Why do my nails flake?

The nails are made of many layers of dead cells only held together by a small amount of oil and moisture.  When we expose our hands to water, solvents or heat the oil and moisture dries out.  Also, the longer the nail and the older we get the drier the nails become.  The result is that the nail, having lost its “glue” starts to lift apart and the nail flakes.

Because the nail is dead, it cannot produce what it requires to affect a repair.  The only living part of the nail is the matrix or “root” which lies behind and beneath the cuticle.  When the nail is formed from the matrix, oil and moisture are also produced to hold the emerging nail together and this small amount is all the nail has for the rest of its time on your finger.  If flaking does occur we can treat it in two ways.  Firstly, use of a product which will mimic the lost emulsion by penetrating directly into the nail and also into the matrix area to help replace the loss.  Secondly, a product to seal the flaking layers quickly whilst the oil and moisture replacement is being effected.

Click here to find out more about Mavala’s nail care products.