7 Tips to Prevent Dry, Split Nails in Cold Weather

Brought to you by Cutex® Brand

It’s T-minus 2 days before fall! As the seasons change from summer to fall and from fall to winter, the days become shorter, colder and all humidity depletes. Indoor heaters create dry, desert-like conditions. We wash our hands more frequently to avoid cold and flu, and our skin is constantly shocked by the rapid temperature differences between the outdoors and indoors. Nothing about the cold weather helps skin retain the moisture it needs to stay hydrated, leaving hands cracked and dry.

What do healthy nails look like?

Healthy nails are smooth, without pits or grooves, uniform in color & consistency and free of spots or discoloration. Vertical ridges on nails are perfectly normal and tend to be more prominent with age. Fingernails can develop white spots or lines due to an injury, but these eventually grow out with the nail.

What are the warning signs of unhealthy nails?

Changes in nail color, such as discoloration of the entire nail or a dark streak under the nail
Changes in nail shape, such as curled nail
Thinning or thickening of the nails
Separation of the nail from the surrounding skin
Bleeding around the nails
Redness, swelling or pain around the nails

The good news is there are simple steps you can take to keep your digits in tip-top condition throughout the cold season:

Keep Your Hands and Feet Dry – Because mold and fungus thrives in dark, wet places, be sure to dry between your toes after you shower. Make sure to change your socks right after you exercise, and be sure to alternate days wearing tights, pantyhose or gloves and let them air out overnight.
Water Transfer is Crucial for Nail Care – When trapped under your nail bed, water can soften your nails and make it difficult for the polish to adhere to the nail. Have acrylic nails? Wait at least a couple of days before putting new nails on; back-fills are most susceptible to damaging nails. If not properly removed, UV-cured nail polish traps water with its coating and can cause fungal infections and excessive dryness in the colder weather.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate – Moisturized nails will not become dry, brittle or break easily. Nails chip because they get too dry, just like they get soft when you’re out of the shower. Nail polish helps prevent that by protecting the nail from drying out too quickly. Putting oils on nails can also help prevent moisture loss and chipping. Also, consider a portable humidifier for your home or work, which puts moisture in the air that will be absorbed by your skin and hair.
Go au-natural – Let your nails breathe by giving them a few days off from nail polish. It’s especially important to give nails a break every 6 weeks when wearing acrylics and UV-cured polish. UV-cured polish blocks the nails from moisture and can cause excessive dryness in the colder weather. Can’t make it to a salon? Use Cutex® SPA Formula Nail Polish Remover instead to properly remove the most stubborn polish.
Massage regularly – Increase blood circulation by lightly massaging your nails for 2-5 minutes. This will strengthen nails and encourage growth.
Practice Safe Mani-Pedis – Be salon smart and ask if your local nail place opens up a fresh set of tools for every customer and lines their pedicure tubs with a new plastic protector each time. Consider bringing in your own polish or use Cutex nail polish removers when wiping away your manicure and pedicure. One hundred percent acetone can dry and damage nails, but the patented formula in Cutex® Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover and Cutex® SPA Formula for hard-to-remove polish not only removes color but also strengthens and conditions nails.
Say no to cuticle cutting – Stray away from cutting cuticles as this can cause infections in cold weather. The best thing to do to keep cuticles healthy is moisturize them. Using hand cream or Vaseline helps prevent cracking during the winter months.