Rehab your nails: what's my nail type?

If you're a long time follower of this blog then you'll probably remember that a few years back I had a two part series dedicated to getting to know your nails and taking care of them. Mostly it covered basic things like paraffin dips, nail wraps, choosing the right lotions and oils, and similar things. I even tested out some of the most popular nail strengtheners for you. Today I'm bringing the series back for a few short posts intended once again to help you embrace the nails you have and care for them in the most effective way.  You see...we're all different. Besides having different skin types and hair types, did you know that we all have different NAIL types? Most of us, myself included, can tell you if we have dry hair or oily hair. We know if our skin is combination skin or sensitive skin. But I bet most of you have no idea what your nail type is, and just like you'd buy specific skin care or hair care to meet your personal needs, you need to be thinking about your nail type when you choose products too.  Today we're going to discuss what those types are and how to identify which type you have. Next week I'll lay out some treatment plans for each type and teach you how to take care of YOUR nails. No matter what your type is!   Let's start with what the basic nail types are:

• Normal Nails
• Peeling/layering nails
• Brittle Nails
• Eggshell Nails
• Lacy Nails
• Stress Breaks
• After -enhancement nails

Your nails may fall into multiple categories OR they may change between categories. If you've recently stopped wearing acrylics, for example, you're probably in the after enhancements category. Six months from now, though, you may find your nails are in the brittle category or in the normal category again.  Each of these types presents it's own challenges and even though they seem obvious, often people are unsure what's really going on with their nails or they're making assumptions which are incorrect.  If your nails break easily, for example, you might choose a nail strengthener to try to help. But if your breakage is cased by stress then your strengthener can actually be making them WORSE.

So which type is yours?  Well let's go through them, shall we?

Normal Nails:  A normal nail will be the most common type of nail.  They should be strong but also flexible so they're able to withstand normal traumas. The edges will be white and uniform and the nail bed should be healthy and not discolored. Normal nails can still break and be weak but they shouldn't snap or bend excessively. 

Peeling/layered nails:  Peeling nails or layered nails are pretty obvious. These nails will be thin and weak and peel at the tips or edges. This can be caused by product or genetics and happens when the nail loses it's natural adhesive and the layers begin to separate and peel off. Short term peeling is usually due to a trauma, a product, or poor nutrition. Long term or chronic peeling is likely to be genetic. Remember that nails can change as we age too, so don't assume that it can't happen later in life and still be genetics!

Brittle Nails:  Brittle nails seem strong but will break with very little pressure. The nail does not flex and will crack off in a chunk. You may even hear a snapping sound when your nail breaks. If your corners chip off frequently you may be in this category. Breaks should be clean with brittle nails since there is little to no give in the nail.

Eggshell Nails: Eggshell nails are likely to be genetic. These nails are very thin and weak and almost appear to be flat from the side.  They will bend with very little effort and often appear to curl forward as they come off the free edge.

Lacy Nails: Lacy nails are also weak and tear easily. The free edge will be extremely thin and areas of it will appear translucent, hence the name, lacy. They snag clothing and are difficult to grow to any length at all.

Stress Breaks:  These nails will seem to be VERY strong. They are thick and healthy but tend to break on the sides or at stress points. Unlike brittle nails, which we discussed above, these nails will not break off in chunks at the tip but rather, will tear at the sides as they grow, sometimes below the free edge.

After-enhancement nails: These nails are any nails that have recently had enhancements removed. That could mean acrylics, gels, or even gel polish. They are going to be varying degrees of healthy since enhancements can be damaging in different ways. They may feel thin, the beds may be inflamed and in severe cases they may have rings or divots if a drill was improperly used by a tech for removal or application of the enhancement. 

So did you find your type? Were you surprised by what it is? Maybe you've even been in a few categories over the years.  Later on we'll be talking about what your type means and how to care for it without further damaging it! :)