Why Are My Nails Soft and Bendy?

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We often don’t pay that much attention to our nails until something goes wrong or seems off.

We generally don’t notice anything unless they start to appear or feel… off.

So, what’s the case with your nails if they become softer over time? Are you asking yourself why are my nails soft and bendy?

In this article, we’ll take a look at the factors that can lead to abnormalities that will make your nails unusually flexible, and what you can do to remedy this problem.

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Why Are My Nails Soft and Bendy?

You likely have a regular skincare and hair care regime that you run through daily. You are likely to notice skin blemishes that pop up and split ends that appear. But what about your nails, how closely do you pay attention to them?

Time to start!

Checking in on the appearance of your nails would be a wise thing to add to your overall personal care routine.

This is because your nails will indicate to you many conditions that happen in your body, which can affect your health.

For instance, weak nails can be a sign of nutritional deficiencies in your diet, such as lack of vitamin B, iron, calcium, and fatty acids. Weak nails can also be the result of physical trauma, side effects from certain medications like cancer drugs, pregnancy, or the development of some diseases, such as thyroid issues.

More often than not, though, weak nails are the result of being overexposed to moisture or chemicals, such as acetone-based nail polish remover and other chemical nail treatments like acrylics left on too long, as well as cleaning fluids, and detergents.

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How to Heal Soft and Bendy Nails

While limiting your exposure to the chemicals and processes we’ve just mentioned (or avoiding them altogether), won’t cause any long-term or severe effects to your health, it important that you heal your nails to make them stronger.

This will prevent anything more serious from developing.

While limiting your exposure to the chemicals and processes we’ve just mentioned (or avoiding them altogether), won’t cause any long-term or severe effects to your health, it important that you heal your nails to make them stronger.

This means taking better care of your nails as part of your self-care routine. It will not only approve their appearance, but also their health.

For starters, you should definitely avoid picking at or biting your nails or hangnails (something this writer would never do, no sir!).

If you need help, use a nail hardening product. We look at a few below. These will help to strengthen your nails for growth and prevent you (and me) from biting them at least.

To prevent any hangnails from occurring, trim them off carefully with some nail scissors. Make sure your nails are filed and shaped so that they don’t catch on anything to cause even further damage.

And it goes without saying, but you should definitely steer clear of any product that contains acetone for the foreseeable future. Acetone is weird: it’s a natural substance made all the time in your body, but it can be very rough on the nails and skin.

This chemical solvent causes far more irritation to the nail bed than almost anything else, and acetone soaks to remove gel, and acrylic manicures can do the most damage.

Therefore, if you have bendy and soft nails, you will definitely need to avoid these types of manicures. Wait until you and your nail technician are satisfied that your nails are strong enough to withstand the acrylic or gel.

Otherwise, you risk losing the nail bed completely, which definitely won’t be an Insta-ready look.

If you have bendy and soft nails, you will definitely need to avoid these types of manicures. Wait until you and your nail technician are satisfied that your nails are strong enough to withstand the acrylic or gel.

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Home Remedies

So, now you know that the best way to treat weak and bendy nails at home is to get rid of any acetone-based nail products that you’re using. If you still must wear a manicure on your nails, then use regular nail polish on top of one of the base coat hardeners that we mention below.

So, now you know that the best way to treat weak and bendy nails at home is to get rid of any acetone-based nail products that you’re using.

Yes, your simple lacquer manicure won’t last as long as if you had it done in the salon.

But having gels or acrylics at this time will simply make the situation worse. And the health of your nails is what’s really more important than how they look right now.

To boost your nail health in the first instance, you need to provide them with good nutrition to bring back their hydration levels. You can use a commercial cuticle oil or a DIY cuticle oil. Here are a few good commercial choices:

1. Pura D'or Organic Nail and Cuticle Oil 

Pura D’or Organic Nail and Cuticle Oil is great, with its natural and nourishing blend of biotin, sunflower, and jojoba oils, honey, almond milk, and vitamin E.

It has been specially formulated to heal and nourish cuticles, which will help to promote healthier and much stronger nails and growth. Plus, by helping your nails to stay hydrated, its gentle ingredients will work to smooth out the surface of the nail bed, leaving your fingertips with more beautiful and healthy nails.

2. Barielle Garlic Nail Strengthener and Growth Dual Function Nail Lacquer 

If you’re looking for a nail polish that will also help to strengthen your nails, we recommend Barielle Garlic Nail Strengthener and Growth Dual Function Nail Lacquer which is infused with garlic, a natural antioxidant, and acts both as a hardener and growth formula.

This 7-free formulated nail lacquer will help fortify weak and brittle nails for better growth, without the chemical nasties associated with most hardeners, such as formaldehyde, toluene, formaldehyde resin, and dibutyl phthalate. (If you’re wondering what X-Free means, click here.)

Garlic Nail Strengthener and Growth Dual Function Nail Lacquer can also be used as a base coat to help your natural nails grow stronger by building up layers of protection onto the nail bed.

3. Probelle's Nail Strengthener Base Coat 

Another product we recommend here at Luxe Luminous is Probelle’s Nail Strengthener Base Coat, which is infused with AHAs, vitamins B5 and C, and hexanal to give your nails the nutrition and moisture they need for natural strengthening.

This strengthener has been specially formulated to help repair and condition nails that have been damaged from gel and acrylic manicures, which dehydrate the nail bed.

And its 9-free formula doesn’t include chemicals like formaldehyde and parabens that can further cause nail damage.

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Fingernail Top Tip

If you’ve been wondering why your nails are so soft and bendy, you now have your answer. Hopefully this article has helped to show you what you can do to treat and take better care of your nails to make them healthy and stronger.

And of course, if the suggestions given here don’t improve the condition of your nails within a few weeks, then the best thing to do would be to consult your physician so that they can rule out any underlying medical issues.

Although unlikely, the soft appearance and weakness of your nails could be hiding something more serious, which only a doctor will be able to diagnose.