Dealing with weak, brittle, peeling nails is a superfrustrating issue. Not only does nail polish chip faster, but it's also super painful when you reach for something and your nails actually bend (ouch). We reached out to dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman [1], assistant professor of dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, to find out the cause of this uncomfortable problem and how to solve it once and for all.

"The medical term for peeling nails is onychoschizia," Dr. Jaliman explained. "Nails are made up of several layers, and the nail plate is made of keratin, which is a protein. When nails become thin and brittle, they can peel." While in rare cases, peeling nails can be a sign of a more serious medical condition, Dr. Jaliman said it's usually one of the much simpler reasons ahead.

You're Iron Deficient

The most common reason your nails might be peeling is an iron deficiency. If you tend to skip the green vegetables and meat, it's time to load up on foods high in the mineral like spinach, lean beef, chicken, and beans.

You Use Your Nails as Tools

We know it's tempting, but resist the urge to peel that sticker off the bottle with your nails. "If you use your nails often as a tool, you may begin to see peeling," Dr. Jaliman explained. Instead, use another object to scrape things off.

You Wear Acrylics

"Applying false or acrylic nails can weaken the nail and cause peeling," Dr. Jaliman warned. She advised that you keep your nails polished to give them more protection but skip false nails.

You Don't Wear Gloves While Washing Dishes

"Minimise the amount of time you have your hands in water, and use gloves to wash dishes and to perform other duties where you will have to wash your hands often," Jaliman suggested. Your nails are weaker when they're wet, and preventing them from spending extended periods in water will make them stronger.