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ladies with nice finger nails-how do you do it?

Enerchi

Enerchi

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 4, 2011
Messages
10,658
My nails have become worse over time. They are paper thin and split in layers. They peel up and off from the tips and do not grow very much at all, probably because they are splitting all the time and I keep filing them short to reduce tears. Sometimes they will grow a bit more - usually in the summer when it is humid, but not guaranteed.

I tend to keep them covered with at least a growth product from either OPI or Q-Tica and a layer or two of polish with a top coat. I moisturizer my hands. I am not soaking in hot water all day doing dishes. I do use hand sanitizer when leaving some job sites but not excessively.

Is it something I am not eating or should be eating? Is it an age thing? Is polish bad not good? What do you suggest? How do the beautiful nails and hands of PS get and stay that way? Help me - I'm open to all ideas!
 
Mine used to peel in thick layers and nailtiques 2 and 2plus were the biggest things for me. Now I RARELY let my nails show any white bec I am weird about gunk under it, but when I wear gels I don't clip them constantly. They seem to grow faster and better now. I suck at cuticle care and I hate lotion bec I feel dirty and slimy. So I rarely use it.
 
When I was I high school I had acrylic nails. I was bad about keeping them up, and when they started looking bad or I got sick of them I would rip them off. Needless to say, my nails were completely ruined--paper thin, painful and covered in ugly ridges. I was recommended Nailtiques, and it saved my nails! It strengthened them--they finally started growing and the overall health and appearance of my nails improved greatly. You can find it at beauty supply stores, and i think some drugstores and maybe Target.
 
The thing that changed my nails, and my hair for that matter, was daily vitamins. A multi, b complex and D. Huge difference. They actually grow past my finger tips and don't crack or peal anything like they used to.
 
I don't really know...diet and polish have always been my friends as far as nail health, but I don't know if my particular lifestyle would be the right one for everyone! I don't eat meat or poultry. Don't drink milk, but I do eat a ton of veggies including dark leafy greens and a wide variety of produce, period. Keeping polish on my nails seems to make them grow faster and stronger. I've never liked having long nails (grew up playing piano so had to keep them short anyway) so honestly I cut mine almost every week.
 
My nails are long, strong and grow like weeds. This my lifestyle:

eat a high protein, low carb and low sugar diet, plus fruit and vegetables
keep my nails covered with bottom coat, two color coats and top coat
always wear gloves when doing dishes
moisturize my cuticles with hand lotion frequently (at a minimum, daily before bed and also usually after washing hands)

I agree you should start out with Nailtiques, either by itself or as a bottom coat, to help strengthen your nails.
 
I honestly don't know! My nails are very strong and grow like crazy, but I don't particularly have a great diet (too much junk). I think a lot of it is genes + luck. I do take a daily vitamin, but I'm not sure if it does much. I would trade in my nice nails for flawless skin in a heart beat!
 
I used to have very dry, brittle nails that would break, flake and bend constantly. Once I knew I was getting engaged, I decided to start looking after them a bit better by getting monthly manicures. I tried BioGel, Shellac and Artistic Colour Gloss, and the latter works the best for me. My nails are long and strong and look much better than I ever could have hoped for. ACG lasts around four weeks on me, though that's only because I get bored with the colour and get it redone every month. I've had it on my toenails for six weeks now (don't judge ... they grow slowly!) and it still looks as good as new.
 
Thanks everyone! I think Nailtique is the "go to" solution. I'm going to stop today on the way home from work and see if it is available here. I just started a regime with Barielle products using the growth stimulator as a base coat then the nail thickener as a top coat. Only a week in, so hard to evaluate.

it is so frustrating - once you get sort of a semblance of nail growth as a hint of white showing up..... SPLIT! ARGH! I get so irritated. I've been keeping nails painted with some potion or another for a while and that seems better than when I'm au naturel....

I've also started taking vitamins too and a calcium pill. Hope that helps!
 
Enerchi said:
you get sort of a semblance of nail growth as a hint of white showing up..... SPLIT! ARGH! I get so irritated. I've been keeping nails painted with some potion or another for a while and that seems better than when I'm au naturel....

I've also started taking vitamins too and a calcium pill. Hope that helps!
Click to expand...

Good luck!

I don't maintain a too healthy diet although I drink lots of milk. I moisturise most nights and I also use an almond oil solution from a manicure kit on my nails and wipe off before using polish otherwise when I use nail polish remover the top layer of my nail peels off.
 
i figured out that whenever my nails are filed, they split and break. the only way i keep them looking healthy and strong is by having them only clipped (by myself or at the salon) -- NO filing at all. it usually takes a month after filing for my nails to grow back in nicely ... good luck!
 
I have had the same problems with my nails all my life, Enerchi! The only thing that has worked for me is a product called "Perfect Formula". It is sold on their website and also on QVC. After just a few weeks of wearing, I can remove it and go without any polish for a few days and my nails are strong and thick. I apply it and remove it every three days or so, but I know it is stated that you can leave it on for a week. You can wear it under polish if you want to. It comes in clear and a pink that gives you a french manicure look.

It is truly amazing stuff. If I don't wear it for a few months I can't grow any nails. It is worth a try, buy it from QVC and if you don't like it.
I have tried everything else and nothing works like this for me.
 
I think some of it is genetic. My nails are brittle and peel easily . They never grow past my fingertips, but my husband's nails are always long and strong. If they're not clipped every week and a half, they'd be wayyy past his fingertips. My daughter's nails grow fast as well. I think there are some things you can do to take better care of your nails but some of it might not be your fault. Just genes.
 
Prenatals and Shellac seem to have finally done the trick for me. I've never had great nails, but now I have to cut them because they're too long! It took about 6 months of prenatals for it to really show in my nails, but my assumption is that I needed to grow out the weaker nail completely, hope that makes sense.

Good luck, whatever you decide! I absolutely swear by the gel manicures though, it's awesome and doesn't damage your nails at all as long as you get someone that knows what they're doing. They look great for 2+ weeks and it takes about a half hour to get them done. They're 100% dry when you walk out the door. Awesome stuff!!! :twirl:
 
My nails have always grown fast, but since HS they have been prone to splitting and cracking. My friend (who is a gynecologist, coincidentally) recommended taking biotin and prenatal vitamins and that has really done the trick. I also put Vitamin E oil on my nails/cuticles after I take my nail polish off because the remover is so harsh and drying, and let it soak in for about an hour (I do my nails while watching tv, so I let it soak in for the length of one tv show). I agree with the previous poster who said filing her nails increases splitting - it does that to my nails too. I don't ever file them (though occasionally I buff them with one of those block things), but just use clippers, and it's very important that the clippers are sharp and in good condition. I also never use the fast-dry top coats for nail polish - those somehow always manage to chip off and take chunks of my nails with them. For base coats, the two that have been best for me are Julep Nail Therapy and Nicole by OPI Strengthener Plus. Keeping polish on seems to cause increased chipping/splitting. Sometimes I put up with it because I want painted nails, and sometimes I don't.
 
Calcium, protein and biotin are the three main nutrients for nail growth. So, try to get plenty of those.

I always, always wear nail polish. I think it helps protect the nails.
 
I supplement with Silica Gel (1 Tablespoon) from the brand Naka. They actually gave away a mini set of nail clippers for a while with the gel as a bonus! Taking a Tablespoon a day you should see results within the month, I started taking it to make my hair thicker because it's good for that too, as well as lubricating your joints. I think my hair looks better, but with my nails it's very obvious. They're harder and grow faster. Good luck!
 
Useful information, I use to have wonderful nails when I was younger, as I have aged only a few of them grow, my pointer finger and middle finger on both hands constantly split and get weak, the other ones will grow but I trim them back so they all match, thanks for starting this thread I too will have to look for the Nailtique or the other stuff on QVC, thanks everyone :appl:

ETA: OK so I bought some Nailtique formula 2...I have a question I was reading the pamphlet and it says you need to use non-acetone remover, can you use just regular nail polish remover?
 
I have always been lucky and naturally have strong nails that grow very quickly. I eat a lot of dairy so maybe the calcium helps. I know some people take a hair/nail vitamin. I would think polish would help b/c it would make your nail stronger.
 
I wouldn't cut your nails below the white line; you are at risk of an infection. I read vitamin E helps? also a multivitamin?
 
I find that if my nails grow too long, they peel and break (plus, I don't like the look). I try to keep them pretty short but long enough to look good with polish and without. I also try to drink milk everyday. I figure the calcium helps.
 
Do you file your nails after you cut them? My nails are more prone to splitting when I don't.
 
Filing could be the culprit! I used to have a nice ceramic file that was very gentle - no issues. Broke when my purse dropped and then slowly lost the little bits, so resorted to something cheap and crappy from somewhere (the old fashioned tan/dark beige sandpaper ones) and maybe that's the ticket.... that could be the issue....???

But prenatal vitamins? really? what is that supposed to do for hair, face and nails? hmmm.... been an AWFULLY long time since I took prenatals - my DH would probably stroke if I brought that home! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Couldn't find any nailtique at my 2 stops today, but I do use non-acetone nailpolish remover that is safe for acrylic and other nail overlays. I prefer the smell of it for one, but it is more gentle on the nail bed.

Today, more splitting and my hands look like i'm a nail biter and trying to dig my way out of jail, via the concrete walls! I hate my hands right now... ARGH! :angryfire:
 
Enerchi, you can just take a good women's one-a-day vitamin. You don't have to get prenatals.
 
I have nails like yours. The only thing that helped was UV cured shellac (done by someone with a lot of experience and meticulous attention to detail).

Getting pregnant seems to be helping too. Prenatals or women's daily vitamin absent pregnancy and my previous high protein, low carb/fat diet didn't help at all.
 
I agree with all of the above, a lot of nail problems stem from underlying vitamin deficiencies.

The fact that in the summer they are healthier may not be just due to humidity as you put it, but more sun, which means more vitamin D.

I'd say try to work from the inside out, the prenatals above usually have more folic acid in them which not only help with development, but hair and nails as well.

so inside: vit D, folic acid, daily vitamin
outside: all the other great suggestions above

:)

as a side note mine grow TOO fast, I'm always cutting them every week and a half - 2 weeks because I need to keep them short for work. I don't know how ladies with longer nails do it!
 
enerchi,


PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE try switching back to a high quality ceramic file. do you remember if you started having problems soon after switching?

my only other advice is to give it time after you switch. after i stopped filing, it took a few weeks before my nails improved.

good luck!
 
slksapphire|1336053688|3186537 said:
enerchi,


PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE try switching back to a high quality ceramic file. do you remember if you started having problems soon after switching?

my only other advice is to give it time after you switch. after i stopped filing, it took a few weeks before my nails improved.

good luck!
Click to expand...

Yes, I thought of that earlier, my nails have seriously deteriorated since using that crappy sandpaper one... A new ceramic file is on my shopping list - as well as a good quality pair of clippers that will be 'finger only' ones! Going to try another resource for the Nailtique product and pick up some vitamins. I'll compare ingredients in the prenatal and the woman formulations and then prices. I'd rather spend on sparkle than a vitamin (yikes - picking diamonds over health??? so not a good idea....!) :loopy:

I am glad to hear there are a lot of others who are also suffering from nail issues. You always feel like you are the only one on the planet.... but you know you aren't! :rolleyes:

thank heavens my career hopes of being a hand model --- are still alive!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Enerchi, are you in Canada too? I've been following this thread because my nails have become super thin and brittle lately. Nailtique is available online, but I wanted something asap so I tried this: http://sallyhansen.com/products/nails/nail-care/nail-nutrition-green-tea-bamboo-nail-strengthener... So far it's working great. It's $10.99 here.

Based on the other advice in this thread, I'm buying a ceramic file today! ;)) I bought vitamins yesterday only to find out the pills were too big for me to swallow or split in half. :nono: Wasted my money there, so will try something else. All of our milk here has added vitamin A and D. I just switched to organic this week (haha, PS peer pressure strikes again). Good luck with your results. I don't want long nails, I just want strong nails that can be short and polished.
 
Oops, I linked the wrong product. Mine is the Green Tea and Olive growth treatment. Don't know if it matters.
 
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