Nail Health
People want strong, healthy, and attractive nails. This can be achieved with optimal nutrition intake as a starting point, which means eating a healthy and well balanced diet to feed the nails what they need for strength and beauty.
Nail changes or abnormalities can be seen in nutritional deficiencies or other underlying conditions such as an illness that show up in the nails. For example, brittle nails signify possible iron deficiency, thyroid problems, impaired liver function, and possible circulation problems. Therefore, it's important to understand that nail changes may be a sign of a number of disorders elsewhere in the body that requires medical attention.
- A deficiency of the B vitamins can cause fragility, with horizontal and vertical ridges.
- Insufficient intake of vitamin B12 can leads to very rounded and curved nail ends, excessive dryness, and darkened nails.
- A lack of vitamin A and calcium can causes nails to become dry and brittle.
- A lack of protein, folic acid, and vitamin C may contribute to white bands across the nails.
- Zinc deficiency may cause the development of white spots on the nails
- Iron deficiency may result in "spoon" nails and/or vertical ridges.
I recommend the following supplements and topical medicines to give your nails their best health.
- Biotin 5mg (5000mcg) daily
- Omega 3 fish oil 1 capsule daily
- Derma Nail replenisher applied daily (available at www.drresnik.com or in the office)
- Zinc gluconate 30 mg with each meal
- B6 50mg daily
Alcohol (70% rubbing) 1 drop under all affected nails after shower or immersion of hands in water. This will displace the water and keep the undernail dry, reducing fungal and bacterial growth under the injured nail plate.