My nails are a MESS. How do I look after them?

[Deleted User]

I am 60+ and cannot cope with my nails. They are a mess. I work on the allotment and so on, wearing gloves but don`t get 100% protection. My nails used to be fine until a manicurist cut my cuticles a long time ago and now the cuticles grow up my nails

My nails are paler these days and my cuticles raggy and I have white bits in my nails, which I haven`t had for a very long time

What can I do at home to help myself?

miss_independent

Hi, my nails have at times been in quite a state and I can highly recommend massaging the nail beds with oil (I use Solar Oil) and regularly using OPI Nail Envy which is expensive but works!

Also, your nails can also let you know if there is something else going on with your body (i.e vitamin deficiency, anaemia etc) so if you notice sudden differences along with other symptoms remember to go to the GP.

lessonlearned

It sounds as if your cuticles are too dry, hence they look raggedy, although your manicurist may have been a little over zealous. Less is more with cuticle trims etc.

I agree with the oil treatments. You could try soaking them in warm oil for a few minutes in the evening, almond oil is best but any vegetable oil will do. Also vaseline rubbed in and around the nails before you go to bed.

Are your calcium and vitamin levels up to scratch, you might need to take a supplement - calcium is a good idea anyway to give bone protection too.

Gently buffing the nails will help restore circulation to feed nutrients to the nails.

If the paleness does continue might be best to see your GP to check there are no underlying health issues.

anniewoo

I love Burt's Bees Lemon Cuticle Cream

http://www.boots.com/en/Burts-Bees-Lemon-Cuticle-Cream_52134/

I rub a little bit into my nails and cuticles every day and it really improves the condition of them and it smells gorgeous too.

pollypenny

I am also 60+, Kittie. I take calcium tablet daily and find that if I leave them off for more than a a week, say on holiday, my nails start to flake and break easily.

I am also a bit battered at the moment from gardening, but my nails are just coming back to longish and strong. Having gone mad on hard hand-washing and nail-brushing, I've also hammered the hand-cream, which I tend to forget.

Margaret52129

Oooh - I was going to post something similar today! This weekend most of my nails have split and broken off, and I've noticed a white spot on one. Don't do lots of gardening just enough to keep it tidy so can't blame in on that! I always use hand cream as I just HATE dry hands!

I've never had a manicure - ever! Do you think it's worth it to get them assessed? How do you choose one as there's loads of them on the high street nowadays!

Thanks.

PS I'm 58 in good health (as far as I know!)

rockie4

I'm 60, we have an allotment and I also have a job where my hands and nails suffer but I've found that Vaseline rubbed into hands and nails every night then putting on cotton gloves makes a huge difference to my nails!

I did it every night for a week and now do it on alternate nights my nails are quite nice now. I would also recommend a professional manicure - they can do wonders!

seafarers_wife

im another that swears by opi nail envy. im a nail bitter and my cuticles were all yucky and raggedy and halfway up the bit of nail i had, but since making a concentrated effort in the past couple of months to stop biting them and having an express manicure to tidy them up they look loads better as the manicurist cut the cuticles back but because my nail bed is damaged due to me biting the nails its something that im going to need to be doing regularly although the growth of the cuticle has alredy slowed down.

i put nail envy on every day, slather the opi oil on 2 -3 times a day and use plenty of handcream. i also once a week use the opi cuticle treatment cream that exfoliates the cuticle and softens it up so i can push it back myself.

OPI really works, buy it off qvc as it works out much cheaper htan in the beauty salons

Jacks_xxx

I recommend Flexitol foot cream massaged into your cuticles night and morning. It will sort out your raggedy cuticles, moisturise your nails and stimulate blood flow to the nail bed helping your nails to grow out strong and healthy.

I'm also a big fan of using nail buffers and oil to make natural nails look their absolute best once you've got them looking a bit better.