Self-Care Guidelines
- Reduce how often you wet and dry your nails.
- Wear plastic or rubber gloves over thin cotton gloves while doing all housework, including food preparation.
- Keep the nails trimmed short to reduce worsening of nail splitting.
- Soak the nails in water daily, 15 minutes at a time, to increase the water content (hydration) of the nails.
- Apply moisturizers (emollients), such as petroleum jelly or Cetaphil®, to improve nail hydration.
- Nail-hardening agents containing formaldehyde may increase nail strength, but they should be used cautiously, as they can cause brittleness and other nail problems. Apply these hardeners only to the free edge (growing end) of the nail.
- Acrylate-containing hardeners are also effective, but they may cause an allergic reaction in the skin.
When to Seek Medical Care
Nail splitting is generally considered a cosmetic problem, but see your doctor if the condition becomes bothersome.
Signs and Symptoms
