The Surprising Story Of A Man Who Peeled Off His Finger Nail

Have you ever peeled off your fingernail? It's not uncommon for nails to peel or split, especially if they are weakened or damaged. This can be caused by external trauma or systemic conditions. If you suspect your nails are peeling due to an iron deficiency, you may want to consider increasing your daily iron intake.

External trauma

Nails are made from keratin, a protein that’s also found in your hair. They protect your fingertips and enhance your ability to pick up items. Nails have multiple tough layers that can peel. This can cause them to appear thin or become weakened, causing them to split. The medical term for peeling or splitting fingernails is onychoschizia.

Picking off nail polish and pressing on your nails can cause them to peel. Harsh weather and pounding pavement can cause your feet to crack and peel.

Trauma or damage to the nail itself can cause peeling. It takes 6 months for a fingernail to grow to its full length. That means it’s possible to experience nail abnormalities as a result of something that occurred months earlier.

If both your fingernails and toenails are peeling, this signals an internal cause. Internal causes can vary, but sometimes dry, peeling nails can indicate a vitamin deficiency, typically an iron deficiency.

Systemic conditions

Nails are made from keratin, a protein that’s also found in your hair. Nails have multiple tough layers that can peel. This can cause them to appear thin or become weakened, causing them to split. The medical term for peeling or splitting fingernails is onychoschizia.

Nails also protect your fingertips and enhance your ability to pick up items. Trauma or damage to the nail itself can cause peeling. Picking off nail polish and pressing on your nails can cause them to peel. More rarely, they’re a sign that a pathologic process is occurring inside your body.

If both your fingernails and toenails are peeling, this signals an internal cause. Internal causes can vary, but sometimes dry, peeling nails can indicate a vitamin deficiency, typically an iron deficiency. Peeling nails rarely have internal causes or are a medical emergency. However, if your nails are causing severe pain or bleeding in addition to peeling, you may want to seek urgent medical care.

Most often, at-home treatments can reduce the incidence of peeling nails. If you suspect your peeling nails are the result of an iron deficiency, you may want to consider increasing your daily iron intake. Examples of foods that are high in iron include:

• Spinach
• Red meat
• Oysters
• Dark chocolate
• Iron-fortified cereals

Treatments may include increasing iron intake, keeping nails short and moisturized, and more. Sometimes, horizontal splits may occur in the fingernails, resulting in thin layers of the nails peeling back.

Vitamin deficiencies

Peeling nails can result from external trauma to the nail. More rarely, they can indicate a systemic condition or a pathologic process is occurring inside your body. Nowadays fingernails serve a cosmetic purpose, but their primitive uses included digging and defending. Nails also protect your fingertips and enhance your ability to pick up items. Nails are made from keratin, a protein that’s also found in your hair. Nails have multiple tough layers that can peel. This can cause them to appear thin or become weakened, causing them to split. The medical term for peeling or splitting fingernails is onychoschizia.

If both your fingernails and toe nails are peeling, this signals an internal cause. Internal causes can vary, but sometimes dry, peeling nails can indicate a vitamin deficiency, typically an iron deficiency. Peeling nails rarely have internal causes or are a medical emergency. However, if your nails are causing severe pain or bleeding in addition to peeling, you may want to seek urgent medical care. Most often, at-home treatments can reduce the incidence of peeling nails. If you suspect your peeling nails are the result of an iron deficiency, you may want to consider increasing your daily iron intake. Examples of foods that are high in iron include:

• Spinach
• Kale
• Beef liver
• Oysters
• Dark chocolate
• Iron-fortified cereals

Treatments may include increasing iron intake, keeping nails short and moisturized, and more. Sometimes, horizontal splits may occur in the fingernails, resulting in thin layers of the nails peeling back. Nails consist of layers of a protective fibrous protein called keratin that also occurs in skin and hair. Keratin makes the nails strong, but external trauma or an underlying health condition can cause thin layers of the nail to peel away. When this occurs, it can leave the nails looking thin. They may also feel sensitive or uncomfortable.

Iron deficiency

If you suspect that your peeling nails are the result of an iron deficiency, you may want to consider increasing your daily iron intake. Foods that are high in iron include red meat, poultry, fish, beans, and leafy green vegetables. You can also try taking iron supplements or drinking iron-fortified beverages.

In addition to increasing your iron intake, there are other things you can do to help treat peeling nails. Keeping your nails short and moisturized can help prevent peeling. You can also try using a nail hardener or a nail oil to help strengthen your nails.

If your peeling nails are caused by an iron deficiency, you may notice that your nails are thinner and more fragile than usual. You may also experience pain or discomfort in your nails or around your nails. If you are concerned about your peeling nails, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional to determine the underlying cause and to receive appropriate treatment.

Nail bed damage

If you suspect that your nail bed damage is due to an underlying health condition, you should seek medical care. Most often, at-home treatments can reduce the incidence of peeling nails. If you suspect your peeling nails are the result of an iron deficiency, you may want to consider increasing your daily iron intake.

If you are experiencing nail bed damage, you should keep your nails short and moisturized to reduce the incidence of peeling nails.

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