You've probably been in a situation when you’ve started to absently peel your gels off your nails. Whether it's because a bath left them kind of weakened, or they were already somewhat lifted, picking at your gels can be tempting, but it's a huge mistake.
When you begin to peel off the gels, your nails can take a big toll. Most of the time, they'll end up thinner, which is highly counterproductive when you're trying to prevent and treat breakage and brittle nails. It's safe to say that thin nails are more prone to splitting, so try to control yourself the next time you catch your fingers picking at your gels.
Filing your nails can be just as helpful for their development and strength as trimming your hair ends is for your hair. In other words, filing your nails will boost their growth and will help you fight brittle nails, as long as it's done regularly and correctly.
The best way to file your nails is to choose one direction and stick to it. This will prevent nail fibers from separating, which is a direct cause of peeling. Instead of incorporating both forward and backward movements, start with the file on one side of your nail and stroke it in one motion until you've reached the opposite side. For this, it's especially necessary to use the full range of the file.
Even though there's no universally right instruction on how to shape your nails, there are ways you can file and cut them to prevent breakage more effectively. What this means is that there's no nail shape that's inherently better for its health and looks, but some can improve their likeliness to break or split.
Think about square nail tips, for example. By themselves, they present no troubles, but they're more likely to get caught on fabrics and break from the corners. In this case, you can cause further splitting that could've easily been prevented with round nails. The same goes for long nails, as they're usually more prone to breakage.
This may not seem like a nail care tip at first, but how you wash your dishes and clean your house can have a direct and negative impact on your nails. This has to do with the fact that your hands, and therefore your nails, are faced with water and chemicals, which can affect their structure.
Excessive water exposure from soaking your nails in the water, whether it's during a bath or when doing the dishes, can cause too much moisture to enter the nail fibers. This, in turn, can lead to lifting and end up in nail weakening. In addition to this, harsh chemicals on detergents, soaps, and other cleaning products can dry out and thin your nails. Prevent both of these troubles with some gloves!