Hardening & growing real nails?

[angrymillionaire]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I have always had very healthy good nails. Almost a year ago, I painted my kitchen and used my left thumbnail a lot to scratch little drips on paint off my quartz counter. I split the tip of my thumbnail doing this, and now it is still splitting. I have tried all kinds of Hard as Nails type stuff, so that is why I know it does not work. The nail still appears very healthy otherwise, but even when I keep it cut short, it still splits.

I talked to the nice Vietnamese lady who is at the salon where I get Pedi's, and she said I can try an acrylic nail on the thumb and maybe that will hold it firm enough for long enough so that it will stop splitting.

I don't know if this would help you or not, since I know that acrylics in general weaken the nail underneath.

Thanks! Reason I stopped with falsies is because they damaged my own nails. Thats why I wanted to go natural. But maintaining real polish & nails is a beast. I will try a new brand of soak off polish.

[gardener34]

I have terrible nailes as well, they rarely reach the end of my fingertips before splitting. or cracking, or catching on something and ripping.... I am trying biotin and it seems to be working a bit. I suspect they will never be great though.

For special occasions, I have used the kiss brand glue on nails where they cover the whole nail. They look awesome and the glue holds great for me... IF you follow directions correctly and clean your nails with remover really well before applying. They only last a week though then you have to remove them, otherwise your nails would be pretty trashed underneath. They remove fairly easily too and did not seem to ruin the nails underneath. I recommend for the occasional use.

[DR2012]

I am also an advocate for diet, not using polish, etc for awhile.
My diet isn't the best, but I get vitamins, minerals, etc. I drink lots of water. But I have very hard, long, tough, thick nails. They grow FAST. I can't keep up with them. They are always long, they don't break until they get really long, I forget to cut them and eventually they are so long one chips. I have never put anything on them - I also really don't ever paint them or put anything on them, though.