What really worked for you to improve your nails!

[Coaster1]

Mine have gone weak, splitty and slow to grow (possibly a reaction to coming off gel nails) My diet is good so I don’t think it is vitamins. Also Am slightly reluctant to spend loads on extra vitamins.
So I’m really keen to know what worked for you.

OPI keratin applied 2-3 times daily

Zinc. Really cheap.

Nail oil from Manicurist, or the one from L’Occitane. Applied daily without fail. Otherwise I’m the same, splitting and breaking.

Pregnancy. Or maybe pregnancy vitamins!

Eat sugar free jelly every day for a couple of weeks and you’ll be amazed at your nail strength!

Ot you can get gelatine sheets from Amazon to melt in a drink - but the jelly is a quick easy way to try it out.

Nail oil helped but it wasn't quite enough, they still split just not as much.

I discovered nursem hand moisturiser, applied to the nail beds and rubbed in all over the nails really hydrated them and stopped them splitting.

I also use skintheory retinoid hand mask about once a week at night before bed.

Make sure you're wearing gloves before cleaning anything as the chemicals strip moisture like something rotten.

Photo is of my nails just now. Massive improvement IMO.

I eat jelly quite a bit, I have lovely strong toe nails but it doesn't seem to have improved my fingernails the same way sadly.

Mine go a bit thin and weak if I've been doing gel nails for too long. A couple weeks with sally hensen hard as nails and they're nice and strong again.

Thanks. I remember the jelly one now from when I was a teenager !

We’re your nails healthy before having gel nails?

Lifetime nail biter here with weak, tatty nails. Started taking collagen gummies a month ago or so and they've really toughened up and look much better now.

Yes pretty healthy pre-gel. The gel protection made them grow a treat!

My nails were always very strong until the years leading up to menopause - now I have low iron and vit D levels and very weak, splitting nails. Never used gel.

No miracle solution but combination of iron and vit d supplements together with using OPI nail strengthener and CND strengthener rxx. The OPI alone wasn’t enough and neither were the supplements alone. The CND is an oil you rub in - make sure properly absorbed before using OPI on top.

My nails are ok with all of the above if I keep them short. Before I started on all of these my nails peeled so badly there was almost no protection for the ends of my fingers and they would graze easily.

Incidentally I’m under care of a consultant dermatologist and she said there is no scientific evidence for collagen or biotin supplements helping nail or hair….

She did recommend hand cream however, any old cream, needn’t be expensive, properly rubbed into nails regularly especially after washing.

My nails are currently ruined due to having gels all through Nov-December. They are now gel free but keep breaking even below the nail line and it's really painful. It's because the nail bar I go to removes the gels using a drill rather than soaking off, even if I ask for a soak. I am sworn off gels for a long time and using OPI Nail Envy to restore them, but really I know it has to be a case of waiting for the weakened area to grow out altogether.

Biotin. It seems to work for me, since if I stop the nails become flaky and break off a lot. Takes a while to work, but for me it does anyway. I don't have my nails done ever, I just use clear polish and file them (in one direction only!) myself.

That's how I found about zinc!