Flakey nails and dry skin on hands - how can I get them back to normal?

[katmam]

I'm being very vain, I know, but it's starting to annoy me now!

I had dd2 3 months ago and basically since she was born, my nails keep breaking, splitting, flaking etc. I used to have nice nails but now I can't seem to get them to grow at all - they are practically right down to the nail bed. I wondered if anyone had any advice as to how I might get them to grow back?

My hands are also really, really dry too, no matter how much cream I put on them. I've tried loads of different ones, and am using diprobase at the moment. I use rubber gloves for washing up etc. (I have been taking Warfarin tablets since dd2 was born (previously on heparin for dvt in pregnancy) - does anyone know if the warfarin might affect my nails?)

[NQWWW]

I have the same problem with my hands at the mo - they look like the hands of a 70-year old. Is this a pregnancy symptom? I thought I was supposed to be blooming!

For your nails have you tried upping your calcium intake? There are specific vitamin/mineral tablets available which target nails, teeth, etc - can't remember what they're called. Also gelatine is supposed to be good for nails - eat lots of jelly.

[Jzee]

Ditto I thought I was suppose to be blooming in the middle of my pregnancy, but instead my face is spotty and my hands are really dry.

[katmam]

Thanks. I eat a lot of dairy products anyway, but have just bought multivitamins so will see what happens. Am veggie so will give the jelly/ gelatine a miss!!

[hermykne]

katmam same thing happended to me and am having a relapse presently, but i got soluable calcium instead of having to up the dairy intake which can lead to other things, if like me dairy causes muscusy stuff etc etc, the soluable stuff works.

[lilibet]

If you wear rubber gloves for washing up, absolutley smother your hands with hand cream before you start. The warmth makes your hands absorb the hand cream. I have a different nail problem if anyone can help - one of my thumb nails has a vertical split in it and everytime it grows even a little bit the split appears again in the centre and ib breaks. any suggestions?

[janh]

katmam, FWIW I had to take warfarin for 6 months last year and didn't`notice any difference in my nails (I bite 'em anyway but they weren't any flakier.)

Re the rubber gloves - as well as slapping on some grease, as lilibet suggests, see if your local Boots has their sensitive-skin blue flock-lined gloves - much more comfortable and easier to use than the normal ones - don't know if it would make any difference to your nails but would be nicer for you! (My Boots used to sell them normally but now has them "under the counter" like dirty magazines. Very strange.)

[Angiel]

I suffered from really dry skin on my hands, it was cracked and bleeding. The lady in Boots told me that using anti bacterial hand washes, totally dries your skin out (don't know if you use them). She recommended Neutrogena hand cream and it really worked well for me.