What is onychoschizia?

Onychoschizia is a condition in which nails split or break easily and become brittle. The most common cause is frequent wetting and drying of nails, which can make them drier and more likely to split. Excessive buffing of nails, filing nails into sharp points rather than rounded edges, and using nails as tools can also lead to breakage and splitting.

Onychoschizia occurs when your fingernails begin to split horizontally. Your fingernails are composed of several layers of cells. In an individual with onychoschizia, those layers begin to peel off and split. There are several different causes of onychoschizia, but it usually occurs from constant wetting and drying of the fingernails.