General information
Torn nails can have a wide variety of characteristics and causes. These range from cosmetically unattractive but small tears to severe injuries; and from small traumas as the cause to genetically caused formation disorders of the nail. As different as their characteristics and causes are, as different are their occurrences. The small, only cosmetically not beautiful tears occur nearly times with each humans, whereas the genetically caused nail formation disturbances are rather rare.
Causes
These small tears can have many causes. On the one hand, they can occur, especially with long fingernails, by simply catching the nail on the zipper of a jacket, for example, or by pushing the nail against a harder object, whereby the nail usually breaks off with the formation of small tears. If the nail tears very deeply and also injures the nail bed, this can be painful and possibly bleed slightly.
If this is the case, it is recommended to apply an anti-infective ointment such as Betaisodona® ointment. Usually the torn nails grow out again by themselves. At the bottom of a torn nail, a nail bed inflammation can also develop.
If you suffer more frequently from torn nails, you can consider applying nail hardener and, if possible, avoid using nail polish remover, as this can also have a damaging effect on the nails if used frequently. To avoid torn nails, one should wear the fingernails as short as possible and care for them with a glass nail arrow. However, if you insist on long fingernails despite frequently tearing nails, which is mostly women, you can apply nail polish.
If the nail is already torn and should not be able to shorten the nail, you can stick the adhesive part of a plaster on the torn area and paint over it. The causes of medically relevant nail tears are manifold. The most common reasons are calcium deficiency or lack of vitamins.
Torn nails can also be an indication of iron deficiency in combination with paleness, fatigue and cracks at the corner of the mouth. The cracks caused by vitamin and calcium deficiency can be remedied by a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, whereas iron deficiency should always be clarified by a doctor and, if necessary, can be compensated by iron substitution. Especially in women of childbearing age, iron deficiency in connection with heavy menstrual periods should be excluded.
Furthermore, brittle nails in connection with weight gain, slow heartbeat (bradycardia) and/or depressive moods can indicate an underfunction of the thyroid (hypothyroidism). Hypothyroidism can be treated depending on the cause. If the thyroid gland produces too few hormones due to an iodine deficiency, iodine is usually substituted.
If the thyroid gland is sluggish, a derivative of the thyroid hormone can also be substituted. Some forms of psoriasis manifest themselves not only on the skin above the joints but also on the nails. The result is brittle nails that tear very quickly.
The diagnosis of psoriasis is usually carried out by a dermatologist (dermatologist). The treatment of psoriasis depends not only on the severity of the disease, but also on the age of the patient. Possible therapies here are ointments containing cortisone or, in more severe forms, immunosuppressants such as methotrexate.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease and can therefore be treated well by suppressing the immune system. The disease of rough nails (trachyonychia) can occur not only in systemic diseases such as psoriasis or nodular lichen (lichen planus), but also due to chemical influences, completely detached from other diseases. Here the nails become brittle and usually show a longitudinal furrow.
If all nails are affected, one also speaks of twenty-nail dystrophy. Hardening nail polishes and urea-containing ointments are suitable for therapy here. Torn nails can also be the result of various hereditary skin diseases.
With these, so-called nail dystrophies, i.e. pathological changes in the area of the nails, occur more frequently. In general, the hereditary causes of brittle nails are much rarer than the “natural” form of torn nails, which can be well controlled by appropriate care.One of these hereditary diseases is Darier’s disease, a disease that is inherited autosomal-dominantly on chromosome 21. This means that the disease is inherited independently of gender and it is sufficient if one of the two chromosomes 21 has the mutation that leads to this disease.
In people who suffer from Darier’s disease, there are different locations where the disease occurs. Especially the skin is affected. The nails are usually reddish and whitish striped lengthwise, and the nails may also have furrows.
Since this disease is caused by the human genetic material, it is not possible to treat the cause here. Corticosteroids are often prescribed to alleviate the symptoms in the relapse of the disease. The nail-patella syndrome also belongs to the rather rare hereditary diseases of the skeleton and nails.
This disease is also inherited autosomal-dominantly. The symptoms of the nail-patella syndrome, which belongs to the osteoonychodysplasias, i.e. the superset of malformations of bones and nails, can be missing or too small nails. If the nails are present, they are usually also malformed and tend to tear.
Another symptom of this syndrome is a kneecap (patella) that is too small or even completely missing. From the symptoms of this syndrome also the name arose. A causal therapy does not exist here either.
A fungal infection of the nails (onychomycosis) is far more common than all hereditary or systemic diseases. Especially the toenails are often affected, because the fungal infection of the nail is often accompanied by athlete’s foot (tinea pedis). The affected nails usually turn brownish and partially detach from the nail bed.
They also become brittle and tear more frequently. It is important to note that athlete’s foot can also be transmitted to the nails of the hand if the foot is not sufficiently hygienic. Foot fungus is often transmitted in public swimming pools or showers, so wearing flip-flops is a good prophylaxis.
If the nail should tear in case of a fungal infestation, the nail should be shortened so that a further tearing can be effectively prevented. Antimycotics can be prescribed by a physician against the fungal attack. In summary, it can be said that the most common form of torn nails is probably only a cosmetic problem. In the case of medically recognized nail destruction (onychodystrophy), fungal infection is the most common reason for torn nails, in some cases psoriasis can also be the cause; very rarely, hereditary nail formation disorders cause nail tearing.