Ok Ladies... Fingernail Help!

I don't go for that high maintenance stuff anywho...I'm a rancher/farmer/part time RVer/gardener...no polish, no artificial nails but I have longer nails than you think. I keep them clean and filed daily. I use a product called "hard as hoof" maybe once per month. But having really "hard" nails is not good. Natural nails are somewhat flexible and will therefore actually resist breakage.

If you've been doing polish or had artificial on a long while you may want to remove all that and let them "normalize" again. The chemicals in those products may damage the nailbed and introduce toxins into your body so it may take several weeks or months for them to be right again. You might try massaging in Palmer's Oil or plain old Baby Oil at least once per day. Avoid products with parabens or other chemical additives.

I think you'll find the natural approach will result in beautiful nails that don't take so much time to take care of and cost a whole lot less too!

About 8 or 9 years ago my thumb nail starting splitting from tip to cuticle, reason unknown. Then several others started doing the same thing. I do take Biotin 5000mg and still my nails will split if I remove an acrylic mail. Started having my nails and toes done and like having them looking nice. I feel that just because I full time why should I give up that luxury? When my nails need attention I find a shop somewhere in the town that we are in. 99 and 9/10% of the nail techs are of the same race so really what difference does it make? If the shop doesn't use sterilized instruments I walk out - that is why I don't go to Wal-Mart. I like my nails and I have them done in the French style. My hair is different. It is long and I wait till I can't stand it any more before I get it cut. Usually higher end shops do a better job but it is only a couple of times of year so it really isn't all that bad. Just because you live a different life style doesn't mean you need to give up what pleases you.

Nutinelse2do wrote:

In all my working years I have had an overlay of acrylic on my nails due to the thinness and tearability of my own. ...... My quandry is what to do when we are full timing. I would love to give them up but when I dont have them, I feel hindered in doing things because I am so used to them.....

When I retired I cut and filed my nails real short. No one cares. They may not look the best but I no longer have to waste money on them or worry about splitting one or painfully bending one back - OUCH! You will quickly get used to short nails.

I wore acrylics for 25 yrs, felt naked without them. In '09 when DH retired we left on our first extended trip. I went to nail places all over the west, some good, some not so good. In Washington state when I was going to have to wait several hrs to have fills done and pay $60, I decided to soak them off. After struggling with them for 6 months, they finally began to look healthy. My nails, like yours, are so thin that they peel and break easily. Someone told me about 5000 mg. Biotin, I also take calcium, and ever since I have taken these supplements I been able to have decent looking nails. It took some time, maybe 6 mo. to see progress. I do notice that they do much better whe we are on the road, probably because there is less housework and fewer dishes, even though I have a dishwasher at home. I still rinse everything. The other thing I do is file my nails a good bit, to erase any little nicks I might get. I also use buffing cream and a buffer.

Since I am now retired I let mine grow out and just keep them short. I don't miss them at all and I had acrylics for 20 yr. lol

Cherry

I suggest keeping them short and taking a supplement. I had problems with mine tearing and peeling and decided to try a supplement for hair, nails and skin. It has worked wonders for my nails and I can't remember the last time one tore and I have been working on renovating the house! My husband just started taking them last week.

mockturtle wrote:
I keep my nails short and my hair long. Less maintenance for both.

Me, too. I've always suffered from torn nails, but don't like the smells of nail polish or remover. I get it cut about once or twice a year at chain hair cutters, sometimes when we go visit our kids.

DH shaves his own hair, trims his own beard, so we don't have the expense or trouble trying to find a good barber.

Thank you all so much for the suggestions. I am very picky about who does my nails so I think I will just get rid of them when the time comes.
Nails do definitely get in the way when I try to tie flies on my fishing line!
Everyone enjoy the rest of your summer and travel safe
Cheryl

Yelp also has reviews for hair salons and nail salons, Its how I, as a fulltimer, find someone decent to cut my hair. And longer hair is much easier to manage. if you go 3-4 months between cuts, it still looks good!

Sue

Nutinelse2do wrote:
Lol.. Richard wants to know if they will pull his man card if anyone sees or hears about it ? :-)

He'll get a GOLD STAR on his "man card".

Real men know how to treat (and spoil) their women.