General Chat

Can any of you girls out there give me some tips for improving the condition of my fingernails? (More to come below)

My nails have always alternated between being very soft and inclined to tear easily, usually right across the quick - which is very painful when the whole top of the nail tears off (as it inevitably does, even if it starts as a small tear), or they go very brittle and snap off if they knock against anything, such as a door handle I'm reaching for. I've tried using all sorts of creams to rub in and vitamin supplements recommended to strengthen nails, but nothing seems to work. I do lots of cooking, gardening and usual household chores, and I find it hard to work wearing gloves, but it doesn't seem to matter if I wear gloves or not - the nails still behave in the same way. I do wish mine were as nice as other people's when I see them beautifully shaped and polished. Any advice welcome. CB >|<

CB I take Calcium tablets and my nails are as hard as rock.

You need zinc as well CB.

Hi there CB >i<. Because you have not been very well lately, your nails weaken and start to flake. Eating raw jelly is supposed to help and invest in a good hand and nail cream and use it several times a day. You will find they will improve in the better weather too. 'ark at me......talk about Nelly No-all!!! Luv Jo.X

Hi CB, my daughter has a thing about her nails and I must admit, they are lovely. She got a product from QVC called Nail Envy by OPI. It stregnthens your nails and really works. Don't know if it's available anywhere else though. Christine

C B. I have exactly the same trouble. I too take Vitamin Supplements, but cannot keep nails for more than a week. Think I shall get some Calcium tablets. Tell you what. I wont look at your nails and you dont look at my nails in April. Cannot remember if Kim has nice ones or not. Jenny x

Do'nt know any cures nor can I offer advice except to say whatever you do do'nt bite them . Be good. Rupert.

Thank you for the advice, ladies. Some things I've not used before, so I'll give them a try. Rupert, No, I stopped biting my nails when I was 14 and finally realised how horrible they looked. There's usually not much to bite either! CB >|< X

Have asked my daughter who is a nail technician and she says ...vitamin supplements with added calcium, but must take regularly...and a good manicure every couple of weeks will help too. Anne :)))

I take oil of evening primrose!!! my nails grow lovely, and my hair has thickened, i used to have soft nails and very fine hair, not anymore!! also oep is supposed to keep wrinkles at bay Love Helenxx

Hi CB I have the same problem with my nails but they improved greatly when it was discovered that my iron levels were extremely low and I started taking iron tablets (yuk!). I also bought some very good stuff in Boots called Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle, and that works too (for when I get fed up with the iron tablets!). Mandy :)

Slather on a rich cream at night, and wear cotton gloves. And always wear rubber gloves when doing housework. I dont do either but I read that in a magazine! lol BC

Thanks Buttercup! Yes, I read about housework in a magazine once. Must try it sometime! LMHO Thank you too, other ladies. I can see I'm going to stagger out of our local branch of Boots with a trolleyful of stuff! Hope some of it works. If I suddenly disappear from GR, you'll know why - I've rubbed tablets on my nails and drunk the oils and the nail varnish! Now, who's going to be the first to say I'll have a beautiful finish?!!! CB >|<

ermmmm.... CB wat are fingernails lol i have bitten mine for as long i can remember,im 46 now!!! oh how i wish i could stop. susie

CB Since I started my diet five weeks ago I drink two glasses of skimmed milk a day (hate the stuff so I mix it with coffee) my nails have hardened and are growing without tearing. Lindy;-))

Don't try growing them for a few weeks after you start taking the supplements, keep them at finger-tip level. Massage the base of your nails everyday (an electric toothbrush is good) as it stimulates the circulation. When you file them, only rub one way, not back and forth because it weakens them. Nails which are filed regularly grow faster, so do it once a week. Don't wear nail polish every day and use nail polish remover sparingly.

Skimmed milk has the most calcium in it than other milks. Anne :)))

CB Jen has forgotten that I have lovely nails! I stick them on in the morning!! lol Kim x

Hi CB, I use cuticle oil on mine every week and also rub nail strengthening paste into them when I give them their weekly manicure. I avoid housework, gardening, cooking and anything else that may damage them! Seriously though, good nails take work when you get to a certain age. I've had talons almost all my life but they are getting harder and harder to maintain. Gwynne x