Please help with product recommendations for dry, brittle, ridged and damaged nails.
My nails have been horrid post menopause, and in that state, I started with gel and sns dipping powder. Naturally, my nails further deteriorated and now I'm back to natural.
Any recommendations on products? I would love to let them breathe but wouldn't want to leave the house with them looking like this 🙁
by Few-Ground-9015
7 Comments
Just to add: The picture in the post is directly after removing natural nail polish. I purchased a good quality nail and cuticle oil a couple of weeks ago.
When I apply it, the nails look much better, but as soon as it dries/ washed off, they go back to looking dry and terrible like that.
Pic here is immediately after cuticle/nail oil:
https://preview.redd.it/a4qfsv96ikmg1.jpeg?width=1848&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e690282cbf286179ed8c5d886aeb503bb4a57feb
i don’t have many recommendations, but just wanted to say i’m in the same boat, and try not to feel too bad about yourself.✨ menopause is constantly finding new ways to screw w/ me & my body, and my nails were weak & awful *before* all of my hormones decided to have a second puberty!
what i’ve been doing recently is using a good amount of jojoba oil on my nails before bed, and adding a drop or two to my hand lotion throughout the day. also: it feels kinda sad & crappy, but cutting them back so they’re super short until all the manicure damage grows out will help with the brittleness & breaking…that way they’ll grow in stronger. good luck!!✨
I’m not a doctor but this is typically known first for being an underlying health condition, like an iron deficiency or disease. If it’s health related then of course it would require addressing the health needs. On a different note, if there’s nothing wrong and your nails literally just decided to grow crazy (I say it’s *very* unlikely) I personally would oil them a loooott for 2-3 weeks, after dishes, before dishes, after showers, all meals, like I mean just constantly. Then after a little bit of significant grow out has got the worst of it gone, do a soft gel overlay. It will hold the back together and allow it to grow out without splitting. Now of course if you take them off it’s very likely they will split again, but it will save you the discomfort.
I’m in the same boat and trying to get my nails back in shape too! Keep using the cuticle oil, frequently during the day (for instance, I reapply whenever I feel the urge to pick at my cuticles). Keep your hands dry as much as possible (wear gloves while doing housework, for example). When you wash your hands, dry them thoroughly and then reapply the cuticle oil. You might try adding a collagen supplement too, and use a urea cream morning and night, massaging it into your nails as much as possible- I’ve started applying it liberally before bed and then wearing thin cotton gloves so it can absorb. I really like Nailtiques formula 2 for a strengthener.
Honestly just keep doing what you’re doing. You can very gently buff off the parts sticking up but you don’t want to sacrifice overall nail plate thickness for this. Consistency is what is most important right now
As a nail tech for many years, the best product with the best results, is Mavala Cuticle cream. It does not quickly disappear and protects the nails. Use it before bed time and during the day. A very small amount goes a long way. You really don’t need much for 10 fingers. It melts. Massage it in towards the bottom of your nail. Be careful not to buff your nail, because of the ridges. If you buff them, the ridges will open. Use gloves when you was the dishes etc. Water is one of the nails worst enemy. I hope you understand what I mean. English is not my first language.
I like lush lemony flutter cuticle butter!