Why Your Nails Are Peeling and What You Can Do To Stop It

Splitting and peeling nails, sometimes called onychoschizia, typically occur when the nails are weak or brittle.  

Nail peeling is often the result of aging, physical trauma, exposure to harsh soaps and chemicals, or overuse of nail treatments. Brittle nails that peel can also signal a fungal infection or iron deficiency, but this is less common.

Although peeling nails are generally harmless, if the peeling continues untreated, it becomes harder to regrow your nails back to a strong, healthy length and appearance. The easiest way to prevent further peeling and restore your nails’ health is to identify the cause of your peeling nails and protect your nails from future damage.

Peeling nails are often caused by too much or too little moisture, leaving nails dried out or overly soft. In either case, the nails are brittle, weak, and prone to breakage.

Peeling nails may look thinner or more transparent than normal. They may be ragged or uneven, with chips, splits, or tears starting at the nail edge. There may be whitish lines or streaks on the nail’s surface where pieces of the nail have peeled away. 

Peeling nails don’t typically cause pain or other physical symptoms, but they can feel somewhat uncomfortable. Very dry nails may be rough and scratchy, and you might have trouble keeping the nail surface from snagging your clothing. You may also feel the need to file or buff your nails constantly to keep them smooth. You may be unable to press on very soft nails without them bending or breaking because they are too fragile.

Environmental factors, like frequent handwashing or incorrect removal of acrylic nails, typically cause peeling nails. Vitamin deficiencies or fungal infections can occasionally cause nails to peel. Peeling nails are generally not a sign of a more serious health condition.

Moisture Imbalance

Your fingernails need the right balance of moisture to stay strong and healthy. Nails that become too dry will be more prone to splitting, peeling, and breaking. Excessive moisture can soften and weaken the nail, which may also lead to peeling and breakage.

Physical Trauma

Individual nails can peel when damaged or injured. If you break a nail while doing yard work, the outer surface of the nail around the break might peel. If you tend to bite one fingernail when anxious, you might notice the nail frequently peels because it’s softer or weaker than your other nails.

You can also cause physical trauma to all of your nails simultaneously with incorrect home care, such as cutting or removing your cuticles or roughly filing the edges of your nails in a back-and-forth motion. 

Applying acrylic nails, which involves intense filing and chemical adhesives, can thin and weaken nails. The removal process—filing the acrylic nails off or soaking them in a strong acetone solution—can also cause damage.

Gel manicures are less damaging than acrylic nails but can still cause harm. Gel polish often stays on the nails for multiple weeks, drying them out and making it hard for your nails to repair themselves. Gel nails also require a harsh acetone soak for removal.

Environmental Exposure

Nail polish removal treatments containing acetone or other ingredients aren’t the only chemicals you might be exposed to in your environment that can damage nails.

If you frequently wash your hands with harsh soaps, submerge them in water with strong detergents while doing laundry, or clean your home with products containing alcohol without protecting your hands, your nails may become dry and brittle to the point of peeling.

Aging

Your nails change as you age, becoming duller, more brittle, and prone to breakage. Nails may also become thinner and change in texture, weakening enough to cause splitting and cracking. Nail growth slows with age, meaning broken or peeling nails may take longer to repair themselves.

Health conditions sometimes cause these nail changes in older adults. Nail changes are considered a normal part of the aging process and aren’t necessarily caused by a disease.

Nutrient Deficiency

Peeling nails may be a sign of a vitamin deficiency. Iron, zinc, or selenium deficiencies are most likely to cause nail problems, with iron deficiency being the most common.

About 10 million people in the United States are deficient in iron, a mineral that plays a role in carrying red blood cells and oxygen throughout your body. Half of those people have iron deficiency anemia, which leads to a severe lack of circulating red blood cells.

Iron deficiency anemia causes changes in the nails, including thinning, abnormal shape, brittleness, and increased breakage. An iron deficiency typically affects both fingernails and toenails, so if your toenails don’t show any signs of dryness or weakness, it’s more likely that something external is the cause.

Fungal Infection

Fungal infection of fingernails is common. Fungi, like ringworm or tinea, usually cause fungal infections, but they can also occur due to an overgrowth of yeast.

A fungal nail infection can cause the nail to turn yellow and become brittle, leading to peeling or splitting. Peeling alone typically isn’t a sign of fungal infection; nails with a fungal infection are also thick and discolored and may separate or lift away from the nail bed.

Most cases of peeling nails don’t require a visit to a healthcare provider and will resolve on their own. If you’ve been treating your peeling nails at home and haven’t seen improvement, you can visit a dermatologist to get a personalized treatment plan to help restore the health of your nails.

If you suspect your nails are peeling due to an iron deficiency or fungal infection, make an appointment with a healthcare provider as soon as possible to diagnose and treat the condition. Consider the symptoms of these potential underlying conditions.

Symptoms of iron deficiency include:

Unexplained fatigue or weaknessPale skinShortness of breathHair loss

Symptoms of fungal nail infection include:

Discoloration of the nailBuildup under the nailThickening, thinning, or other texture changes of the nailSplitting or crumbling nail surfaceOnycholysis, or separation of the nail from the skin

Your provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history and examine your nails. They may perform blood tests, including a complete blood count (CBC), to identify an iron deficiency. For a fungal nail infection, the provider may take a small sample of your nail to make a diagnosis.

Peeling nails can be a symptom of thyroid dysfunction, but it’s usually not the only symptom. If you have brittle nails, hair growth changes, excessively dry skin, or skin rashes, contact a healthcare provider for an evaluation.

In most cases, you can stop nail peeling and restore nail health at home. Avoid or limit the things causing your nails to become brittle, and then make a few lifestyle changes to strengthen your nails. 

To improve peeling nails, you can:

Start a gentle nail care routine, including correctly trimming your nails and keeping them somewhat short
Apply occlusive (barrier-creating) lotions containing petrolatum or lanolin to seal in moisture
Take supplemental biotin, a vitamin that can strengthen nails
Apply moisturizers containing alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) to exfoliate dead skin cells and restore moisture to the nail
Paint nails with a nail hardening or fortifying polish treatment, which can moisturize the nail, speed nail growth, and add keratin for strength
Take a break from applying acrylic nails or getting gel manicures

If your nails are peeling due to iron deficiency anemia or fungal infection, you will need to work with a healthcare provider to treat the underlying condition before any at-home remedies can effectively improve your nail health.

Once you’ve strengthened your nails and reduced peeling, trying to prevent peeling from recurring is important. You can continue many treatment strategies regularly, like keeping nails clean, trimmed, and well-moisturized, but you can also take protective measures to prevent new damage.

These preventative measures may include:

Limit your nails’ exposure to moisture by wearing gloves while washing dishes
Wear protective gloves while doing yard work or using harsh cleaning supplies 
Resist biting your nails or using your nails as “tools”
Reduce the frequency of nail treatments like acrylic nails and gel manicures
Apply a nail-strengthening treatment once a week
Eat iron-rich foods like lean protein, seafood, dark greens, and sweet potatoes 

Peeling nails are usually a sign that your nails have become brittle due to aging, moisture imbalance, chemicals, or physical trauma. Iron deficiency anemia and fungal infections can also cause nails to peel. Peeling nails are not often a sign of another health condition unless other symptoms accompany them.

To prevent and treat peeling nails, reduce their exposure to water and chemicals, regularly use a moisturizing lotion, and avoid damaging nail treatments like gel manicures. If these strategies don’t improve your nails or you suspect you have an underlying health condition, talk to a healthcare provider for guidance and treatment.