Q. My nails have been breaking very easy. What do I do? I put polish on quite often and that has not made a difference. Something that could possibly affect this is that I am a school custodian. But, I have been cleaning for quite a while and just recently they have been breaking like this. So I guess my question would be: Is my line of work affecting the breaking of my nails?
Chrissy

A.If your nails have just started breaking...I would look for something that has changed.
Have you started using a different cleanser? Cleaning lots of windows?
Do your wear gloves?  (it is a must)
Any cleaning products with ammonia cause serious nail plate dryness, and dry nail plates are the main cause of splitting and breaking nails. Some simple things to try right away are:
After washing your hands and applying lotion to hands, cuticles and nails...
Rub a cuticle oil into the nail plate, cuticle area and underneath the nail.
This waterproofs your nail plates, keeps them flexible and will help your nail plates repel cleaning waters and solutions.

Wearing Gloves is very important in your profession. Wearing a cotton pair of thin gloves under your rubber ones are even better, You can give your hands a moisturizing hand and nail treatment while you are working. apply a heavy coat of lotion or other moisturizing products (Cuccio's Natural Nail & Hand Treatment Products available in better salons).

Apply a non or low formaldehyde base coat and top coat (Formaldehyde dries out nail plates) and apply a new coat of Top Coat every other day or so to help keep your nails protected.

Another thing...as your nails grow...do not let them get too long or they will start to break on their own and you will have some long... some short.... Your best bet with your very "hand active" job is to keep them active length and shorten them regularly.

Hope this helps and if you have any addition questions please contact us

Terri Taricco - Nail Care Expert
www.beautyweb.com

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