The upside of washing your hands a million times a day is that you’re doing your part to stay healthy and to make the world safer for everyone else. The downside is, sometimes this washing process and constant sanitizing can make nails soft and susceptible to breaks. 

Since it’s not always easy to just pop into a salon for a quick fix these days, here’s your guide to fixing broken nails at home. 

Use a Band-aid in a Pinch

If your nail breaks while you’re away from home, use a band-aid to cover up the cut. This will keep germs from getting inside your body and will help prevent further breakage. 

Get Some Glue

Nail glue can be found at your local drugstore and is a terrific way to repair natural or acrylic nails. Start by painting a streak of glue over the top of the broken nail. Don’t worry about putting too much on, you can file it down later. 

Spill Some Tea

Did you know that you probably already have a huge nail repair tool sitting right in your pantry? Tea Bag material is perfect for fixing broken nails. Use scissors to cut a patch out of the teabag (make sure to dump the tea out first). Use tweezers to place this patch on top of the glue that you put over the break. Smooth the patch out so that it soaks up all the nail glue. Let the patch fully dry. 

Buff it Up

Once the patch and the glue have dried, use a buffer to sand off the edges of the paper so it’s smooth and flush with the surface of the nail. If there’s excess paper that didn’t get glued down or that is hanging off of your nail, go in and trim it before you start buffing. Be gentle, especially over the part that’s broken. Finish this step by filing the tip of the nail to avoid future snags or breaks. Here’s a video if you need a little more clarity.

Add a Layer

Seal all of your efforts with a layer of polish, clear or otherwise. This will keep your patch in place and provide a layer of protection while your nail heals. 

Need someone to walk you through this a little more thoroughly? Schedule a consultation with your nail Pro today.