Help, nail SOS...have I wrecked my nails? (And what can I do about it).

[SealSong]

I've always had decent nails, no particular problems with them. In the last couple of months I have started wearing nail polish ever day, didn't use to use it at all previously.
Now I have real problems with nail tips flaking and de-laminating and breaking. It's getting really bad and the flaking is increasing despite being really short.
Is it due to the nail polish? Confession, I haven't always used a base coat, is that bad? Reading online today suggests this could be the cause as it may have really dried the nails out?
I've taken all the polish off and am moisturising them.

What can I do to help my poor nails get back to condition, and how can I wear nail polish without it resulting in this flaking and peeling nails? Thanks

Anyone??

I like nail feed/drink from amazon. You have to work out which your nails need.

Thanks, Fuzzy.
Any thoughts on the nail varnish use, whether that could have caused it?

I would think it more likely to be the remover drying out the nail but not sure. Make sure you use a good cuticle oil every day to protect.

It is an acetone based remover, is that bad?

Also, cuticle oil - do you use that even if you have nail polish on?

I'm so new to nail care, I've never really bothered before. I haven't got a clue really.

I wouldn’t paint the nails every day. I had a problem with mine because of continuos painting and found that they were better when I let the air get tomthe occasionally

Cut them really short, stop using nail varnish etc, rub on rosehip oil at bedtimes and wait for the damage to grow out completely. Once nails are “new” treat them as gently as you can minimising damage with kinder products and processes.

I know if I used nail varnish and remover frequently my nails would be in poor condition so I do it infrequently. You just need to find the right balance for your nails.

Thanks. I think you're right, I'm just going to paint them occasionally, when they're in better condition.
I've been soaking them in olive oil this evening.

It's acetone and filing the surface to remove ridges that kills nails. You need oil and time.

And avoid attaching false nails with superglue then ripping them off and developing a shellac habit. I'm surprised my nails haven't phoned the authorities on me!

Cnd keratin Rx is a game changer for my nails - every month I give them a break from polish and massage this in nightly

I found a combination of Nailtiques formula 2 (expensive but works) and Perfectil Skin Hair and Nails sorts mine when they go like that.

I wouldn't think it's the nail varnish causing the problems, mine have pretty much been painted for the last 20 years and they're fine.
Any other changes? Diet, medication, stress? Something like that is more likely unless you're using some particularly nasty nail varnish!

No other changes at all TeamRick, other than getting into nail polish in the last couple of months. Always had good healthy nails before that.
It might be the acetone, as someone said upthread.
Anyway, I will treat my nails with a bit more care and respect, and try some of the products described above, and hopefully they will come good again

Wouldn't expect the polish to be causing any problems, nor the acetone if you're removing normally, rather than soaking. Using OPI nail envy as a base coat for a few weeks always sorts my nails out if they're a bit dry - you can buy a little bottle for a few quid if you just want to try it out. And yes you can use cuticle oil when you've got polish on.