soft, you should discuss this with your family doctor and have an examination to determine the underlying cause so that it can be treated. If there is a deficiency of vitamins and minerals, you should get them with a balanced diet. If you have sensitive nails, you should only soak them briefly in a hand bath and use cuticle removers twice instead of using sharp-edged tools, says nail designer Stefanie. These can cause further damage to the already damaged nail. Avoid using a cuticle cutter or set it to a very low setting - but rosewood sticks are better.
Nails with grooves 😰
Grooves run from the tip to the roots on the nail. These can only be slightly present, but can also be very pronounced. These longitudinal grooves often appear with age. But they can also indicate a lack of fluid intake. On the other hand, transverse grooves usually indicate that the nail has been damaged, for example by an incorrect manicure.
• Inheritance possible
• Signs of aging
• Lack of fluids
• Damage to the nail
What you can do:
If it is an age-related phenomenon or a genetic predisposition, there is little you can do about the longitudinal grooves in your nails. However, you should drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration - this may also help you if you only developed the longitudinal grooves a while ago and are younger. Transverse grooves that indicate injuries show you that you should protect your hands and nails better and perhaps seek professional advice for the right manicure, advises the nail expert.
Splintering & brittle nails
When nails splinter, smaller plates on the upper layer of the nail, usually at the tip of the nail, come off. These nails are usually very dry and therefore flake off. The cause here can be incorrect filing, inadequate care or heavy use. Thyroid dysfunction can also lead to brittle nails. The brittle nails are characterized by the fact that they are hard and break off quickly because they cannot react flexibly to stress. A hard nail with a tendency to break may appear thickened, have a curvature, or be marked with grooves and a slight yellowish color.
• Heavy use
• Faulty manicure
• Lack of care
• Thyroid dysfunction
What you can do:
First, you should see a doctor to see whether your brittle nails are caused by an underlying disease that should be treated. In general, you should also pay attention to a balanced diet to provide your nails with all the substances they need. To protect your brittle nails, you can opt for gel modeling or acrylic nails. Experienced nail technicians can repair broken nails. However, you should not use Shellac in this case, as drying acetone is used to remove it. Choose the right care and do it regularly so that your nails can regenerate, advises nail designer Stefanie. She also recommends using the right tools correctly: choose fine-grain files and always file your nails in one direction to avoid unnecessary tearing. If you clip your nails before filing, choose a product that uses gentler pressure.
Watch glass nails ⏰
These nails differ in shape from a normal nail because they are very round and curved outwards. This nail shape is often found in people who suffer from the metabolic disease cystic fibrosis or the Eisenmenger reaction (the reaction to a congenital heart defect).
• Signs of illness
• Cystic fibrosis
• Eisenmenger reaction
What you can do:
Since watch glass nails are generally the side effect of a serious illness, you should definitely see a doctor for a check-up and appropriate treatment. If the underlying disease is successfully treated, the watch glass nails will often regress themselves.
Spoon nails 🥄
The spoon nails are characterized by a hollow that they form in the middle, so that the edges and especially the tip of the nail are higher than the rest of the nail. This can also be very brittle and splintery. The change in the nails, also known as koilonychia, is often accompanied by thyroid disorders and blood circulation disorders. They can also be an indication of a lack of iron and vitamins and indicate anemia. They are also sometimes the consequences of chemotherapy or an injury to the nail, but a hereditary component is also possible.
• Thyroid disorder
• Circulatory disorder
• Mineral and vitamin deficiencies
• Anemia
• Consequence of chemotherapy
• Injury to the nail
• Hereditary
What you can do:
Celiac disease, Raynaud's syndrome, psoriasis, vitamin B deficiency, heart disease, iron deficiency or diabetes - have a doctor check whether your spoon nails are caused by a disease and, if necessary, treat it as directed by the doctor.
Spotted nails & oil nails
If you find small dimples on your nail, it may be a pit nail. Yellowish spots can indicate an oily nail. Both forms are often found as a side effect of the chronic inflammatory skin disease psoriasis.
• Dimpled nails: small dimples
• Oil nails: Yellowish spots
• Companion of psoriasis (psoriasis)
What you can do:
Spotted nails and oily nails occur as typical nail changes in psoriasis. If you suffer from psoriasis and notice these changes in the nails on your hands or feet, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. The earlier spot or oil nails are treated, the better their effects can be mitigated.
Recognize and treat nail fungus
If a nail turns a very yellowish color, becomes hard and thick and tends to break at the tip, this could be an indication of fungal infection. Other signs include white streaks and spots, inflammation of the nail bed and chipping of the nail layers. You should definitely have these symptoms clarified by a dermatologist and treated professionally. Filamentous fungi, yeast or mold can form the basis for nail fungus infestation. Filamentous fungi are particularly often the cause of nail fungal disease because they like the keratin that the nails are made of. The fungal spores like to lurk in damp heat, which is why the gym locker room, swimming pool, sauna or other moist and warm places are the perfect breeding grounds. Risk factors for a fungal disease include older age, circulatory problems, a weakened immune system and diabetes.
• Old age
• Circulatory disorders
• Weakened immune system
• Diabetes
What you can do:
Have a doctor examine you extensively, prescribe the right medication for the fungal infection, and follow his or her instructions to avoid the painful progression of the disease to other nails and to avoid spreading it to other people around you.
Prevent nail fungus
To prevent infection with nail fungus, have any existing underlying diseases properly treated. Make sure you take good, regular care of your hands and feet. Never share nail files, scissors, nail clippers, or other manicure supplies with other people. You should also avoid walking barefoot in public places - this includes saunas, swimming pools, gyms and changing rooms. Clothing or laundry that comes into direct contact with your body, such as towels and socks, should be washed at high temperatures above 60°C, especially if you have used them in public facilities. Choose breathable shoes and socks that fit comfortably to ensure good ventilation and protect the foot from pressure points and injuries, which can be a gateway to nail diseases.
Tips from nail expert Stefanie: Treat nail biters correctly
Sometimes painted nails can help to alleviate nail biting, says nail expert Stefanie, because many sufferers are more inhibited about nibbling on a well-groomed and painted nail. Gel modeling or acrylic can also help, because these products create beautiful nails that are harder and rather blunt at the tip - on the one hand, the nail can be less damaged when chewing, and on the other hand, the blunter corners and edges make it harder to scratch and nibbled, says the expert - this is also an advantage for neurodermatitis, because scratching unnoticed at night sometimes causes less damage.
Take special care of the cuticles of nail biters
When working on the nails of nail biters, it is very important to pay a lot of attention to the cuticles, explains nail designer Stefanie. It is often severely affected and covers large parts of the nail in order to protect it from further “attacks”. The cuticles should therefore be removed using gentle tools. This also includes carefully removing hardened areas and protruding corners. The cuticles should then be well cared for with appropriate creams and serums. If necessary, wound ointments can also be used if there are bloody areas. The goal is to keep the skin as soft as possible and allow it to regenerate so that viruses, bacteria and fungi have no chance of becoming infected, says the expert.
• Gentle tool
• Remove cuticles
• Care for cuticles
3 questions about problem nails for nail expert Stefanie
Disinfectants and cleaning agents, solvents, water or hormonal fluctuations – the causes of problem nails are varied and can manifest themselves in different ways. Nail designer Stefanie tells you how she deals with problem nails in the nail salon.
ND24: Your 3 tips for gel modeling for problem nails?
Nail designer Stefanie: When I treat problem nails with gel modeling, I sometimes apply two adhesive layers as a base and let them harden separately to provide the nail with support. I also let each nail cure individually under the UV lamp. I repair damaged nails that have already healed but have deep grooves, for example, with a fiberglass mat - it strengthens the nail.
• Apply 2 adhesive coats
• Apply 2 adhesive coats
• Reinforce nail with fiberglass mat
ND24: Can every problem nail be treated with acrylic, gel modeling or Shellac?
Nail designer Stefanie: There are nails that are so dry and brittle or out of balance that they become extremely greasy or simply peel off - it is almost impossible to apply any form of nail design or even nail polish to these nails. I recommend keeping these nails short and not treating them so that comprehensive care is possible and can fully reach the nail.
ND24: What's the first thing you do when you have a problem nail in front of you in the studio?
Nail designer Stefanie: I point out, especially to new customers, that the nail is not healthy and needs special treatment. I make care and treatment recommendations and try to provide my clients with information so that they may be able to change their behavior, improve their diet, be more diligent in their care, or seek medical advice. Nail biters can sometimes improve with a good nail design, but there is usually a psychological problem behind this behavior and nail design is only a symptom treatment, which is also what I explain to my customers.