Do you take those nail, skin, hair supplements, Are they any good?

[Vix1980]

Just thinking about taking these, since having ds nearly 2 years ago my nails break as soon as i look at them, they used to grow strong and lovely, My skin has gone to pot, y hair is okish but nothing like it used to be.

Basically I look like Ive aged 10 years in 2 If you take them did you notice a difference?

I've been taking the Boots version since Christmas to help with hair loss. Not sure whether it's done much to help hair regrowth but it's shinier. My nails seem stronger and thicker, facial skin is not as dry but my hands still suffer from dryness. I'll have to finish the bottle to see whether it's worth it.

They haven't done anything for my nails but they have stopped my hair falling out.

I am trying Perfectil, which was recommended to me as my nails rather than hair or skin are in dreadful condition and keep breaking or splitting. Not been taking them long enough to say whether they seem to be doing any good yet, but have to try something as it is so painful when nail rips low down.

Biotin is cheaper and has strengthened my nails.

hair is dead so nothing you swallow will make any difference to the condition of what is already there.

eat proper food? GP visit to check if something is wrong?

style Im also using perfectil, it was on offer in asda, Im not to bothered really about skin and hair, Its more nails, I totally agree its so painful as they keep splitting right across where the skin is, So i ed up with plasters on most fingers to stop the pain of the broken nail cathcing on something.

Ill also check out biotin, is that another vitamin or a nail varnish type thing?

I'm using Solgar Hair Nails etc. i think it is helping my hair. Nails sadly, No.

What do you eat in a typical day or two Vix?

I use biotin tablets 10,000 micrograms off amazon. The people I work with are often on high calorie milk shakes that are loaded with vitamins & minerals & they have really good nail growth.

Diets the most important thing though, you need lots of protein to convert it into hair/skin/nails.

Stop smoking if you smoke.

Hi,

Diet is not too bad actually since i started slimming world at the beginning of january,
breakfast is usually toast/ porridge, or fruit and yoghurt.

Dinner is chicken pitta breads sandwiches or jacket potatoes and then tea is usually either something different with chicken or beef.

I dont really eat that much fruit if im honest, and i do snack on things i shouldnt so a couple of biscuits with a cup of tea. Nothing major that I can say why my nails are so crap.

Ive taken them for 3 days now so cant say if there doing anything at the moment.

I dont smoke and do drink lots of water through the day. I seem the perfect model dont I, Yet why am I size 14 with crap nails!!

right off to amazon to lok at these biotin tablets too, thanks!

Vix1980 - not an expert just a thought. Splitting nails can be annoying, I remember getting them before. Don't remember what I did about it and don't think I did anything in particular. Have you tried having a bit more milk or cheese? As another member said above, try eating more nutritious things? (Though you said you are doing a slimming programme so I don't know what your limitations on food are). Do your hands get very wet and are in detergents all the time; could that cause it? Have you tried taking normal vitamins plus minerals + iron - cheaper than these fancy other tablets? I really don't know how useful things like Perfectil and the like are (which promise nice this and nice that if you take them). Good to see you're getting your water and also eating meat (sorry I am also meat eater and I know vegetarians will disagree because you can get nutrients elsewhere and it also depends on if you are older but I think some meat is great). Sorry probably a post that rambles but hope that helps.

My nails are a lost cause due to my work (latex/vinyl gloves , NHS soap and constant handwashing) but if I can , I use Nail Envy (not allowed nail products at work though)

I started on some D3 (Holland and Barrett) but no effect yet
(for skin)
It was recommended on another S&B thread

I would recommend eating more nuts and avocado etc and good protein

My DM used to swear by eating a cube of jelly everyday, straight out of the packet, not made up with water. She had nails like sheets of iron, never split or broke. Mine split at the least thing so it wasn't hereditary,worst luck, perhaps it was the jelly!

It's not a supplement but I have been using OPI nil envy and my nail look awesome at the moment!

hi, and thanks again everyone for all the recommendations!!

aquelven I havent heard that in years!! My nan used to eat a cube of jelly everyday and I had completely forgotten about that until you just reminded me! I may start doing that now too, wonder if jelly sweets count though

Ive already bought the perfectil tablets so i'll take them till the end of the packet and see if i notice any difference. I dont particularly have any reason for the nails to split, i eat a lot of protein, Im a dressmaker so no need for scrubbin hands constantly either, They used to be like iron people would comment they looked so fab and could never believe they were not false nails, its just since I had my son they break at the slightest thing, I cant grown them past 1cm and just trying to fgure out why!

So on my list of things to try are more nuts/protein, biotin (read the reviews on amazon about the hair growing super fast, great for me as im trying to grow out a colour too!), and jelly! fingers crossed!

Vix, don't want to worry you..... But have you have your thyroid checked?
Everything you say shouts poor thyroid function to me.

Go to your GP and have your bloods checked.

It's often after having babies our bodies go into shock and we function differently - for eg a lot of people get fat metabolism problems and resulting gall stones or protein metabolism peoblems which result in kidney stones after having babies and I know lots of women who have had a change in their thyroid function too, often puttin on weight and being unable to shift it, thinnng hair and dry brittle nails.

Worth getting a full blood count too as you may be anaemic also?

Perhaps not what your looking for:
I have a permanently split nail from an old injury, if I massage oil for 30 seconds into the base 3 times a day it will just become a scar rather than a split within a month. I just use a bog standard boots roller. I'm lazy so I get out of the habit for a while then I snag too many tights and restart!

For general hair/skin/nails I find fish oil gives me that boost

Vix nails etc don't just need protein, they need good fat. Something that's probably lacking in your diet. I don't know the details of SW but I'd recommend more raw nuts, salmon, olive oil, avocado and an omega3 supplement (fish oil/starflower oil etc)

I used Menopace when I was trying out different HRT formulations a few years ago. They seemed to do me good at the time but once the medico's realised the contraceptive pill would change my ridiculously low oestrogen I stopped using it and have felt fine ever since. Eat fruit, eat veg and eat some meat and beans to keep your body working well.
It is always worth getting a blood test.

Some interesting answers and points made on here - had never thought of getting blood test to check for thyroid function, so will google for symptoms and see if any more tie in and perhaps make an appointment at Docs. Am fed up with having to keep wearing little bits of plasters around ends of fingers to stop nails ripping any more than original rip. Have kept them short too to try to stop things catching on them. Vix - yup, I bought my Perfectil on offer at asda too!

Thanks for the tip about getting bloods checked, I had never thought my body would change so much after giving birth, i thought it did all that whilst i was pregnant and then go back to normal.

I googled thyroid and searched through problems before, one I found which scared me was slight hair loss - Maybe coincidental but my eyebrow hairs have gone really really sparse lately, when I think about it more so now than before I was even pregnant. Will make an appointment at the dr's this week I think. Thankyou!!!