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RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Guest)
quote:
ORIGINAL: nealf Anyone tried a natural way of fortifying their nails through a combination of nutrition and nail lotions?
Yes, I do. I use a hand/nail creme that stops the nails from drying out and becoming brittle. Very important after you wash your hands, as this dries them out (esp. if you do the washing up without gloves - detergent is a nail killer).
As regards diet, I reckon mine is pretty healthy anyway, so I don't bother with a dietary supplement to strengthen my nails.
Posts: 243
Joined: Jul. 29 2003
From: San Diego, CA
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Guest)
I've tried a few things:
1) Vitamins - actually a multi-vitamin 2) MSM - Methyl Sulfonyl Methane 3) Biosil - a liquid form of silicon (used, I think, in the synthesis of nails) 4) biotin - a basic element of fingernails - http://www.evitamins.com/product.asp?pid=497 5) glucosamine and chondroitin supposed to help with nail growth (my dad says his nails began to grow fast - good for breaks, more filing though 6) I have been recommended Almond oil to rub into the cuticle, as well as myrrh (I didn't do that for very long though)
I haven't consistently used these things simultaneously. I used some for a while (probably 2 or 3 months, which is about half to a third as long as I should have).
I continue with vitamins and glucosamine and chondroitin and will go back to the silicon and biotin at least for a year and see what happens.
I don't think there is really a lot we can do though. I think it's really under genetic control and supplying these things doesn't change the amount our nail buds use to make nails. I am going to continue trying with these safe products, but I'll probably just have expensive piss.
I would say that conpared to say three or four years ago, my nails break less, but that could be more a result of being careful than the toughness of my nails.
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Paleto)
Paleto, For a number of years now I've been doing the cooking around here, so I've got to do a lot of washing up as I go along. Since then my nails have become very much stronger and I don't have to use any glue or anything now. I can't quite understand it as my nails used to be pretty brittle and weak. Either the hot water and detergent is having an effect or my cooking is more nutritious than my wife's.
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Jon Boyes)
Hello.
I use to put nailglue from H&M on my nails cause i had very weak nails in the beginning. Now i don´t use anything. I might put a thin layer of glue on them if it´s winter cause my nails becom dry and get cracked easy in the winter. But i still don´t use alot of glue. Henrik
Andy, my sentiments entirely, I have spent £50 altogether, on first Gel nails, then acrylics, the gel nails never set hard enough, they were always slightly rubbery, no good if you want to get that brilliant tone so important to Flamenco, also within a week they peeled of, even though the nail was cleaned and roughed up before application. Now the acrylics were too brittle, again after a week they chipped off on two of the nails, I have found with Super Glue and silk, if you prepare the nail, they last just as long as acrylics, and if you just cover the tips, the rest of the nail remains health, so when the nail grows you can play with your natural nail which is preferable to all nail coatings, so after much research after the recommendations on the this forum my conclusions are, if you play hard, stick with Super Glue and silk, and save money. Cheers Dave
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Guest)
Andy,
Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you. I still swear by it.
Were you applying it to the full nail or just the tip? I apply it to the whole nail surface like acrylics. I build it up pretty thick
After about a day, the gels set harder than a brick. I play very hard for hours at a time and have never had it come off or chip while playing. It almost sounds like its not setting properly. I wonder if the UV light is bad. Like I said, my nails go through hell. I'll likely never go back to silk and glue.
This also begs the question about different nail surfaces. Maybe for some unknown reason the stuff just wont stick to your nails properly.
Besides, I bet my nails look "prettier" than yours!
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Jon Boyes)
I eat a spoon of Kieselsäuren gel every day, it really boost the strength and hardness of my nails. I can't find the english word for it, but here it is in german: http://www.sikapur.de/produkte/kieselsaeure-gel/
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to flamencogitarr)
quote:
ORIGINAL: flamencogitarr
I eat a spoon of Kieselsäuren gel every day, it really boost the strength and hardness of my nails. I can't find the english word for it, but here it is in german: http://www.sikapur.de/produkte/kieselsaeure-gel/
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Ricardo)
Play for dancers much? [/quote] I don't, and maybe I would need some tougher nail stuff If I did..if thats what you're thinking of? I do play some different steel string instruments witch are pretty hard on the nails..anyway, it helps me at the moment and maybe it could help someone else out there.
Posts: 3487
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA
RE: What do you do with your nails? (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo Play for dancers much?
Nope. I pretty much succeed in practing two hours per day, six days a week, sometimes I'll do three or four hours if I'm really having fun(with a 15-20 minute break every hour.) I play both classical and flamenco, but sometimes I stick to one or the other for two or three weeks at a time. I don't see any difference in its effects on my nails, which is none.
Back when I had a few flamenco buddies in Austin they would occasionally grouse about my "claws of steel." The only extra work I've ever had to do was maybe once every year or two when I accidentally broke a nail--which never happened while I was playing. Back in the '60s repairs were done with Duco cement="airplane glue"=pegamento. In more modern times it has been silk and cyanoacrylate.
I'm very lucky. I have one good friend who would certainly be a better player than I am, were it not for his uñas de papel. As far as I know, he has never found a good solution.
Best of luck to you guys who need to use something.
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