by Laura Magureanu

Created on: April 11, 2011   Last Updated: April 13, 2011

As they are made of keratin, a hard substance, nails tend to look tougher than they really are. Yet, they sometimes get chipped, and they can even start to peel. While causes of peeling nails are various, these causes are not usually severe, and they can be corrected with a little extra nail care.

What is onycholysis?

Onycholysis is the name given by health care professionals to the condition of peeling nails. Even if the name sounds very complicated, treatment for peeling nails is not as pretentious as the name of the condition. First of all, you should know that

onycholysis is not painful, but this does not mean that you should not identify the causes of peeling nails that determine the occurrence of this condition.

Nails can get irritated, too

Women are used to thinking that their hair and skin demand special extra care, but they tend to treat nails as being made of a tougher material. While this is true to some extent, it does not mean that nails should be over-abused through use of chemical adhesives, nail tip application or manicure procedures. In time, a local irritation can develop, leading to peeling nails.

Do you have long nails?

It seems that peeling nails are a condition that affects especially women wearing their fingernails long. The explanation is quite simple. As the nails grow, they tend to behave like a lever, that actually makes the nail lift from the finger, and, thus, leading to peeling nails. Among the causes of peeling nails, this is one of the best known.

Local dermatitis

Even if nails are thought to be different from the rest of the skin, they can still develop local dermatitis. Such a reaction can appear if the nails get in contact with substances that are not good for your skin, either. Powerful detergents are one cause of peeling nails, if you frequently keep your hands in contact with them for a longer time. Even keeping your hands in water for two long can lead to peeling nails.

Local infection

Other causes of peeling nails include local infections. Psoriasis is a medical condition that can cause peeling nails, as well. A fungal infection can also be the reason why your nails start to peel. Each cause needs to be examined in particular, in order to find the most appropriate peeling nails treatment.

These are some of the most common causes of peeling nails. Always address the problem to your doctor if you think the origin of the problem is more complicated.

Learn more about this author, Laura Magureanu.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.