Stronger nails?

[Floating]

So, while I can usually pass it off as negligence, I grow my nails out from time to time.
Why?  Because I can.

However, after a week or so, they begin to chip and crack.  (usually the same ones, I guess that indicates which fingers I use more often - which is neat in itself)

Does anybody out there have any suggestions for growing stronger nails?  I'm not looking for a quick fix, but something that will lead to stronger nails in general?

Aside from calcium, is there anything I can add to my diet? Are there any products available that can help?

Any info would be greatly appreciated. ^_^

-Floating.


Edit:  If this belongs in the health section, I apologize.

[offthesidewalk]

oooh... i want to know too. my thumb nails get these off humps and dips from time to time. i don't know what's causing it, the doctor doesn't know either. *sigh*

Thank you Floating for posting this.
*hugs*

[Just Mandy]

Mine are much stronger and grow much more quickly since starting HRT. But I started
taking several vitamins at the same time though and MSM.

MSM has one side effect...your fingernails and hair will grow faster and become stronger. This is because there is more MSM in hair and nail cells than in any other part of the body. You need a little extra MSM every day to promote good health.

I believe that the MSM helped more than anything based on what I've read.

Amanda

[Floating]

Oh sheesh. I forgot to reply to my own thread.

Thanks Amanda! ^_^ 
That's really helpful, I think I'll take a look into that. I'm pretty sure I can find that stuff at a nutrition store near where I live.

I'll have to check exactly what it's for, just in case. ^_^



Eloise,
You're welcome.  Hopefully you get something from this as well.
Also, I heard somewhere that dents and things like that can be an indication of some other type of health problem.  Apparently you can figure out how long ago it should have been by looking at how far along your nail it is.  Nails grow from base to tip in about 3 months, so if it's half way up your nail, then presumably 6 weeks ago something happened.  Maybe you were sick or something.    Or maybe what I've heard is completely wrong - some old wives tale of sorts.  ^_^


-Floating

[Lori]

I was at the store the other day and there was two different types of MSM...which one do I get?
I've read on some hair forums that you should do a water test....

If it floats its no good or something. Anybody care to comment?

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-1115.html

[Autumn]

Biotin is all you need.

My daily multivitamin contains 600mcg, but I take a 5mg (5000mcg) pill daily. I started taking the 5mg pill long before the multivitamin and it worked fine. But 600mcg is not enough.

I've been taking this for nearly 2.5 years now. I've had my nails rip once - after I was off the biotin for about a month two of my nails ripped in the quick because the new growth wasn't strong enough. And I've had my nails shatter once - after using that bull>-bleeped-< nailcare kit they sell at malls (had a buffing cube with wool/cotton/silk for removing the grooves and adding shine, and a mineral oil treatment for them.) Was playing football/frisbee and a few direct finger impacts completely cracked off several of my nails, requiring that I cut them all off.

I bend them backwards accidentally - it hurts and bruises, but it's fine. I've lost my finger grip on very heavy boxes, resulting in the grip sliding down to my nails before dropping the box, very painful but no lingering damage. I dropped a stack of 10 lawnmower blades on my thumbnail and it was fine. I crushed my pinky alone under 30 pounds of dumbbell and the nail suffered no damage. Caught a boxcutter blade with a thumbnail (no damage) instead of slicing my finger open.



(tip of the nail got cut off in the picture. I need to file them down a little bit and round them out. I shaped them a lot last time I did my nails)

I don't use anything else on them. edit: so if you paint them, use acetone, and other stuff regularly it may not be enough. But for me it's all I need. I get told all the time to cut my nails because it's unhealthy, they'll tear and get hurt bad. The funny thing is that only happens if you're unhealthy. Healthy nails are very flexible. And yes, having them shorter would mean fewer 'oh god it hurts' nail bends, which happen to me once a month or so, but it's quite tolerable. I can still open cans (side of thumb) and type just fine. Only thing they've done is reduce my ability to apply pressure to pop zits, which is probably a really good thing.

[Just Mandy]

I was at the store the other day and there was two different types of MSM...which one do I get?
I've read on some hair forums that you should do a water test....

I have the vitamin world brand of MSM from vitaminworld.com 100mg... I'll check tonight if it floats. I take 2 or 3 a day.
I'll have to add Biotin to my mix.

Autumn you have beautiful hands

Amanda

[offthesidewalk]

the only reason why I don't really want to use MSM is that it grows hair too, and I'm afraid that it may mean it'll speed up the growth of ALL my hair. i really don't want to start growing a beard. ^_^

[Lori]

I was at the store the other day and there was two different types of MSM...which one do I get?
I've read on some hair forums that you should do a water test....

I have the vitamin world brand of MSM from vitaminworld.com 100mg... I'll check tonight if it floats. I take 2 or 3 a day.
I'll have to add Biotin to my mix.

Autumn you have beautiful hands

Amanda

If your blood type is A+ then B12 is the Hair vitamin.

[offthesidewalk]

oops, I'm sorry floating. i didn't see your reply to me.

it's growing out like that. it's horrible... and doc can't to anything, so it's fake nails for some time on ward. *sigh*

[Autumn]

Hmm, maybe I'll have to look into MSM actually. Interesting. And thank you, Amanda

If your blood type is A+ then B12 is the Hair vitamin.

Where do you find information about this, and for other blood types?

[Just Mandy]

the only reason why I don't really want to use MSM is that it grows hair too, and I'm afraid that it may mean it'll speed up the growth of ALL my hair. i really don't want to start growing a beard. ^_^

It has not changed my body/face hair, it's gotten finer since HRT.

Amanda

[Lori]

Hmm, maybe I'll have to look into MSM actually. Interesting. And thank you, Amanda

If your blood type is A+ then B12 is the Hair vitamin.

Where do you find information about this, and for other blood types?

I forgot where I saw that..just google B12...and look at these as well

http://holisticonline.com/remedies/Hair/hair_loss-nutrition.htm

[Just Mandy]

The vitaminworld.com brand sank... I guess that means it's good. My hair and nails are certainly
growing a lot faster.

Amanda

[Godot]

Well the old story is still going around about Jello being a good food to eat that's good for your nails. Then there's the calcium like you mentioned but other than Jello and calcium I'm not sure if there's anything else. They make nail polish that comes in white and I think it comes in clear and it's supposed to help your nails grow longer (I'm not sure about stronger though all it says is make them grow longer)  I worry about my nails a lot since I paint them all the time.