Yet another fun aging issue… One of my nails keeps splitting as soon as it grows beyond the nail bed (there’s a split going across that just can not grow out). I’ve never had fake nails, but am wondering if I had some applied for a few months if maybe my poor nail could finally grow.
Would that work? Is it possible to apply reasonable looking fake nails myself? Any other recommendations?
Me too! A tiny vertical split in the nail on my ring finger. I’ve been getting weekly manicures where they cut All nails short and I get a strengthening coat and that seems to help. I’ve gone a week now and no splitting. I was going to put a band aid over it to keep it from catching on gloves.
Following!
I would not suggest fake nails. I honestly think that will make things worse…as regular air won’t be getting to that nail.
Not to fake. Maybe look at nutrition. There are vitamins for your nails. Try them out but note that some people are sensitive to them. The Sally Hansen type strengthening polishes have worked for me, too.
No fake nails! I’d take biotin, will take a few months. Just keep Sally Hansen on it and try using a cuticle oil each night.
@conmama – wow, thought twins!
Moisturize a lot!
Use rubber gloves if doing stuff like washing dishes.
Article with useful tips.
A few months ago I found butter- London Nail Tinted Moisturizer. It adds a tiny bit of color, has never peeled off ( everything else peels or chips off) and my nails have a chance to Grow :). I gave to a friend who was helped by it. Gave to my sister at Christmas- we’ll see how it helps her. A$16.00 I did hesitate but have since also bought several butter nail lacquer, base and top coats
If I don’t take a multi-vitamin, my nails break. Sometimes as we get older, a vitamin deficiency becomes more pronounced, so it may only be showing symptoms now. I vote from biotin, or a multi with biotin.
My dermatologist told me my splitting was due to strong nail polish remover. I do use the strongest I can find, as most take forever to remove polish.
OPI makes a product called Nail Envy. I like it because I can get it in a matte finish. Directions say to apply a coat every day for a week, them remove and start over. I’m not that obsessive about it but it really does help. I use it in the winter and get it from Amazon.
I’ve had both gel and acrylic nails. My experience has been yes, your natural nails will grow because they are protected - but once you take the artificial nails off you’ll find your natural nails weakened and will likely need to cut them anyway.
I was under the impression that natural nails need oxygen to remain healthy, but I could be wrong. Maybe it’s just my excuse not to polish my nails.
When I complained that a vertical split in one nail was very irritating and annoying and I couldn’t wait for it to grow out, an elderly friend of mine told me that I would be waiting forever. She said a vertical split would never heal because it was an injury to the nailbed.
That was over 20 years ago. So far, she’s been proved right, but hope springs eternal. It is no better now than it was 20 years ago; I’ve just gotten better at maneuvering around it.
I have vertical splits happening in the nails on both big toes. I try to file them down whenever I notice it.
As for gel nails, I loved them, went in for pro manicures for about a year, and realized that the constant filing off of the polish was killing my real nails - they had become paper-thin and so, so unhealthy and weak.
Now I don’t do anything; it’s been about a year and my nails are barely improved. I take the Nature’s Bounty hair, skin & nails vitamins and I can’t say I’ve noticed any improvement.
A friend of mine who has nails to die for says she sticks her nails in raw potatoes to strength them - like, cut one in half and stick your nails in them.
I don’t have her kind of time, though.
I guess I just have genetically inferior nails. I do still have great teeth, so I guess there’s that.
My nails and teeth use to be great. Now I am in my mid sixities and everything seems to change,
My issue is that I pick at my nails and cuticles if I don’t have a professional gel or dip manicure. Even with the gel, which should last 2 weeks or more, when it starts to lift just a hair, I start peeling it off. This is my issue, and not the fault of the polish or the salon. So- I take extended breaks where I use the various strengtheners and clear coats. Fingernails are dead, so I’m not sure what I accomplish with the treatments. I like my nails very short anyway, but the chewed up cuticles look bad. I think the gel and dip (and certainly acrylic) weaken the nails and really mean you have to commit to keeping up with whatever you choose or else you have to endure the stage where your nails have to completely grow back.
I have very good nails (so far, touch wood). I’ve had gel twice and it really destroyed them - took about 6 months each time for them to recover - love the look and long lasting which is why I succumbed to temptation the 2nd time after saying never again after the first. Truly never again after the 2nd. I think fake or gel will do the opposite of helping your real nails.
My husband has the same problem with nails splitting continually - they split vertically and also peel. It started after his chemo treatments a few years back so i think it was some sort of damage caused by that. Thought it would improve after a couple of cycles of new nail growth but it’s been 5 1/2 years now. A friend we were visiting last week suggested the sally Hansen nail envy so I bought some and we’ll give it a try.