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Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

flamawmaw
Enthusiast
?:|Anyone have fingernails that split down the middle?
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

I dont have a problem with this, but a friend does and her MD told her it was due to repeated wetting and drying of the nail ... apparently the assistants who wash clients' hair all day long can have this problem too.
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

sbtier
Scout
I got a crack down one of my nails when I was a teenager and it's lasted over 25 years! I have to file the top of the nail every couple of days or the little gap catches on things. I showed it to a specialist once and he said that even removing the nail and letting it grow back wouldn't cure it because the damage was in the nail bed. It will always grow out this way as it has for the past 25 years.
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

susiedq8q2c
Thrill-Seeker
Yes, I have heard that this stems from something WAY back below the nail bed and cannot be cured.

Keep the nail bed and the nail nourished and covered with strengthner on the nail. I can actually see the "line" of the crack starting from the moon on the nail.
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

susancsals
Enthusiast
I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one who has this. I've asked my doctor about it and she just looks at me like I'm nuts. There are worse problems to have, but it's annoying!
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

meatandpotatoeman
Enthusiast
do they have ridges that they split on?

I have ridges and thats were they split,length wise from tip down.

I've heard its vitamin deficiency(B), lack of zinc(in vegans)
and age,can be a result of under lying Cardio problem!
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

countrypaige
Enthusiast
My Chiropractor hit it on the head. My splitting nails from nail base out. I have even had HOles come out of nail bed. Nerve endings being triggered by trauma in back or neck. The nerves go right to finger tips . Look up Nerve system for yourself. My Doctors think I am quack also. But that is only a response for "DUH I DONT KNOW" hahahaha. I have been to 3 doctors best anyone said is eat know gelatin. That strengths the nails. Cracking lengthwise is from the nail bed. Cracking sideways very common is Milk and cheese and well balanced diet. Nails will tell you that you are lacking. Bones are 2nd.
Back to lengthwise nail crack. When your back goes out slightly it sends a message out to nerves. It is not contrary to which ones is sent out to. So any permant injury around where the nerves come out of your back or continusly going out your back will respond to the trauma. I have a back deformity . Also 2ndry problem from that in my back. 2 spots always hurting always sending out nerve impluses. I am not a doctor just relaying specifics to this case to you. I just go to chiropractor as much as I can afford.
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

countrypaige
Enthusiast
Washing hands cold hot no I dont thinks so maybe for cracking sideways . I take knox gelatin make jello out of it low calorie and eat it like every day make a new batch 3 times a week.
Try to keep everything balanced too.
If you can get in to see a "Specialist" I am sure you would find a great Juicy anwer to this.
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

I have had this twice over the years. I used Super Glue down the split and eventually it grew out normally.
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Message 9 of 125
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

suzifrady
Enthusiast
?:|Anyone have fingernails that split down the middle?

Okay, I read all the previous posts on this topic. I'm 44 years old and have had both of my ring fingers (left and right hands) nails split down the middle of each finger. My two nails look like they have verticle ridges down both of them and they both split from the nail end inward toward my cuticle. The split is ever so short, but I keep my nails trimmed fairly short with just a few centimeters of white on the end. I have to continuously clip my nail to minimize the split from catching on blankets, towels, anything cloth and my hair when I wash it - it drives me crazy! This is not a nervous condition, not a result of back trauma or back pain (I have none and have never had any back issues), not a hand washing (water and soap or detergent) issue as I use rubber gloves when I do the dishes... this is definitely a nutrient issue.
Taking vitamin A and vitamin E helps, but it doesn't go away completely. This is hereditary. My mother had the same issue, but she didn't know enough to take vitamins. My sister has the same issue and she is well nutritioned and has to take A and E to help it too (she is 49 and an RN).
So, super gluing your nails may help because of the pressure pushed against the front of the nail when it is glued helps elliviate the back of the nail, but who wants to superglue their nail for life? (It can't be healthy.)
Just my two cents because I had researched all over the internet and googled tons of sites, read everybody's posts and tried alot of different things over the past two years to come to this conclusion.
Take vitamin A and E.
Suzi
Message 10 of 125
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

mksweetie
Enthusiast
omg I have the same experience with my ring fingernails! I haven't asked my doctor but I 'assumed' that it might have something to do with the intervals of costersteroids used in inhalers or nose spray for hayfever treament. I'm assuming this because use overtime they can have an overall effect on osteo health. I sense it must have to be corrected with vitamin/mineral supplements or diet yet am not confident what those supplements would be.
It is an annoying symptom regardless and super-glue or silk wrap patch is only a temp solution.
Message 11 of 125
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

lorddavud
Enthusiast
I think it might be a combination of countrypaige and suzifraidy.

I think certain kinds of trauma can lead to these strange ridges on a fingernail. I've always had smooth nails, my entire life. But, this winter I slipped and fell on some ice, and broke my (left) fibula and severely sprained the ankle. It's six months later and I still have some tightness, swelling, and (MRI confirmed) residual inflammation in the ankle. I walk completely fine, and I am slowly getting to what I'd call normal, but it has been a long road. 2 - 3 months ago I noticed a significant ridge down the middle of my left ring finger. It was never there before, and I don't know of anyone else in my family ever having this. A few weeks ago it split at the tip. I trimmed it fairly short, filed it as smooth as possible, and then my daughter applied some clear nail polish to it.

Coincidentally, I recently changed my diet, to where I'm once again drinking milk. The ridge is still there, but I feel that it is a little lower now. There is also still a small split, but it is not as deep as a few weeks ago.

I believe that parts of the body are/can be inter-related to each other. The injury and the healing process required some additional nutrients to the afflicted area. My body may very well have been robbing from Peter to pay Paul. The change in my diet could be paying Peter back!
Message 12 of 125
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

seethisnowthat
Enthusiast

I have a split straight down the center of both my thumbnails. My right thumbnail looks like it has been folded in half. If you rub your finger over my thumb you can actually feel where the point of the fold is. The split in my thumb nails have been an ongoing problem for 25+ years but its only been 5 years since I first noticed the V-shaped fold. The splits and the v-shape come and go. I have no trauma never been in a car accident, nor broken any bones, I haven't even had a single stitch in my body. It is not heredity in my family so I have to agree it comes from a vitamin definiency.  I never go to the doctor and dont take any pills. I drink plenty of water and eat lots of protiens and veggies. Ok I gave TMI, LOL; but maybe it will help someone else with the same problem.  Irritating as it is...just be thankful if you dont have a cleft lip, or hearing loss or something much worse.  Its just our fingernails. But darn I sure wish they could be prettier. Oh well 🙂 such as life!

Message 13 of 125
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

I have a split nail down the middle of my thumb on my left hand, too.  I am pretty sure it is because either my former manicurist or I damaged the thumb's nail bed by filing too deep when I wore gel overlays on my nails.  I am now trying to grow my nails out naturally with over-the-counter protein nail strengthener.  All of the other nails are getting long, but the thumb nail continues to split and snag on hair or anything it can get it's "thumb" onto.  I think there's a miniscule section of my nail bed that doesn't grow, thus making the two nail planes weak and easy to break.  I would venture that any woman who has had nail overlays and has a split in the nail might have had damage to the nail bed from over filing at the moon.



I watched a video on you tube about repairing a broken nail with a tea bag.  When I have time, I am going to glue a section of a tea bag onto the top of my thumbnail to see if that helps since the protein strengtheners are no help.

Message 14 of 125
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Re: Cause & cure for fingernail split down the middle

afrobrite
Enthusiast

i have had a split for over 5 years goind down my nail. i am considering getting my nail pulled but now that i've read some other response i'm not so sure.


i was on vacation one year and remember destinctly how odd it was to have a nail split going down the nail.


yes, i can see ridges as well. i have had fake nails cover this nail until it grew out but it split again. it is very annoying to say the least. i can't imagine that there would be no cure for this. i've tried so many things though.

Message 15 of 125
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