Cancer treatment - nail help needed

[PrincessFluffyPants]

How would you deal with the "corrugated" look and feel of these nails? Also, some of the ridges are getting deeper and wider and I fear the nail will break lengthways. They are breaking and peeling at the tip. I have always kept my nails finger tip length for hygiene reasons (weekly nail clippers and filing down) and they have always been relatively easy to care for. I have tried my go-to Opi repair mode and Opi cuticle oil and I try to remember to use hand cream after washing my hands and at bedtime. I'm currently having targeted therapy with an adjuvant for cancer treatment, and I know it seems so petty in the grand scheme of everything else but I'm concerned if my nails get worse they may split down from the tip to the cuticle and then I have to deal with a potential infection and the loss of a nail and tbh my immune system isn't great. Would a nail hardener help or make it worse? I'm also recovering from a "mystery" skin infection (still waiting for a dermatology appointment to confirm source) and I'm a bit loathe to use anything that might "seal" the culprit (if it's fungal) onto my nails. Hope that makes sense. Help me feel pretty!

Any ideas/products worth a recommendation? Fairly tight budget but always happy to splurge for the right product.

Unable to add a photo today for some reason...

I have friends with cancer who have used Sally Hansen nail hardener. Sorry you're going through this,it's brutal x

Hey, Sorry to hear your cancer treatment is impacting your nails. I hope the treatment is otherwise going well.
My advice to you, would to be to avoid product whilst you’re on active treatment. Your body will be sensitive to the chemicals and you could develop a sensitivity or make them worse. Instead, I’d keep them trimmed very short (a very very slight tip). I’d keep using your cuticle oil, and I’d keep using whichever hand moisturiser works for you. In my view, there isn’t really going to be a product that ‘fixes’ them whilst you’re on these strong drugs, as that’s very very likely the cause of the damage to them. Once your treatment has concluded, you could explore a product like Bio Sculpture, again keeping them shorter, which will help improve the visual appearance whilst your body recovers from treatment, and protects them whilst you heal allowing them to grow.

It’s not cheap but I used Polybalm when I was having chemo and it did seem to help. My nails were still weak and ridged but they didn’t split.

I also used a nail hardener by Mavala - can’t remember the name of it but it comes in a very small blue bottle and doesn’t coat your nails like a varnish but it did seem to help.

I hope all goes well with your treatment.

Hi OP, sorry to read what you are going through. I can't comment specifically for your situation but I do highly recommend the Nailberry range, I use the elixir.

www.nailberry.co.uk/collections/nail-care

I’d second the recommendation for Polybalm.

I found Clarins hand cream helped round my nails but struggling to find anything to help the corrugated ridges.

I have ridged nails due to age, including one nail that has a permanent vertical split at the tip. Mine are better with regular almond oil, rubbed all over the nail and cuticle and left as long as possible.

I'd focus on oil and hand lotion, applied as often as possible to keep them hydrated. I never felt comfortable using anything like nail hardener/clear nail varnish type products in case they interfered with the oxygen monitors they put on your fingers, although clear is probably fine. I also worried about being hospitalised (I often was) with any sort of product on my nails, so oil/lotion is better from that perspective

Thank you all for the product recommendations; because I was already using nail oil and Opi repair mode (which in fairness has always given me good results until now) I decided my bank balance needed a shock so I've ordered the Polybalm to try (£50!!! for a pack of two tubes). I researched the reviews and had a quick read of it's "scientific double blind research test results" (good marketing to have that available on Google!) and as my worst nails aren't improving and are probably getting worse I have decided it's worth a punt.

If I remember I will update in a few weeks time to let you know if it worked or if they saw me coming...

Please do report back, I'm out the other side now but my nails are splitting terribly due to low iron so I'd like to know if it works!

My oncologist told me before even starting chemotherapy to paint my nails a dark colour. She said it was anecdotal but it was believed it would prevent you losing your nails. She believed someone was doing research was being done but she’d advised patients to do that and had found most had a positive outcome. I painted my nails from day one and never had an issue with them despite six months of chemo. I know a bit late now but might help?

I kept my nails painted throughout chemo, and they were fine. Finished chemo a year ago and they started to get flaky and brittle last summer - they were fine when I was actually having chemo! Keep up with the oil, I used Polybalm and I don't know if it did anything! Lost a couple of toenails, which grew back. So who knows 🤷🏻‍♀️

Sorry you're going through this. Wishing you well for your treatment.

I was told to paint them as dark as possible- its the UV light from the sun plus the chemo which damages nails.
They have ridged, but stayed intact.

In case anyone else is following, the Polybalm arrived today. It came with a booklet about how to maintain your nails during cancer therapy and the two tubes of product are labelled for fingernails and for toenails, which is useful as I was just about to get my sharpie out to put on the lid so I didn't get them mixed up. Still can't post a photo as I wanted to show you what I was getting for my £50 (such a lot of money, this stuff better work!!) and also show a before and after for accountability.

The PP's saying to use dark varnish, it's intriguing but I would worry that any harsh chemicals like nail varnish remover would worsen the current problem. And I can't keep a glam set of nails to save my life so they would be chipped within a day or two. But other than that, I love the idea as it's such a cheap and accessible solution!