Introduction
When you look at your fingernails, what do you see? Are they smooth and shiny like a celebrity’s? Or do they have little pits that look like craters on the moon? If your nails are pitted, don’t worry: it’s normal for older people to have this condition. Nail pitting is caused by environmental factors such as exposure to chemicals or detergents during childhood and adulthood, but there are ways to manage it.
What is nail pitting?
Nail pitting is a condition where the surface of the nail is pitted. It can also be called pitting of the nails and it’s not a disease, but rather a feature of aging.
The cause of nail pitting is unknown; however, it has been linked to exposure to certain chemicals and toxins such as heavy metals (such as lead), arsenic and mercury over long periods of time or at high concentrations. Exposure to these substances in childhood may result in permanent damage to growing tissues such as bones or nails later on in life when they start deteriorating faster than usual because they’ve already been damaged by these harmful chemicals earlier on during childhood development stages when most organs were still developing before birth!
Who gets nail pitting?
You may have nail pitting if:
- You have dry skin.
- You have diabetes.
- You have psoriasis or another type of skin condition.
- Your liver or kidneys are not working properly and they’re not filtering out waste products from the blood correctly, which causes these substances to build up in the body’s tissues (which includes the nails).
What causes nail pitting?
Nail pitting is a natural aging process that happens to everyone. It’s caused by repeated damage to the nail, so if you’ve been biting or pulling at your nails, this could be the culprit.
However, there are other causes of nail pitting as well. Nail infections and medical conditions such as psoriasis can also cause it. If you have an infection or another underlying condition that’s causing your nails to become pitted, it’s important for you to get treatment for these issues so they don’t get worse over time!
How can I manage my nails if they are pitted?
There are a few things you can do to help manage your nails if they are pitted.
- Keep them trimmed and clean. The best way to prevent pitting is by keeping your nails short, which will also make them less susceptible to damage. If you’re already dealing with pits, it’s important that they’re not too long–if they’re too long, they’ll trap dirt and bacteria inside the pits and make them more likely to get infected (and even cause new pits). Trimming once or twice a week is ideal; if this isn’t possible for some reason (e.g., because of lack of access), then simply wash hands frequently throughout the day so that bacteria don’t have enough time on their hands/nails before being washed off again!
- Avoid harsh chemicals such as nail polish remover as much as possible–especially when using acetone-based products like CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat which may cause further cracking or chipping on top of existing damage caused by excessive exposure over time (see above section). Just use regular soap instead! It works just fine 🙂
How can I prevent nail pits from developing?
There are several ways you can prevent nail pitting. First and foremost, you want to avoid injury to your nails whenever possible. Wear gloves when doing household chores that might involve harsh chemicals or dirt, such as cleaning products or gardening tools. If you’re going out for a hike or some other activity where there’s risk of getting injured, wear sturdy shoes with good grips on them so that if something happens it won’t be too bad!
Secondly–and this may seem obvious–avoid using harsh soaps and detergents on your hands as much as possible; these things can dry out skin cells and make them more susceptible to damage from UV rays (which we’ll talk about later). Soap should be used sparingly anyway because it washes away natural oils from our skin which helps keep us hydrated throughout the day; when we wash those away we lose some of those protective properties against things like bacteria growth etcetera…
Nail pits are a normal feature of aging, but there are ways to address it.
Nail pitting is a normal feature of aging, but there are ways to address it.
- Do not let nail pitting affect your self-esteem. It’s important to remember that you are still beautiful and worthy as a person regardless of how small or large your nails may be.
- Do not let nail pitting stop you from doing the things you enjoy in life, such as painting or playing guitar! You can find ways around this issue by using tape on affected fingers before playing an instrument (or even just wearing gloves), or simply painting over them with clear polish if they bother you too much while performing tasks like cooking or typing at work.
- Some people have a genetic predisposition toward having fragile nails–this means that their nails are more likely than others’ to develop pits when exposed to harsh conditions like constant washing up with hot water and detergent, picking at cuticles/hangnails etcetera over time due to poor diet choices etcetera…
Conclusion
Nail pitting is a normal feature of aging and has nothing to do with poor hygiene. If you have pitted nails, there are ways to manage them and prevent them from getting worse. If you notice changes in your nails that concern you or seem unusual, talk with your doctor or dermatologist about what might be causing them–and don’t hesitate to ask questions!
