Why Water is Secretly Your Nails’ Biggest Enemy

While drinking water keeps your body hydrated from the inside out, exposing your bare hands to prolonged water contact does the exact opposite.

Nails act like tiny organic sponges. When you wash dishes, clean, or bathe, the nail plates soak up water and expand rapidly. As they dry, they rapidly contract. This continuous swelling and shrinking cycle strains the delicate bonds between the keratin layers, resulting in dry, brittle plates that split at the tips.