Anybody got suggestions for strengthening finger nails? I don't have any problems

[hedgehog]

in the summer, but as soon as it cools down, I keep breaking my nails down to the quick. I looked over what was at the store, but every product has ethyl acetate in it. Maybe that's ok, maybe not. Do any oils or hand lotions actually help?

[Motown_Johnny]

1. .

http://www.livestrong.com/article/177558-knox-gelatin-for-nail-growth/#ixzz1ctX7tQIa


^snip^

What Experts Say

Soaking your nails in Knox won't give you stronger nails, according to MayoClinic.Com. Nor will drinking or eating gelatin. The dietary supplement biotin, or vitamin B, may be beneficial for nail growth. However, unless you're malnourished and not receiving adequate intake of vitamins and minerals, what you put in your mouth will have no effect on your nail growth, says MayoClinic.Com.

[hedgehog]

4. I'm thinking I need something topical - like the drier cold air

is making my nails brittle. IIRC, nails are made of the same material as hair, so it seems reasonable there must be something out there to make them stronger.

[emcguffie]

15. The Mayo Clinic, like most physicians, assumes --

-- we get good nutrition from our diets. But unless you eat organic food, you no longer do get good nutrition from what you eat. It just isn't there, particularly the minerals and trace elements, which are not replaced by many fertilizers. So we do need vitamins and minerals supplemented.

Do I take supplements? No, not regularly. Maybe they would help my nails, which are truly soft.

I was quite ill for a while, with digestive problems, and lost a ton of weight without trying. Too much, really, I just couldn't stop losing. Wasn't digesting my food, apparently. My skin was like rhinoceros hide, and half of my hair fell out. All my nails had horrible, horrible ridges on them, and I trembled all the time. I used to say that I had three flavors of tremors -- they responded to different vitamins. I think one was B1, one was B6 and one was B12, although I'm not sure. Plus calcium, magnesium and vitamin D. Those seemed to help my muscles relax.

Malnourishment can do terrible things to your body. I suppose a very small amount of malnourishment can also produce less than optimal results.

[grasswire]

2. vitamin e

it actually makes my nails too strong!

[hedgehog]

5. On top of the nails or taken internally?

[grasswire]

12. capsule, swallowed

I take it per recommendation of cardiologist, but it sure strengthens nails!

[hedgehog]

10. Come to think of it, I feed the dog fish oil to keep his skin from drying out ---

I checked the NIH site on nutrients. Sounds like it can't hurt, might help.

[RebelOne]

17. Nope, doesn't work for me. I take Vitamin E daily.

My nails peel and split all the time, but my toe nails are like steel.

[OhioBlue]

3. When I was on pre-natal vitamins

my nails and hair grew better than before. I also ate a healthier diet when i was preggo and I took no vitamins before that. I've had several women tell me the same.

I also started a diet program earlier this year - it included drinks with vitamins and an additional vitamin and omega 3 supplement. My nails grew better and my hair looks healthier.

In both instances - I ate a healthier diet, drank more water and took vitamins.

[Rabblevox]

6. Protein and calcium...

I don't put much truck in "store-brought" products, but your nails deeply need protein and calcium, and this tends to go down in the winter without a supplement.

[elleng]

7. May be coincidental, but I use Tums fairly often (NOT in great amounts,

1 or 2 a week,) and my nails are strong and hard, and seem to grow quickly; might be the calcium.

[DesertRat]

8. I take Biotin

It's a B vitamin which is readily available. It does wonders for my nails and hair.

[hedgehog]

9. Can you think of anything to do with absorption of B vitamins

that would vary seasonally?

[emcguffie]

14. vitamin D is seasonal.

And they say we do not get enough of it, especially in the winter. We need it for our immune systems, too, which they did not know once upon a time. Vitamin D helps with absorbing calcium, and I suppose might help in moving it around? So maybe vitamin D would help you get the calcium your nails need.

[DesertRat]

16. No, I can't

But it wasn't until I started taking Biotin supplements that I was able to grow out my nails.

The only seasonal variation might be that during drier seasons your skin and nails are drier which causes them to break? Moisturizing creams might help?

[99th_Monkey]

11. That started happening to me, I asked my Doc (who I trust) & he said

to get on a multivitimin, which I did, and waa-laa.. my nails were soon back to normal.

[phylny]

13. As others have shared, I take a multi-vitamin, and that

makes a difference. I use a generic children's chewable, because regular vitamins don't always dissolve properly in my gut. So, I pop one in and chew away :)

Also, I use Burt's Bees Lemon Cuticle Cream - every day if I remember to. The moisture is good for growing nails. In addition, I have stopped using nail polish on my fingernails. I buff them (you can find a nail buffer at any drug store) and my nails are strong like they've never been in my life.

http://www.burtsbees.com/natural-products/body-hands-feet/lemon-butter-cuticle-cream.html

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&sugexp=kjrmc&cp=7&gs_id=48&xhr=t&q=nail+buffer&tok=PhC6bfNmH8owH7dp5XKsgw&safe=off&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1229&bih=518&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=2223138001526531644&sa=X&ei=HnK2TueEMOjW2AW-to3PDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CJkBEPMCMAA

[Dorian Gray]

18. multi

vitamin will help. Folic Acid... folic acid... folic acid.

I was on a very high amount during my pregnancy, and my nails were hard as a rock.

The other B vitamins will help, as well.

[tonekat]

19. A doctor once told me to eat Jello to strengthen hair and nails.

Likely, eating gelatin in any form helps hair and nails. I eat and enjoy sugar free Jello, and it seems to help.

[Celebration]

20. biosil is what I use

silica drops

[BuddhaGirl]

21. I second the Biosil!

I take it and it not only has strengthened my nails, but made my hair much smoother...I love that stuff!!

[hedgehog]

22. Thanks for the advice, folks! I'll be trying these suggestions!