I’ve had this problem ever since I can remember. The moment my nails got a bit longer, poof, there it was, the side split. Since I didn’t have a photo of what I mean, here, have this… drawing:
The red marks the split.
So needless to say I was pretty unhappy with having to cut my nails short the moment I got a bit hopeful. But I found a solution that works on my nails and possibly will work on yours as well. What you’ll need is first and foremost a high quality crystal file. I use the OPI one. Glass files are much better then regular files, they cause much less snagging and give you a smooth finish with no damage to the nail. However they too come in different qualities so make sure you invest in a really good one. The prices are a bit uh hum but it will last you forever since it doesn’t go dull (unless you drop it and it breaks, then it’ll be gone). You’ll also be needing a nail strengthener. If you don’t like to paint your nails, no biggie, you can use the treatment alone. There are matte ones as well if you don’t like it glossy. I use OPI Nail Envy, the original one.
So once you have your crystal file, this is what you’ll do:
See, the left side is filed round, the right side is unfiled. The point being that if you have nails that love to split on the sides, you’ll need to give the sides a slight curve. When the nails start to grow, the sides grow straight and that shape is much weaker then rounded. You don’t have to file your nails to an unnatural round, just get rid of the slight corner and smooth the sides out, creating a very slight angle. And always, ALWAYS file in one direction only! Don’t go back and forth, that will wreak havoc on your nails.
Once you’ve filed your nails to a nice rounded shape, add the strengthener. If you’re not using colored nail polish on top, go with the directions. Strengtheners usually say to apply one layer every day and remove after 5-7 days and start over. If you’re using colored nail polish, just use the strengthener as a base coat.
If your nails are prone to splitting, I wouldn’t really suggest buffing them too much, that makes the nails thinner and thus weaker. So unless you have really ridged nails, I’d say just don’t. And with ridges, there are ridge fillers as well.
The key to the whole thing is the filing. And yes, that means you’ll have to give up your dreams of square nails. Square nails don’t work for split-prone nails.
After a lifetime of short nails, with this simple trick I finally have long nails that I’ve been able to keep. Though I must admit to me they’ve grown so long that it’s a whole new territory and frankly a bit uncomfortable 😀 Here are mine, nicely stained and dry from polish removal (before I’ve dealt with my cuticles and buttering it all up) but at least you’ll see the length and shape:
I always got splits when I reached about half this length. So yes. If you’re suffering with the same annoyance, do try this out. And if you have any questions or comments, feel free to comment below or e-mail me: kirikadawn@gmail.com
Hope this helps! 🙂
How to stop your nails from splitting
30 Friday Mar 2012
Posted in How to
Turning Pretty 
Thank you! That’s useful. 😀
And I saw your answer at VV about foods you used to like as was like… “milk soup?” she has to be Estonian. Glad to see I was right. 🙂
Hahahaha! 😀 And you’re welcome! 🙂 It’s such a silly little thing, the filing in a certain way but it really works!
This is great! Ill have to try this mine always dothis 😦
Oh do! Let me know if it helps you! 🙂
This is exactly what I was looking for. My nails grow round naturally and one just split. So i googled and found this page. Nice post thanks for the advice!
Hope this works for you! Definitely moisturize your cuticles on a regular basis as well, nails become stronger then as well.
Thanks for the info…I guess I will have to give up the square nails! I will be trying the one direction file because I always file back and forth. Thanks again 🙂
I also Googled after just getting a split at the side of my thumb nail. I have soft nails and they split/peel on top too! Started using OPI Nail Envy again and it`s great so now just need to do the glass filing and fingers crossed the splits will stop! Thank you Kirika Dawn for your advice 🙂
So I’m confused -and suffering from side splits. I feel as though I’ve read on a number of sites that leaving the sidewall of the nail straight gives the most strength. Can you explain more about why a curved sidewall helps to avoid the dreaded side splits?
Thank you for all the great information!
Hi! Yes, let me see if I can explain this right. Curved sides without sharp angles are stronger, corners make the surface weaker because the tension is different if that makes sense to you. Plus sharp corners tend to snag on things and break the nail easier. So the smoother the corner, the better.
I don’t like oval nails. I prefer square tips. Any suggestions for square tipped nails?
Square tips are by nature more fragile but if you definitely want square, make sure you moisturize like there’s no tomorrow. Use a good quality cuticle oil or balm, whichever suits you better, at least once a day, better two. And a good hand cream (my personal preference is Eucerin with 5% urea). Well moisturized cuticles and hands in general make for stronger nails.
But my nails are naturally SQUARE??!! Oval/round shapes tend to peel for me. Help?
Keep them square but moisturize-moisturize-moisturize. A good cuticle oil/balm and hand cream and consistency in application are the key here. If your cuticles are dry as a desert, you can try heel cream with loads of urea instead of cuticle oils, much more efficient. Don’t let your hands and cuticles get dry, it will make your nails brittle.
I literally just had to take my pink finger nail off because of a split that almost was the whole nail.😢😢 so glad I found this post …I honestly like square nails so I gonna try moisturizing my hands and nails more. I’m a nurse and my hands are always being washed. Hopefully this works.
Good luck! Go with serious moisturizers with urea for instance, you can find those from pharmacies, the higher the urea percentage, the better.
Nail strengtheners, even and especially OPI Nail Envy, seem to make my nails WORSE. My nails are very hard and strong, they are not thin and flexible. But they still rip and chip. Any ideas? I bit them for YEARS. My diet is great. I have stopped biting for 2 years but I wonder if they are permanently damaged. Also, once I DO get them past my fingertips, and they start breaking, they seem worse after having them longer for a while, even weaker.
If your nails are already hard, hardeners will make them harder and thus less flexible and prone to breaking. Nails do need to be hard but they also need elasticity to withstand everyday life without breaking. Hard is good, too hard not so much. Don’t use hardeners but moisturise like there’s no tomorrow, specially your cuticles. Look for products with urea content, you can find them in pharmacies. You can even use heel balms on your cuticles if they’re dry. Moisture adds elasticity, loosens things up a bit.
Hi, my one thumb nail always tears on the side but lower down the side where you indicated on your picture. Will your tips help me?
They might. I think in your case, it’s specially important to moisturize so that the nail would get stronger. Find a cuticle product that works for you, oil or cream. And also hand cream in general, with urea content is best, you can probably find those in the pharmacy.
Thanks for the insight my whole right right hand had to cut cause of splitting they grew pretty long have photos and I like to wear them squared