Peeling flaking nails

[KittyT]

I have actually used Pro-Strong as a topical nail solution for years and keep coming back to it. It's amazing and makes my nails healthy, strong and fast-growing.

I've also heard someone say that silica is good for nails.

 

[Olive Twist]

I have the peeling, too. Water -- washing dishes or hand wash -- makes them much, much worse. So, I'm sorry to say, does nail polish. If I can keep them unpolished once in a while and goop on the Solar Nail oil, they are a much better. I'll look into the Nail Magic -- thanks for the rec.

 

[MissHannah]

I agree that going without nail varnish really helps - I always thought it was the remover that was bad for my nails rather than the polish itself but maybe not. My nails look dreadful without varnish though, I won't ever leave them naked. I tried giving them a month off once to recover and while they certainly got much tougher in that month they never looked good.

Pro-Strong doesn't seem to be available in the UK but Nail Magic does, so I'm going to give that one a go. It's £9 so it'll have to wait until payday but I'm very encouraged by your experience Shirin.

JazzyDame - what is biotin?

 

[RainEdayWoman]

Poor Diet, Dehydration and try NailTek products to strengthen your nails.

Nail Tek II
Intensive Therapy (for soft peeling nails)
One coat a day for 7 days or unless it start to peel sooner then remove and re-coat. It will peel as the nail soaks in the good stuff. After a while peeling with get less and less as your nail becomes stronger. This is what we would use in salon to help heal nails from the abuse and damage from artificial nails.

Try adding more fresh fruits and dark leafy greens to your diet. Your hair and nails are the first to show when there is something out of whack in your body be it diet or illness.

 

[Marla]

I didn't think this was so common! The nail on my index finger is very brittle and always splits before it's even grown past the tip of my finger. I've tried a number of vitamin supplements (including Biotin) but none of them have solved the problem. Now I just keep the nails on the index and middle finger trimmed very short but I'd like a better solution since this makes my nails look unbalanced.

 

[Rica Bloom]

By far, the absolute best nail treatment I've ever used is NailTiques Protein Formula II Plus. I had really bendy pealing nails too (truly paper thin!), and this stuff turned them hard as rocks. It's pricey, but if you really want serious talons, this is the stuff to get. The NailTek line is more-or-less a knock-off of NailTiques, and it's not nearly as strong in my experience. With the NailTiques and really good polish application, I had people asking me every day if my nails were fake.

 

[Lady Day]

Potassium.
Eat lots of bananas and potatoes. Those foods are great for nails. I had to cut the nail on my thumb down it was so strong it kept cutting into my index finger when I wrote.

LD

 

[KittyT]

By far, the absolute best nail treatment I've ever used is NailTiques Protein Formula II Plus.

NailTiques is good and it works, but I found that it peeled a lot and that I had to reapply it more than stated in the directions, which isn't ideal for a product that's so pricy. I also found that because of this, it didn't work well combined with regular nail polish.

 

[MissHannah]

Potassium.
Eat lots of bananas and potatoes. Those foods are great for nails. I had to cut the nail on my thumb down it was so strong it kept cutting into my index finger when I wrote.

LD

That's what my thumbnails are like too - it's like rhino horn it's so strong! In fact all my other nails are really pretty good.

 

[Rica Bloom]

NailTiques is good and it works, but I found that it peeled a lot and that I had to reapply it more than stated in the directions, which isn't ideal for a product that's so pricy. I also found that because of this, it didn't work well combined with regular nail polish.

Oh no! I'm sorry it didn't work for you, especially for the money. It's the only one that doesn't peel off for me, but I think that's really personal to the user -- my mother can't wear a lot of the nail polishes I can because they chip and peel on her, whereas the ones that work really well on her peel off my nails, within 24 hours, in one big stupid sheet. It's maddening. :rage:

I only wish that you could try these products without spending an arm and a leg.

 

[KittyT]

I only wish that you could try these products without spending an arm and a leg.

They do sell them in little trial sizes at my local CVS.

 

[Olive Twist]

Glass Nail Files!

Also, I think I am having success with a glass nail file. It's quicker and easier, too. Do NOT buy the Revlon, it stops working after the first session. I like the La Cross. (Another great find thanks to Makeup Alley!)

 

[Mugwump]

All of my nails were like that, but my change in diet really helped. I'll be looking into Pro-Strong and Nail Tek though, as my nails aren't quite what I'd like them to be. Any suggestions for dry cuticles? (or is that off topic?) Using Sally Hansen Hand and Nail cream every time I wash my hands (and I work in a file room = dusty, so I'm washing them about 4 times a day at work), and it's OK, but not great. Olive oil with gloves overnight, perhaps?

 

[jillybeanlynn]

A manicurist told me once that oval shaped nails can take more abuse than squared off ones. Since she re-shaped them, my nails have not been peeling and breaking as often.

Also, I didn't notice this product mentioned, buy you should try it. http://www.amazon.com/Duri-Rejuvacote-Nail-Growth-System/dp/B000RW6EAQ

Rejuvacote is amazing. My nails are dry and brittle, plus I abuse the crap out of them at work, and I hardly ever get breakage anymore. It's to be used as a base coat and topcoat, or two coats if you're leaving your nails bare. Only bummer is that you have to reapply every day. If it's any consolation, I've had the same bottle for about four months. I must use really thin coats, or something.

 

[Mugwump]

Hmmm, sounds interesting - the Rejouvacote, I mean. Yes, I changed my nail shape to oval as well, and far less breakage [huh] You'd think the opposite, but it works quite nicely - until you grab a stack of files and almost break half of your nail right off! Yeeeeouwch! :eusa_doh: Anywho, until they grow back out, I'll be looking over all of these products mentioned. Thank you, jellybeanlynn!

 

[jillybeanlynn]

You're welcome! I hope it helps!

 

[Dexter'sDame]

I used to have this problem, and occasionally still do if I get busy and don't pay attention. In addition to the above-mentioned good diet plus "Hair Skin and Nails" supplements (plus my usual multivitamins), what works for me is this:

1. Not having my hands in water for too long (always wear rubber gloves when cleaning). 2. Massaging pure almond oil or Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme around the cuticle of the nail every morning and night until it disappears into the skin (on the nail, too, if you're not wearing polish). 3. Favorite hand cream: Vaseline Healthy Hand & Nail, which improved my nails a lot. 4. Never clip or file nails after shower, bath, or soaking in water; they're too vulnerable and are more likely to peel or split. Also, file in one direction, not back and forth. 5. Use a nail polish that lasts a long time so you're not using nail polish remover as often. (After much trial and error at all price points, for me that's Revlon--takes forever to dry but I get 10-14 days with small touchups. OPI is a distant second on me, at about 7 days, Chanel being dead last. Others may feel differently.)

In the past I've used Barielle nail care products, but since I began doing all of the above religiously, I haven't needed them.

 

[Octavia]

Definitely have to agree that oval nails can take more than square ones. I used to keep mine square when I was too lazy to file (I’d just cut them square and voila), but several months ago I decided I really disliked the way they looked. I got into a routine of filing them into an almond shape once a week and my nails are always even now. Once in a great while I might get a break (and this is usually only from vigorous activity where the nails just don't stand a chance). Before, despite how strong my nails were, they would never be even as the square edges easily caught on things and broke all over the place.

The difference has been pretty drastic.