How to Repair Split Nails

A split nail can be very painful, but there are easy ways to repair it. I have always had strong, hard nails that are the envy of most women. They are as tough as the acrylic nails women pay hundreds of dollars for. Imagine my surprise at seeing a vertical line form in one of my nails, starting at the cuticle and ending in a split at the tip. If I don't care for it properly, the split goes into the nail bed and causes a lot of pain. Here's what I do to keep that from happening with my split nail.

Things You'll Need

• Silk Wrap Kit
• Bottle of Nail Glue
• Nail File
• Scissors
• Wooden Stick
• Top Coat Nail Polish with Nylon

Instructions

1. Choose your method. You can go to a salon and have an acrylic nail put on or have them do a silk wrap. Personally, I hate spending the money for something I can do easily at home myself. Purchase your supplies at a beauty supply shop or online and they will last you a long time.

2. 

   Gather your materials and have everything at hand. You can find the nail glue just about anywhere, but I purchased the silk wraps at a beauty supply store. I use the kind with adhesive. Look also for top coat nail polish with nylon. This will provide an extra layer of strength and protection for your nail and will help the silk wrap last longer.

3. 

   Clip a section of the silk nail wrap material, a little bigger than your nail. Try to fit the curve of your nail at the cuticle exactly. Trim the sides to fit. You can let it overhang the tip slightly. It can be trimmed or buffed off later. The silk wraps come in long sections, roughly sized to fit the nails on different fingers. I only use about half of a section to fix one nail.

4. 

   Rough up the entire surface of your split nail with the nail file. Leave the nail dust on your nail...don't brush it off. This will help the silk wrap adhere better.

5. 

   Peel the silk wrap off of it's backing and position it on the nail. Press it down into place. It's okay if it doesn't stick everywhere, you will fix that later after you apply the glue. Trim off any excess off of the side, but leave any excess at the tip.

6. 

   Apply the nail glue to the silk wrap. A drop will immediately spread out over the nail. Add as many drops as it takes to completely cover the silk wrap with glue, all the way to the tip.

7. 

   Take the wooden stick and use it to press the silk wrap into place. Roll it all over the surface of the nail to remove any bubbles and make sure the wrap is adhering evenly. DON'T use your fingers to do this or you may glue your fingers to each other.

8. 

   Dry the nail completely before continuing. When dry, trim off the excess at the tip, with either nail clippers or just file it down with a nail file.

9. 

   Paint your nail with either a clear top coat or your favorite nail polish. Just make sure it contains nylon, as it will help strengthen and extend the life of your wrap. Your repair will be almost invisible.

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful when working with nail glue. It is easy to stick your fingers together accidentally. Use Nail Polish remover to unstick any stuck fingers.