Splitting nails

Reams

Fire Fox, I love your posts, like reading Ted H without the lecturing. Where is your knowledge from?


Harrys Nan, Hi, unless your occupation involves using paper all day or other drying material, the cause is likely to be diet as most are. Most Doctors aren't very clued up on such, it's not in their training. Heaven forbid we take care through diet rather than medication.
Slow Thyroid will need more of something to compensate, but I'm just a very interested amateur.


I only eat fish not meat and loads of veg and eat well, but my nails were always weak and I had the vertical splitting on thumb and middle which according to Drs can never be cured. They could be quite sore.


B12, clipping and gentle smoothing with a fine file cured mine, but everyone is different. A buffer I send for from the USA makes my nails shine like glass, so no more ridges.


I highly recommend Trout as Fire Fox said. It's far milder than Salmon which I have to coat in Cajun spice before cooking to get it down, or sometimes Curry Paste mixed with Yoghurt.
Waitrose do Trout fillets, absolutely no bones and Columbus eggs.


Smoked Mackerel is nice too with creamed horseradish or made into a pate by adding cream cheese and some mayo or Total yoghurt. Lovely if watching weight on some Chicory or Little Gem lettuce. Careful of mackerel from Aldi. I did once and couldn't face it even from Waitrose for a further six months, it was full of bones, shudder.


From an earlier life in the beauty industry I can say to massage the cuticle to speed nail growth. Any oil or petroleum jelly to make it comfortable. Massage the finger firmly in circular movements just below the cuticle. Helps the blood supply as does scalp being massaged. Mavala used to, not sure if still do, made nail growth oil. We all knew in the business that it was massage not the oil that accelerated growth.


Now that I have strong, pink nails with no ridges, (ridges are so ageing) I'm far too old for long talons. Don't like to see long nails on old ladies.

Reams

For some reason I have no thanks button to press. Problem with smilies too. I will look tomorrow, makes no difference to me, thanks or not I don't care or look but know it matters to some.
ETA The thanks button is on other threads. Maybe a glitch at MSE Towers?

Jennifer_Jane

Just wanted to say that I am 67 and for the last couple of years had a split/chip in one place on one nail. Very annoying as it's my right hand and I just want to get rid of the irritating thing.


I will take on board the diet stuff above (thanks to all the posters). I wanted to add that my experience with Aldi smoked mackerel was the same - put me off completely, although I love their marinated salmon with a sauce. I also adore their snack packs of pumpkin and other seeds, with goji and cranberry berries. Delicious.


My little extra bit, though, is that I had gel polish on my nails a few weeks back and that is definitely helping to protect them. Ironically, the polish has come off the offending finger, except where the chip usually is (just one little blob left on that finger), so am still getting the benefit. The nail underneath the polish was in better condition than when ordinary nail polish comes off. I've used various oils religiously before now, and that did nothing.


So, thanks to the OP for starting an interesting thread. I'll be buying more mackerel the next time I'm out!


(I can see a thanks button on this thread, I guess Reams's problem will sort itself out in due course. It does seem to happen occasionally).


PS - have had thyroid problems in the past, but apparently I'm now slightly, if anything, over-active - or rather my thyroid is, not me - sadly.


PPS - I understand that drinking tea with a meal is not so good for you. Have seen two sources (one in UK and one in France) where it suggests that tea will restrict the absorption of iron and other minerals.

gardengull

Harrysnan and faerielight - yes dry and splitting nails can be caused by hypothyroidism (low thyroid). Get your TSH level checked (you are entitled to a check every 6 months from your GP, and they are paid extra QoS points if you have the test).

I have the same health issue, and have strong healthy nails (I have a full set of natural long nails). I have a good TSH result, and use this (body cream) on my hands every night. It's currently on offer in Boots for £2.81, and the active ingredient which helps nails is almond oil (as suggested by waffle_on):

http://www.boots.com/en/Nivea-Rich-Nourishing-Body-Moisturiser-For-Dry-Skin-250ml_5211/

It also smells lovely.

shegirl

Vaseline on your nails is fab. Spotted people raving about the effects on mumsnet so thought I'd give it a go (I don't have nail problems but thought I'd try it). It does nourish them and makes them look very healthy, very cheap too!

Littleweedj

You could try Bamboo Extract (I got mine on Amazon). Have a read of the reviews; it's meant to be great for nails and hair.

After taking for 1 month I can see a difference in my nails, much stronger and they grow quicker also although not seeing any difference in hair yet.

summerspring

Some of my fingernails are actually coming off :eek:

They're not split but the nail is coming away from the nail bed. It was just one nail that was affected, but now it's about 4 of them.

ETA this is quite an old thread by the way, hopefully the OP has got the problem sorted by now!

MicaMoo_2

My nails are constantly splitting, I dont think it helps that I constantly wear nail polish, but because they are a bit yellow underneath due to the constant polish,,,I dont want to go bare! Its difficult. They do grow long but just split. Very annoying!

faerielight

I won a pack of tablets a month ago. They are called Viviscal , they are supposed to be for hair, but my nails have not broken or split since I've been taking them! I am so pleased as mine were splitting all the time.. these tablets are miracle workers, but they are not cheap! I have tried other vitamin tablets for hair and nails and they did nothing, but I love the effects of these ones!

wort

Hi the poster who said her nails are coming away from nail bed,it may be a fungal condition so perhaps see your doctor? my big toe nail did that and luckily a friend said to check! I also have 1 finger nail that has vertical ridge that always splits at a certain length and I also have an underactive thyroid for which I'm on thyroxine for.