Nails, Go Acrylic Or Not?

[sbk]

I bit my nails for years and years, started when I was under 4 years old and quit about 3 or 4 years ago. Now, my nails are soft, tear and split easily and never get longer than my finger for very long, they usually tear right away.

I would like to have nice looking nails but have heard acrylics can damage your nails. Now, given that mine are not good anyway. What would you do?

I can get some very beautifully done acrylics here in the US, should i do it or is there something to make my own nails stronger? Dad suggests drinking gelatin (ugh) but apparently as soon as you stop the gelatin the nails get soft again. My sister and my dad both have soft nails as well, so perhaps its some weird genetic thing.

Also, if I do get acrylic nails, how hard is it to get the acrylic filled in as the nail grows?

A vitally important and stimulating topic as you can see

[icequeen]

Just my opinion but I would try a product called diamond nails first, it is like a clear nail polish but actually strengthens your own nails, if you have nail problems now they will only get worse if you try acrylics.

You can buy diamond nails on the internet or possibly from some drug stores in the US, it's not expensive but I'm sure it will help you, also drink plenty of milk

[sbk]

I see something called diamond nail gels that a manicurist puts on like acrylics and max factor has something called diamond hard nail polish.

And something called Dr G's liquid diamond all natural nail treatment on Amazon.com for about $15 US. Is that the stuff?

[icequeen]

Liquid diamond sounds like the stuff - sorry it's been a few years since I used it, forgot the exact name. I used to buy it from a shopping channel in the UK called QVC. Also it is important to try and file your nails into a square shape (if they are long enough) as filing them round will make them even weaker.

[sbk]

so, does it really make the nails harder then? sounds ideal.

[cathyy]

I have nails like yours, sbk. I have gone the acrylic route both in the US and here and been very happy with the results. Getting the acrylic filled is fast and easy, and needs to be done every other week or so, depending on how fast your nails grow. I found the quality of the work to be slightly better in the US; the nails were not adhered to my cuticle there but usually were here. The actual nail building is better here, as they do all acrylic nail extensions rather than the faster and less difficult acrylic over a nail extension they glue on in the US.

The major issue with acrylic nails in getting a fungus infection in your real nail under the acrylic. You need to examine the nail closely, in good light, with the polish removed, every time you go in for a fill. Look for dark spots. If you get a fungus infection, and it is really tiny, it may be okay to just have the nail technician use a lot more of the antifungal they always apply too the nail. If it is not tiny, the nails have to be removed, the fungus treated, and you must live with the resulting mess until your nail grows out. Acrylic nails make your natural nails weaker, due to both the filing of the nail surface and the moister atmosphere under the acrylic nail.

Always wear rubber gloves if you are putting your hands in water and you have acrylic nails. I quit having acrylic nails because as a diabetic I should not risk the nail fungus.

[Goldenbead]

I had acrylics a few years ago for a few months. They looked great but I developed fungus under a couple of nails and had them removed. My real nails, while much longer than they had ever been were thin and weak. I would say it is not really worth it unless you are prepared to put up with the hassle of having them filled regularly and possibly ending up with a fungal infection.

My nails have always been soft but I find that if I drink milk every day or have a pot of yogurt, my nails grow quite well and are strong (relatively).

Good luck with your choice.

[Boo]

Have to agree with the hassle of getting fills, they look fab & are good for a special occasion but for every day, I would say no. Also have to agree with the hard as nails or diamond nail treatment, also keeping the nails properly filed, short & square & doing regular soaks & massaging nail oil into them to improve the flaking & splitting. Applying a clear moisterising nail varnish will also help to stop the flaking.

[eek]

I tried acrylics for a short time, but came to loathe them.

If you want them to keep looking good, then I found regular (every 2 weeks or so, depending on how fast your nails grow) maintenance is needed. As your own real nail grows, so the acrylic grows too, leaving a bump if you dont have your nail refilled. I think they begin to look a bit ugly after around 10 days if you dont have a touch up. I also couldnt quite get used to the slightly heavy tight feeling on my nails. Felt strange to me when typing or touching my hair etc. Plus, apparently they damage your nail/nail beds over time.

I decided in the end to just keep use cuticle cream and keep filing my nails to be neat and short. They dont look as perfect or glamorous as arcylics, but I prefer the feel of them and knowing i dont need to go for touch ups in order for them to look good.

[sbk]

Thanks for all the advice, sounds like acrylics are out for me then. I like to garden and my hands get wet all the time anyway. Nail fungus sounds like a nightmare.

OK, liquid diamond stuff sounds like the way to go. I do get plenty of calcium, doesn't seem to make a difference. Weak nails just seems to run in the family.

I've never had luck in keeping any polish on my nails, it always flakes off. What am I doing wrong?

[Boo]

just use a clear varnish after the hard as nails stuff & you can also buy nail varnish primer, which you put on first to prevent the varnish flaking off.

[cathyy]

sbk, are you using a special base coat under the color? That's what makes the polish adhere well. The getting wet all the time can also be a cause of flaking polish. You need gardening gloves, I think. And rubber gloves.

[Meg_2003]

Ive found painting my nails with a few coats of nail varnish makes my nails a lot stronger. I always wear nail varnish and my nails are very long and hardly ever break. Everyone always asks me if Ive got acrylic nails, but I do the french polish painting myself and wear lots of it My nails seem a lot softer and break more if I don't wear nail varnish.

[gk10002000]

I bit my nails for years and years, started when I was under 4 years old and quit about 3 or 4 years ago. Now, my nails are soft, tear and split easily and never get longer than my finger for very long, they usually tear right away.

I would like to have nice looking nails but have heard acrylics can damage your nails. Now, given that mine are not good anyway. What would you do?

I can get some very beautifully done acrylics here in the US, should i do it or is there something to make my own nails stronger? Dad suggests drinking gelatin (ugh) but apparently as soon as you stop the gelatin the nails get soft again. My sister and my dad both have soft nails as well, so perhaps its some weird genetic thing.

Also, if I do get acrylic nails, how hard is it to get the acrylic filled in as the nail grows?

A vitally important and stimulating topic as you can see

Fake nails look just like that, fake. One of the biggest turn offs and huge waste of money. Just keep your nails short. I doubt that biting nails for years affects new and recent growth! Perhaps a short consultation with a doctor might reveal a minor problem and some diet or treatment could improve your basic nail health.

[sbk]

I read that taking biotin will increase nail hardness--- so will give that a try. It seems to be a genetic issue as my dad has this issue as well as my sister.

[shikonjewel]

My grandmother always told me to eat jello!

I dunno, I got acrylic nails for the first time while I was in Thailand and didn't like them at all. But the women who did them also made them way longer than I wanted, it made it really awkward to touch/eat/do many things until I got used to them.

I would say try them once, make sure they don't give you super long ones that will bug you and after the experiment decide for yourself. If you get them, you still have to give your nails a break every few weeks or so. Even leaving nail polish on too long is supposed to be bad because you have to let your nails breath.

Oh and you'll realize how fast nails really do grow by having them. My friend always has to go get her's refilled by the second week!

Edited October 31, 2008 by shikonjewel

[sbk]

Its supposed to be the high protein content of gelatin that does it, shikonjewel. my dad suggested it too, said to mix powdered gelatin with water and drink it every day.

I've forked out the money for biotin from GNC in Bangkok, and after a week, my nails do seem marginally stronger.