Why Your Nails Keep Breaking – Fungal or Mineral Deficiency?

Close-up of healthy fingernails and toenails with a glowing mineral crystal and faint fungal spore shapes in a soft, natural background.

Have you ever been going about your day when suddenly, another nail splits or breaks? It’s frustrating, right? You might be wondering why your nails keep breaking despite your best efforts to keep them healthy. The truth is, this annoying cycle of brittle nails and constant breakage isn’t just a cosmetic issue—it’s often your body’s way of signaling that something needs attention.

What Causes Nails to Break?

There are various reasons why nails can break. Some causes are simple mechanical damage, while others may involve more complex underlying health issues. Interestingly, your nails can provide surprising insights into your nutritional status and overall well-being.

When you notice persistent breaking toenails or fingernails that crack with minimal pressure, it could be a sign of something more serious than just bad luck.

The Two Main Reasons for Nail Breakage

In most cases, nail breakage is caused by one of two things:

  1. Fungal infections: These can be hidden beneath the surface and may require treatment.
  2. Nutritional gaps: Deficiencies in certain minerals like magnesium or potassium can manifest in your nails before you notice other symptoms.

Even if you’re using protective products like OPI Gel Break, it’s important to understand that these solutions won’t address the root cause of the problem.

Finding Answers

The first step towards finding a solution that works is understanding what exactly is causing your nails to break. You deserve answers that go beyond temporary fixes, and that’s what this comprehensive guide aims to provide.

Understanding Nail Structure and Growth

Your nails are more complex than they seem. Each nail has several layers and parts working together to create the hard, protective surface you see. The visible part, called the nail plate, is made mostly of a tough protein called keratin—the same substance that makes up your hair and the outer layer of your skin. This keratin production happens in the nail matrix, an area beneath your cuticle where new nail cells are constantly being formed.

The Components of Your Nails

Here’s a breakdown of the different parts that make up your nails:

  1. Nail Plate: The hard, visible part of the nail made of keratin.
  2. Nail Matrix: The area beneath the cuticle where new nail cells are produced.
  3. Nail Bed: The layer of living tissue underneath the nail plate that contains blood vessels and gives nails their pinkish color.
  4. Cuticle: The protective seal at the base of the nail that prevents bacteria and fungi from entering.

Understanding these components can help you figure out why you’re experiencing issues like “why do my finger nails keep breaking” or “why does my nails keep breaking.”

How Nails Grow

Nail growth occurs through an interesting process: cells in the nail matrix multiply and push older cells forward, causing them to harden and flatten as they move toward your fingertip. On average, fingernails grow about 3.5 millimeters per month, while toenails grow at roughly half that rate. This explains why you might ask “why do my toe nails keep breaking” less often than problems with fingernails—they simply have different growth patterns and environmental factors affecting them.

Factors That Affect Nail Growth

Several factors influence how quickly and strongly your nails grow:

  • Age: Nail growth slows down as you get older.
  • Blood circulation: Better circulation promotes faster growth.
  • Hormonal changes: Pregnancy and certain conditions can affect growth rates.
  • Season: Nails tend to grow faster in warmer months.
  • Hand dominance: Nails on your dominant hand often grow slightly faster.

When you notice issues like “why do my acrylic nails keep breaking” or “why do my nails keep breaking at the side,” these structural components and growth factors play a direct role. The health of your keratin production, the condition of your nail matrix, and the strength of the connection between your nail plate and nail bed all determine whether your nails stay strong or become prone to breakage.

Common Reasons for Nail Breakage

Your nails face daily challenges that can compromise their integrity long before any underlying health condition comes into play. Understanding these external factors helps you identify whether your breaking fingernails causes stem from your environment or something deeper.

Mechanical Damage: The Most Overlooked Culprit

Physical trauma represents the leading reason for nails breaking easily. You might not realize how much stress you place on your nails throughout the day:

  • Repetitive typing on keyboards creates constant pressure on nail tips
  • Opening cans or containers using your nails as tools weakens their structure
  • Aggressive nail filing in back-and-forth motions creates micro-tears
  • Picking at cuticles damages the nail matrix where new growth originates
  • Frequent hand washing followed by incomplete drying cycles

The cycle of wetting and drying deserves special attention. When you expose your nails to water repeatedly—whether from washing dishes, swimming, or excessive hand washing—they expand. As they dry, they contract. This constant expansion and contraction weakens the nail plate, making it susceptible to peeling and splitting. Your big toe nail keeps breaking? Check if your feet spend extended periods in damp socks or shoes.

Environmental Aggressors Attacking Your Nails

Chemical exposure strips away the natural oils that keep your nails flexible and resilient. You encounter these nail-damaging substances more often than you think:

  • Harsh detergents in cleaning products dissolve protective nail oils
  • Acetone-based nail polish removers dehydrate the nail plate
  • Formaldehyde and toluene in conventional nail polishes create brittleness
  • Chlorine from swimming pools penetrates and weakens nail structure
  • Adhesives and solvents in workplace environments

Even products marketed for nail care can break a nail down over time. That finger sucking nail polish designed to stop nail biting? It often contains bitter chemicals that dry out your nails with repeated application.

Lifestyle Habits Creating Brittle Breaking Nails

Your daily routines directly impact nail resilience. Habits you’ve maintained for years might be the primary breaking nails cause:

Fungal Infections: A Hidden Cause of Nail Breakage?

You might be surprised to learn that the reason why your nails keep breaking off could have nothing to do with your diet or nail care routine. Fungal infections represent one of the most overlooked causes of persistent nail breakage, affecting millions of people who mistake their symptoms for simple brittleness.

Understanding Fungal Nail Infections

Onychomycosis is the medical term for fungal nail infections, a condition where microscopic organisms—typically dermatophytes, yeasts, or molds—invade the nail bed and nail plate. These fungi thrive in warm, moist environments, which explains why toenails are more commonly affected than fingernails. The infection doesn’t just sit on the surface; it penetrates deep into the nail structure, fundamentally compromising the integrity of your nails from the inside out.

The invasion begins subtly. You might notice a small white or yellow spot under the tip of your nail. As the infection burrows deeper, the damage becomes impossible to ignore. The fungi literally digest the keratin that forms your nail structure, creating a cascading effect of deterioration that explains why do my nails keep breaking in the middle or at seemingly random points.

Recognizing the Warning Signs

Thickened nails are often the first red flag. Your nails may become noticeably harder to trim, requiring more effort than usual. This thickening occurs as your body attempts to defend against the infection by producing extra nail material—a defense mechanism that backfires by creating a brittle, unstable structure.

Nail discoloration follows a predictable pattern:

  • Yellow discoloration typically appears first, indicating early-stage infection
  • Brown or dark streaks suggest the infection has progressed deeper
  • White patches may indicate surface-level fungal activity or a different type of infection
  • Green or black discoloration can signal secondary bacterial infections

The structural breakdown manifests as crumbling edges and a chalky texture. You’ll find yourself dealing with breaking finger nails that split, flake, or crumble with minimal pressure. The nail may separate from the nail bed—a condition called onycholysis—leaving a hollow space where fungi multiply rapidly.

The Role of Mineral Deficiencies in Nail Health Issues

Your body requires a complex array of nutrients to maintain healthy nails, and when you’re running low on specific minerals and vitamins, your nails often send the first distress signals. Mineral deficiency symptoms can manifest in various ways throughout your body, but brittle breaking fingernails serve as one of the most visible indicators that something’s amiss with your nutritional status.

When you notice my nails keep breaking despite your best efforts to protect them, the answer might lie not in external factors but in what’s happening inside your body. Vitamin and mineral deficiency affects the structural integrity of your nails at a cellular level, compromising their ability to withstand daily stress and pressure.

1. Biotin Deficiency: The Nail Strengthener You Never Knew You Needed?

Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, plays a fundamental role in the production of keratin—the protein that forms the structural foundation of your nails, hair, and skin. When you’re dealing with biotin deficiency nails, you’re essentially trying to build a house without enough bricks. The keratin matrix becomes compromised, leading to nails that split, peel, and break up nails with minimal provocation.

The science behind biotin’s nail-strengthening properties:

  • Biotin acts as a coenzyme in metabolic processes that synthesize amino acids—the building blocks of keratin
  • It supports cell growth in the nail matrix, where new nail cells form
  • The vitamin enhances the thickness of the nail plate, creating a more resilient structure

Research provides compelling evidence for biotin supplements brittle nails treatment. A Swiss study found that participants taking 2.5 mg of biotin daily experienced a 25% increase in nail thickness after six months. Another study showed that 63% of participants with brittle nails saw improvement after biotin supplementation.

You might be wondering how to stop nails from breaking if biotin deficiency is your issue. The typical therapeutic dose ranges from 2.5 to 10 mg daily, though you should consult with a healthcare provider before starting supplementation. Most people begin noticing improvements within 2-3 months of consistent use.

2. Calcium Deficiency: More Than Just Weak Bones?

You’ve probably heard countless times that calcium builds strong bones, but did you know this mineral plays a role in your nail health too? When you’re dealing with brittle breaking fingernails, calcium deficiency might be contributing to the problem, though it’s not always the primary culprit.

How Calcium Affects Your Nails

Calcium contributes to nail hardness by supporting the structural proteins that form your nail plate. Your nails contain small amounts of calcium that help maintain their rigidity and resistance to bending. When calcium levels drop significantly in your body, you might notice your nails becoming more brittle, dry, and prone to splitting.

The Reality Check on Calcium and Nails

Here’s what you need to understand: calcium deficiency affects your bones long before it impacts your nails. Your body prioritizes calcium for critical functions like muscle contraction, nerve signaling, and bone maintenance. If you’re experiencing calcium deficiency nails, you’re likely facing more serious health concerns simultaneously.

Brittle dry nails from calcium deficiency typically appear alongside other mineral deficiency symptoms:

  • Muscle cramps or spasms
  • Numbness or tingling in fingers
  • Dental problems
  • Fatigue and weakness
  • Irregular heart rhythms in severe cases

When Calcium Actually Matters for Your Nails

If my nails keep breaking and I suspect calcium deficiency, I look at the bigger picture. True calcium deficiency severe enough to cause nail problems usually indicates:

  1. Inadequate dietary intake over extended periods
  2. Malabsorption issues affecting nutrient uptake
  3. Hormonal imbalances impacting calcium metabolism
  4. Vitamin D deficiency preventing calcium absorption

The connection between vitamin and mineral deficiency becomes clear here. Calcium doesn’t work alone—it needs vitamin D to be absorbed properly. You could consume adequate calcium but still experience brittle nails causes related to poor absorption.

Most people get sufficient calcium through dairy products, leafy greens, fortified foods, and fish with bones. Before assuming calcium deficiency is why your nails keep breaking, consider whether you’re actually at risk for this deficiency based on your diet and health status.

3. Iron Deficiency (Anemia) and Its Impact on Nail Problems

Iron deficiency is one of the most common mineral deficiencies that can affect the health of your nails. When your body doesn’t have enough iron, it has difficulty producing hemoglobin, which is the protein responsible for transporting oxygen throughout your body. Just like any other tissue, your nails need oxygen to stay strong and healthy.

Identifying Nail Changes Linked to Iron Deficiency

There are several specific signs that can indicate a connection between iron deficiency, cracked nails, and anemia:

  • Koilonychia (Spoon Nails): Your nails take on a concave shape, curving inward like a spoon instead of maintaining their natural slight curve.
  • Vertical ridges: Noticeable lines running from the cuticle to the tip of your nail.
  • Brittle breaking fingernails: Nails that crack, split, or break with minimal pressure or trauma.
  • Pale or white nail beds: The area beneath your nail appears lighter than usual due to reduced blood flow.

If you’re experiencing brittle nails and wondering how to prevent them from breaking, iron deficiency could be the underlying cause. This mineral plays a vital role in collagen synthesis, which directly affects the strength and resilience of your nails.

Other Symptoms Associated with Anemia

Nail changes caused by anemia usually don’t occur on their own. You may also notice additional signs that indicate a deficiency in vitamins and minerals:

  • Persistent fatigue and weakness that doesn’t improve with rest.
  • Pale skin, especially noticeable in the face, inner eyelids, and palms.
  • Breaking nails and hair loss happening at the same time.
  • Shortness of breath during normal activities.
  • Cold hands and feet.
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness.

These indicators of nutrient deficiencies often develop gradually, making them easy to overlook at first. Women of childbearing age, vegetarians, and individuals with gastrointestinal conditions are at higher risk of developing iron deficiency. To address the issue of brittle nails, it’s important to determine whether low iron levels are contributing to the problem. This typically requires blood tests to measure ferritin and hemoglobin levels.

4. Zinc Deficiency: The Unsung Hero for Strong Nails?

When you’re dealing with brittle breaking fingernails that seem to crack at the slightest touch, zinc might be the missing piece of your nail health puzzle. This essential mineral plays a critical role in protein synthesis and cellular repair—two processes that directly influence how your nails grow and maintain their structural integrity.

Zinc acts as a catalyst for over 300 enzymatic reactions in your body, including those responsible for keratin production. Your nails are primarily made of keratin, which means adequate zinc levels are non-negotiable for maintaining strong, resilient nails. When you’re experiencing low zinc symptoms, your body struggles to produce the proteins necessary for nail repair and growth processes. This deficiency manifests in ways that go beyond simple brittleness.

Recognizing Zinc Deficiency Symptoms in Your Nails

Zinc deficiency symptoms often appear in distinctive patterns on your nails:

  • Beau’s lines: These horizontal indentations or ridges run across your nail plate, indicating a temporary disruption in nail growth. When you have low zinc levels, these grooves become more pronounced and frequent
  • White spots: Small white dots scattered across your nail surface can signal zinc deficiency
  • Slow growth: Your nails may grow noticeably slower than usual
  • Increased brittleness: Nails become paper-thin and prone to splitting or peeling in layers

The connection between brittle nails zinc deficiency creates is particularly frustrating because zinc deficiency often develops gradually. You might not immediately connect your breaking nails to a mineral deficiency, especially if you’re also experiencing other low zinc symptoms like hair loss, impaired wound healing, or decreased immune function.

Your body can’t store zinc for long periods, which means you need consistent dietary intake to maintain optimal levels. If you’re wondering how to stop nails from breaking and you’ve ruled out biotin deficiency nails or other vitamin and mineral deficiency issues, zinc supplementation might be worth discussing with your healthcare provider.

You might not immediately connect vitamin D with nail health, but this “sunshine vitamin” plays a crucial indirect role in keeping your nails strong. When you’re dealing with brittle breaking fingernails that seem to bend or break at the slightest pressure, vitamin D deficiency could be the hidden culprit behind your frustration.

Understanding the Connection: Calcium Absorption and Vitamin D

Calcium absorption vitamin D is the key relationship you need to understand. Vitamin D acts as a gatekeeper for calcium utilization in your body. Without adequate vitamin D levels, your body struggles to absorb calcium from your diet, even if you’re consuming plenty of calcium-rich foods. This absorption issue creates a domino effect that eventually reaches your nails.

Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency in Your Nails

When your body can’t properly absorb calcium due to vitamin D deficiency soft nails become a telltale sign. You’ll notice your nails feel unusually soft, almost pliable, rather than firm and resilient. They may bend easily when you apply pressure, and you might find yourself constantly asking “my nails keep breaking” without understanding why traditional nail strengtheners aren’t helping.

The symptoms of vitamin D-related nail problems include:

  • Nails that feel soft or rubbery to the touch
  • Increased flexibility that leads to bending rather than clean breaks
  • Slow nail growth rates
  • Nails that peel or split in layers
  • General fragility despite adequate protein intake

Broader Implications: How Vitamin D Deficiency Affects Your Body

Vitamin and mineral deficiency issues rarely occur in isolation. If you’re experiencing vitamin D insufficiency, you’re likely facing mineral deficiency symptoms that extend beyond your nails. You might notice muscle weakness, bone pain, or frequent illnesses alongside your nail problems. These systemic signs help distinguish vitamin D deficiency from other brittle nails causes.

The Bigger Picture: Nutrient Imbalances and Nail Health

The connection between vitamin D and nail strength demonstrates how nutrient imbalances, particularly minerals, can impact the strength and integrity of nails through complex metabolic pathways. Your nails serve as visible indicators of your internal nutritional status, making them valuable diagnostic tools for identifying deficiencies before more serious health issues develop.

6. Other Mineral Deficiencies That Can Affect Your Nails (Magnesium, Potassium, Copper, Selenium)

While biotin, calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin D often steal the spotlight when discussing brittle nails causes, several other minerals quietly influence nail strength and integrity. If you’ve addressed the common mineral deficiency symptoms and your nails keep breaking, these lesser-known nutrient imbalances might be the missing piece of your puzzle.

1. Magnesium: The Structural Support Mineral

Magnesium plays a critical role in protein synthesis, which directly affects keratin formation in your nails. Low magnesium symptoms often include vertical ridges on your nail plate, slow nail growth, and increased brittleness. Since magnesium works synergistically with calcium, a lack of magnesium can prevent your body from properly utilizing calcium for nail strength. You might notice your nails become more prone to peeling or splitting when magnesium levels drop.

2. Potassium: The Cellular Function Regulator

Potassium deficiency effects extend beyond muscle cramps and fatigue. Symptoms of lack of potassium can manifest as weak, thin nails that break easily at the tips. This mineral maintains cellular hydration and nutrient transport, both essential for healthy nail growth. When potassium levels fall, your nail cells struggle to receive adequate nourishment.

3. Copper: The Collagen Connector

Copper deficiency signs in nails include unusual brittleness and a tendency toward breakage despite adequate calcium intake. Copper helps form collagen and elastin, proteins that provide structural integrity to your nail bed and surrounding tissues. Without sufficient copper, your nails lack the foundational support needed to resist mechanical stress.

4. Selenium: The Antioxidant Protector

Selenium deficiency symptoms often appear as white spots on nails or unusual discoloration. This trace mineral protects nail cells from oxidative damage and supports healthy growth patterns. Selenium works alongside vitamin E to maintain nail flexibility, preventing the rigid brittleness that leads to cracking and breaking.

Understanding how nutrient imbalances, particularly minerals, can impact the strength and integrity of nails helps you identify potential vitamin and mineral deficiency issues affecting your nail

Other Factors Contributing to Nail Breakage Beyond Fungi and Minerals

While fungal infections and nutritional deficiencies are often the main focus when discussing nail problems, there are several other medical conditions that can leave you puzzled as to why your fingernails keep breaking despite addressing these common issues.

Psoriasis and Its Impact on Nail Structure

Psoriasis doesn’t just affect your skin—it can also have a negative impact on your nails. When psoriasis targets the nail matrix (the tissue under the base of your nail), it causes structural damage that shows up in several ways:

  • Pitting: Small depressions or dents appear across the surface of the nail
  • Crumbling: The nail becomes fragile and breaks apart easily
  • Separation: The nail lifts away from the nail bed (a condition known as onycholysis)
  • Thickening: Abnormal buildup of keratin makes nails brittle and prone to splitting

Fingernails breaking due to psoriasis is particularly common because the inflammatory process disrupts normal nail formation. The constant cycle of inflammation weakens the structural integrity of the nail, creating a situation where even minor trauma causes significant damage. You may notice that your nails keep splitting both vertically and horizontally, with the breaks often starting at the free edge and extending toward the cuticle.

The link between psoriasis and nail problems is so strong that approximately 50% of people with psoriasis experience changes in their nails at some point. If you have psoriasis elsewhere on your body and notice that your breaking and splitting nails are getting worse, it’s likely that the two conditions are connected.

Thyroid Disorders: The Metabolic Connection to Nail Health

Your thyroid gland controls metabolic processes throughout your body, including how quickly your nails grow and regenerate. When your thyroid isn’t functioning properly, it often shows up in your nails.

Brittle nails caused by hypothyroidism represent one of the most common signs of thyroid disease. When your thyroid isn’t producing enough hormones, you might experience:

  • Slow nail growth that leaves your nails vulnerable to damage
  • Dry, brittle texture that leads to breaking and splitting nails
  • Vertical ridges along the surface of the nail
  • Increased susceptibility to fungal infections

Practical Tips for Maintaining Strong and Resilient Nails

Your daily habits play a massive role in determining whether your nails stay strong or continue to break. You might be unknowingly sabotaging your nail health through seemingly harmless routines.

Protect Your Nails from Excessive Water Exposure

Frequent water exposure nails face a constant battle with brittleness. When you repeatedly wet and dry your nails—whether from washing dishes, showering multiple times daily, or swimming—the nail plate expands and contracts. This cycle weakens the bonds between nail cells, creating microscopic cracks that eventually lead to visible breakage.

You should wear protective gloves when washing dishes or cleaning. If you work in an environment where your hands are constantly wet, apply a barrier cream before exposure and moisturize immediately afterward. I learned this the hard way after years of hand-washing dishes left my nails perpetually splitting at the tips.

Identify and Eliminate Harmful Nail Products

Harsh chemicals nail damage occurs more frequently than you might think. Many conventional nail polishes and removers contain ingredients that strip your nails of natural oils and moisture:

  • Toluene – A solvent that helps polish glide smoothly but dries out nail beds
  • Formaldehyde – Used as a hardening agent but causes brittleness and allergic reactions
  • Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) – Prevents chipping but disrupts hormone function and weakens nails
  • Acetone – The most aggressive nail polish remover that severely dehydrates nails

You need to read labels carefully and choose “3-free,” “5-free,” or “7-free” formulas that exclude these damaging ingredients. Switch to acetone-free removers or use acetone sparingly—no more than once weekly.

Master Proper Nail Trimming Techniques

Improper nail care breaking nails happens when you use the wrong tools or techniques. Dull nail clippers create pressure that splits the nail plate rather than making clean cuts. You should invest in sharp, high-quality nail clippers or scissors designed specifically for nails.

Always trim your nails straight across, then gently round the corners with a file to prevent snagging. Avoid cutting your cuticles as they protect the area where new nail growth occurs.

When To Seek Professional Help For Persistent Nail Issues?

You’ve tried everything—moisturizing religiously, avoiding harsh chemicals, taking better care of your nails—but they still keep breaking. This is when you need to recognize that persistent nail problems diagnosis requires professional intervention.

Red Flags That Demand Medical Attention

Your nails are sending you signals that shouldn’t be ignored. Watch for these warning signs:

  • Persistent discoloration that doesn’t grow out (yellow, brown, white, or green tints)
  • Crumbling or thickening that worsens over time
  • Separation from the nail bed (onycholysis)
  • Painful inflammation around the nail area
  • Spoon-shaped nails (koilonychia) that could indicate severe iron deficiency
  • Horizontal ridges (Beau’s lines) appearing across multiple nails

These symptoms often point to underlying conditions that won’t resolve with home remedies alone. You might be dealing with a fungal infection that requires fungal infection treatment prescription, or you could have nutritional deficiencies that need targeted supplementation.

The Diagnostic Process: What to Expect

A healthcare provider will examine your nails and ask about your medical history, diet, and lifestyle habits. They may perform:

  • Nail clipping analysis to test for fungal organisms
  • Blood tests to check for mineral deficiencies (iron, zinc, calcium)
  • Thyroid function tests if hormonal imbalance is suspected
  • Nutritional assessment to identify deficiencies like 10 signs of magnesium deficiency or signs of a potassium deficiency

This comprehensive approach helps differentiate between broken nail causes—whether you’re battling onychomycosis or your body is crying out for specific nutrients.

Treatment Options Available Through Healthcare Providers

Once you have a proper diagnosis, your doctor can recommend targeted treatments:

For Fungal Infections:

  • Oral antifungal medications (terbinafine, itraconazole)
  • Topical prescription-strength antifungal lacquers
  • Laser therapy for resistant cases

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Why do my nails keep breaking even though I take care of them?

Nail breakage can be caused by various factors including mechanical damage like trauma or frequent wetting, environmental exposure to harsh chemicals or detergents, and lifestyle habits. Additionally, underlying issues such as fungal infections (onychomycosis) or mineral deficiencies like biotin, calcium, or iron can weaken nails and cause them to break easily.

How does a fungal infection affect nail health and cause breakage?

Fungal infections such as onychomycosis compromise nail integrity by causing thickening, discoloration (yellow, brown, white), and crumbling of the nail plate. This weakens the nail structure making it more prone to breaking and splitting.

Can mineral deficiencies lead to brittle and breaking nails?

Yes. Deficiencies in minerals such as biotin, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, phosphorus, and selenium can impair keratin production and nail strength. For example, biotin deficiency reduces keratin synthesis leading to brittle nails, while calcium deficiency affects nail hardness and stability.

What role does biotin play in preventing nail breakage?

Biotin is essential for keratin production which forms the structural basis of nails. Supplementing with biotin has been shown to improve brittle nails by strengthening their structure and reducing breakage.

How can I differentiate between nail breakage caused by mineral deficiency versus fungal infection?

Mineral deficiency-related nail problems often present as brittle, dry nails that break easily without significant discoloration. In contrast, fungal infections typically cause thickened nails with discoloration (yellow/brown/white), crumbling edges, and sometimes pain or odor. Consulting a healthcare professional for diagnosis is recommended.

What lifestyle changes can help prevent my nails from breaking frequently?

To prevent nail breakage, avoid frequent exposure to water and harsh chemicals without protection; use gloves when cleaning; maintain a balanced diet rich in essential vitamins and minerals like biotin, calcium, and iron; avoid biting or picking at nails; and seek treatment promptly if signs of fungal infection appear.

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