Caleb Foster
Soft nails are unhealthy nails. They are caused by a deterioration of the layers of keratin that form the nail, weakening it and causing it to break or split easily. Soft nails can be a sign of a poor diet, vitamin or mineral deficiencies, or external trauma to the nail. They can also be caused by using your nail as a tool, pressing into the nail too firmly, or removing acrylic nail polish.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Health | Soft nails are unhealthy and fragile |
| Sound | When trimming soft nails, there is hardly any sound |
| Texture | Soft nails are bendy and can feel paper-thin |
| Causes | Deficiency in vitamins B8, B12 or C, iron, zinc or magnesium |
| Causes | Poor diet |
| Causes | External trauma to the nail, e.g. using your nail as a tool, pressing into the nail too firmly, or removing acrylic nail polish |
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What You'll Learn
Soft nails are unhealthy nails
Soft nails are often an indication of a poor diet, which leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Nails need a well-balanced diet to ensure they get the vitamins and mineral salts needed for nail growth. Soft nails can indicate a deficiency in vitamin B8 (or biotin), B12 or C, as well as a deficiency in iron, zinc or magnesium.
There are other causes of soft nails, too. They can be caused by external trauma to the nail, such as using your nail as a tool, pressing into the nail too firmly, or removing acrylic nail polish. They can also be caused by harsh manicures, humidity and chemicals.
If you have soft nails, it's important to give them special care. This includes adopting a balanced diet, caring for and moisturising your nails daily, and protecting them from external aggressors using a treatment base coat enriched with AHAs.
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Soft nails can be caused by a poor diet
A poor diet will lead to deficiencies that will directly impact the health of your nails. The priority is therefore to restore a balanced diet containing all the nutrients your nails need to grow.
To regain healthy nails, it is important to have a balanced diet, to care for and moisturise your nails on a daily basis and to protect them from external aggressors (humidity, chemicals, harsh manicures, etc.) using a treatment base coat enriched with AHAs.
There are plenty of ways to strengthen soft nails. You can start taking a multivitamin that includes calcium and B vitamins. You can also try to give up some bad habits, such as using your nail as a tool, pressing into the nail too firmly, or removing acrylic nail polish.
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Soft nails can indicate a vitamin deficiency
Soft nails are fragile, unhealthy nails that need special care. The layers of keratin that form the nail have deteriorated, weakening it and causing it to break or split easily. To regain healthy nails, it is important to have a balanced diet, to care for and moisturise your nails on a daily basis and to protect them from external aggressors (humidity, chemicals, harsh manicures, etc.) using a treatment base coat enriched with AHAs.
There are also other reasons why your nails might be soft. For example, this could be caused by external trauma to the nail itself, such as using your nail as a tool, pressing into the nail too firmly, or removing acrylic nail polish.
If you are concerned about the softness of your nails, you should consider consulting a healthcare professional.
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Soft nails can be caused by external trauma
Soft nails can also be caused by a poor diet. Nails are a barometer of our state of health, and their condition is particularly dependent on a well-balanced diet that can ensure the vitamins and mineral salts needed for nail growth. Soft, brittle nails can indicate a deficiency in vitamin B8 (or biotin), B12 or C, as well as a deficiency in iron, zinc or magnesium.
There are other reasons why your nails might be soft. For example, if you have a gel manicure, your nails may feel paper-thin or non-existent. Nails that are soft are fragile and need special care. To regain healthy nails, it is important to have a balanced diet, to care for and moisturise your nails on a daily basis and to protect them from external aggressors (humidity, chemicals, harsh manicures, etc.) using a treatment base coat enriched with AHAs.
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Soft nails can be strengthened
Soft nails are unhealthy nails. The layers of keratin that form the nail have deteriorated, weakening the nail and causing it to break or split easily. Soft nails can be strengthened by adopting a well-balanced diet that includes all the vitamins and mineral salts needed for nail growth. Soft nails can be a sign of a deficiency in vitamin B8 (or biotin), B12 or C, as well as a deficiency in iron, zinc or magnesium.
To regain healthy nails, it is important to care for and moisturise your nails daily and protect them from external aggressors such as humidity, chemicals and harsh manicures. You can also use a treatment base coat enriched with AHAs.
There are also some simple habits you can adopt to strengthen your nails. Firstly, try not to use your nails as tools, press into them too firmly, or remove acrylic nail polish. Secondly, when trimming your nails, make sure there is a sound – if your nails are so soft that they can be bent with ease or torn off when stuck on threads, they are too soft.
Finally, if you are trying to grow your nails when they are soft or brittle, this will only lead to frustration. Instead, focus on strengthening your nails first.
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Frequently asked questions
Soft nails are unhealthy nails. The layers of keratin that form the nail have deteriorated, weakening it and causing it to break or split easily.
You may have soft nails if your nails get stuck on threads and tear off, if they make hardly any sound when you trim them, if you can physically bend your nail with ease, or if they feel paper-thin after a gel manicure.
Soft nails are often caused by a poor diet, which leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. In particular, soft nails can indicate a deficiency in vitamin B8 (biotin), B12 or C, as well as a deficiency in iron, zinc or magnesium.
To treat soft nails, it's important to adopt a balanced diet that includes all the vitamins and minerals your nails need to grow. You should also care for and moisturise your nails daily, and protect them from external aggressors (humidity, chemicals, harsh manicures, etc.) using a treatment base coat enriched with AHAs.
Soft nails can be prevented by giving up bad habits that damage your nails, such as using your nails as tools, pressing into them too firmly, or removing acrylic nail polish.
