Nail health guides

Start here if you are not sure what you are looking at

Most nail problems fall into one of three groups: an infection, mechanical damage, or a nutritional and ageing issue — and they can look almost identical from the outside. If a nail is discoloured and thickening from one edge, start with toenail fungus explained. If the colour changed but the nail is still smooth and normal thickness, read why toenails turn yellow. If your nails split, peel or flake, the answers are usually in brittle nails.

The one rule behind every guide here

You cannot repair the nail you can see. It is hardened keratin with no blood supply, made months ago. Everything you do today shows up in the band forming under your cuticle — which is why nail growth speed decides how long any routine takes to judge, and why consistency beats intensity.

When to stop reading and see someone

See a GP or podiatrist if a nail is painful, changing quickly, lifting away from the nail bed, or if several nails change at once — and always if you have diabetes, neuropathy or poor circulation. These guides are educational; they are not a diagnosis, and Nailvyn is a food supplement rather than a medicine.