Young children often experience split toenails. This phenomenon occurs due to a number of reasons that are associated with negative changes in the child’s body. Parents need to carefully look at the baby’s appearance; if there are any alarming changes, it is important to contact a pediatrician.
When a child’s nails on the lower extremities begin to peel off, most mothers and fathers try to eliminate the defect themselves. In some situations, getting rid of the problem at home helps. But it is better to consult with a specialist and find out the possible causes of separation of a child’s nail.
Why do baby's toenails peel?
Identifying the factors that can cause a child’s toenail to split is not a difficult task. It is necessary to tell the doctor about how the baby spent the last few days before the anomaly was discovered.
Everything is important: what the child ate, his sleep pattern, whether he was sick, etc. Various diseases, even the most harmless ones, as well as injuries become the cause of pathology.
Detachment of the baby’s toenail occurs under the influence of the following factors:
- Avitaminosis. A lack of important vitamins and microelements, especially calcium and zinc, leads to delamination of the nail plate. An experienced doctor will indicate what substances the child’s body lacks, based on the results of a urine and blood test of the baby. It is recommended to include foods rich in calcium, iron, and vitamin D in your child’s diet.
- Onychodystrophy. Peeling toenails may be caused by psoriasis. In such cases, small dimples form on the nail. If symptoms of psoriatic onychia are detected, it is important to promptly seek medical help.
- Blood discirculation. It is often the cause of nail splitting. If blood circulation is impaired, the damaged toenail on a child's toenail takes on a blue tint.
- Mechanical damage to fingers. Various bruises and injuries to children's fingers are a common cause of split nails. The damaged nail gradually changes in color (first turns blue, then turns black).
- Wearing uncomfortable, tight shoes. Leads to deformation of the nail plate on the child’s feet.
- Fungal infection. If the color of the baby’s nail turns yellow, and depressions begin to appear on the surface, then you should contact a mycologist. Such signs indicate a fungal infection, which can lead to peeling of the nails.
- Mental disorders. They appear when children experience stress and internal experiences. With nervous tension, the child sleeps poorly, refuses to eat, bites his nails, sucks his finger, etc. If you notice such changes in your offspring’s behavior, you should immediately visit your pediatrician.
- Incorrect care. The child’s nails must be carefully looked after and cut correctly using non-sharp scissors. It is important to maintain your baby’s personal hygiene, bathe him more often, and wash his hands.
- Metabolic disorder. Metabolic deterioration leads to various pathologies. Rickets, gastrointestinal diseases, anemia, and adrenal dysfunction indicate a lack of important microelements and impaired metabolism in the child’s body. Failures lead not only to the detachment of a child’s nail, but also cause a slowdown in the child’s development. Such children have poor memory, grow poorly, do not gain weight, and their limbs are constantly cold.
Other reasons
Peeling nails in children often occurs due to the fact that babies suck their fingers. If, as they grow up, they also begin to gnaw them, then a problem with the nail plates will definitely appear. While in the mouth, the nail softens, swells, and then splits. If you also nibble on them, the problem gets worse.
Improper cutting of the nail plates is another cause of delamination.
When caring for your nails, do not use dull scissors. They actually break off, rather than shear, the edges of the plates. With irregular care, overgrown nails become bent and eventually break. In this case, they are injured and then delaminate.
Treatment
It is necessary to eliminate the problem of peeling nails on a child’s fingers after determining the root cause that led to such a flaw. The doctor prescribes medication if the defect is associated with diseases of the baby’s endocrine system. In the absence of serious pathologies, parents are recommended to use alternative methods designed to prevent the separation of children's nails (traditional medicine methods, a balanced diet, proper child care).
Antifungal medications
In cases where the cause of nail detachment is a fungal infection, it is necessary to take the baby to a mycologist. The specialist will determine what type of fungal parasites led to the pathology.
Wellness measures will drag on for a long time, and it will not be possible to get rid of the fungus “in a hurry.” Treatment is usually carried out over 3-4 months. At this time, parents need to disinfect the baby’s personal belongings (clothes, toys, shoes, crib).
Among other means of local therapy, Daktarin has proven itself to be excellent. The medicine is available in the form of an ointment, which should be used to treat the affected nail plates, or a gel, which is a means of oral use. Children under one year of age can be given antifungal medications based on miconazole (Mikozolon, Dactocin): the drugs do not have side effects.
Vitamin therapy
When the cause of delamination of the nail plate on a child’s foot is vitamin deficiency, the doctor will prescribe taking vitamins, among which Pikovit stands out.
The product will provide the baby with important microelements and substances beneficial to the developing body. "Pikovit" is characterized by its low cost and efficiency. The vitamin therapy complex can be supplemented with Multitabs and Pregnavit.
Balanced diet
In addition to taking vitamins, your child needs to start eating right. Multivitamin medications cannot fully provide your baby with all the microelements important for health. For this reason, most pediatricians recommend combining vitamin therapy and a special children's diet. It is advisable to include the following products in your diet:
- Broccoli, fresh cabbage.
- Cottage cheese, cheese, milk.
- Raisins, dried apricots.
- Porridges from various grains.
- Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds.
Why fingernails peel: causes and treatment at home
Well-groomed, beautiful nails are a sign not only of timely care for your hands, but also of a healthy body.
If your fingernails are peeling, there is a reason to think about your condition. This phenomenon often acts as a reaction to the occurrence of various pathological processes in the body.
To choose the right treatment, it is first recommended to find out the main cause of the dissection.
This phenomenon can occur in adults, pregnant women, and children, which also determines the nature of the treatment.
Home care tips and ways to fix the problem will help you get your hands in order.
Reasons why fingernails peel
The main reason why nails peel in an adult is a lack of vitamins. Iron and calcium are two main components responsible for the normal development of the nail plate.
Seasonal vitamin deficiency or constant lack of vitamins will be the main prerequisite for stratification.
Let's take a closer look at the list of reasons contributing to this problem:
- Wrong diet. People who do not plan their menu correctly or adhere to strict dietary restrictions may encounter a similar problem.
It is based on the same lack of vitamins that do not enter the body with foods. In this case, it is recommended to drink a calcium-based vitamin complex, as well as diversify your diet with healthy foods. - Diseases. This includes diseases associated with metabolic disorders.
It is also worth highlighting fungal infections of the nail plate separately. Constant depression, bad mood, poor circulation and decreased immunity - all this affects the structure of the nail plate. - Poor quality cosmetics. Do your nails break and crumble?
Cosmetics from unscrupulous manufacturers are to blame. You shouldn’t skimp on your health; it’s better to overpay a little, but give preference to trusted manufacturers of varnishes and enamels. - Illiterate hand care. Cosmetologists do not recommend filing the plate while wet, cutting it off with ordinary scissors, or removing the varnish with acetone.
All these mistakes lead to violations and layers.
Often the problem occurs after a varnish that was of poor quality or was used after the expiration date.
When choosing cosmetics, carefully study the reviews and the effect of the composition on the nail plate.
What to do if you crumble during pregnancy
The most common problem in pregnant women is nail plate disorders.
This phenomenon is not accidental, because during the period of bearing a baby, the female body is completely rebuilt, the hormonal background changes.
Calcium deficiency also causes nails to begin to crumble.
Let's answer the question of what to do during pregnancy and how to treat nails:
- Hand massage. To keep your nails looking well-groomed, you need to monitor their condition weekly.
To do this, it is recommended to use a special moisturizing cream for hands and nails based on herbal ingredients. Massage can be done with essential oils, as well as using special products based on calcium and silicone. - Lemon juice. Squeeze a little juice from the citrus and periodically rub it into the nail plate with massaging movements.
This harmless method helps if your nails crumble and break badly. - Vitamin A. The healing component can be added to the cream or masks can be made based on it.
You can add a little olive oil to create a rich base to moisturize and nourish the plate. - Soda baths. Soda-based baths will help strengthen and recover from the problem.
This method is especially helpful for crumbling nails on the big toe or toes. To 1 tablespoon of soda add 15 drops of iodine and a little water. Wipe the nail plate with the solution several times a week. - Additional hand protection. When washing by hand, as well as when washing dishes with chemicals, it is recommended to wear protective rubber gloves.
Pregnant women are not recommended to take pills to restore nails, as they can negatively affect the development of the fetus.
Important! Do not forget about proper nutrition: it is recommended to increase the amount of liver, fresh herbs, butter, tomatoes and carrots.
It will also be useful to introduce cabbage, wheat and egg yolk into the diet; by the way, it is used as a medicinal ingredient for masks in its raw form.
A child’s nails are peeling: the opinion of Dr. Komarovsky
Changes in a baby's appearance should always worry a caring parent.
Regardless of how old the child is - 2 years old or a baby, the problem of peeling nails occurs at any age. Pediatrician Komarovsky has an opinion on this matter.
Note! The doctor claims that this phenomenon occurs for several reasons.
If parents are unable to figure out the cause of the problem on their own, they should contact a specialist.
Let's consider what reasons Dr. Komarovsky identifies that explain why a child's nails peel:
| Cause | Description |
| Mechanical damage to fingers | The separation may be due to the fact that the baby accidentally hit his finger, as a result of which the nail turned blue and began to peel off. |
| Avitaminosis | Delamination at the base of the nail indicates a lack of calcium, iron, and gelatin. To make up for the deficiency, it is recommended to take vitamins and make masks according to folk recipes |
| Fungus | If you suspect an infection, it is recommended not to hesitate and go to the doctor for examination |
| Stress | A violation of the baby’s normal psychological state can provoke his desire to bite his nails, which affects the quality of the nail plate. |
| Diseases | Diseases of the stomach, intestines, endocrine system, as well as chronic pathologies can cause dissection |
Ways to strengthen peeling children's nails
Having started to eliminate the defect, it is important to follow a number of preventive procedures aimed at the general strengthening of children's nails. Such events include:
- Lubricating nails with vitamins “A” and “E” in liquid form, which can be purchased at any pharmacy.
- Rub olive oil into damaged areas.
- Taking baths with sea salt (1 teaspoon), which together with iodine (3 drops) is added to a warm bath. It is necessary to bathe the child for 15 minutes, repeat the activity no more than once a week.
Parents need to wean their child from the habit of “biting nails.” For this purpose, you can smear children's nails with a special bitter varnish to discourage the baby from again wanting to put his fingers in his mouth. Avoid scandals in the presence of a child; the atmosphere in the family should be calm so as not to traumatize the child’s psyche.
