How to heal damaged nails?

[Angie]

Well, dang, I was so enjoying painting my nails and having nice looking hands for a change.

BUT I made a mistake. I used 100% acetone to removed polish and I used it too often.

My nails are now damaged, and I can't even polish them because they won't hold the polish.

Any ideas on what works to heal damaged nails?

 

[Inanimate]

Petroleum jelly is probably your best bet. If the greasiness is discouraging, perhaps consider wearing cotton gloves to enhance absorption. Alternatively, a moisturizer with urea and/or lactic acid can help hydrate your nails. Eucerin advanced repair cream is one such option. As a preventative measure, rinsing off the nail polish remover with lukewarm water and applying an ointment like Vaseline afterwards can help. Apparently there are acetone-free options out there, but I’m not really familiar with nail polish, removers, and the like, to make any suggestions.

 

[AlopexAngel]

My coworker swears by biotin.

 

[Bergerac]

Another idea, is to soak them in natural oils, to restore some of the lost moisture.

 

[Angie]

I bought a product called Hard as Hoof

(apparently some folks years ago that were taking care of horses noticed their nails were becoming stronger because of the cream they put on the horse hoofs).

It does moisturize.

I'm also going to get some biotin and try taking that.

Thanks!

 

[Bergerac]

I bought a product called Hard as Hoof

(apparently some folks years ago that were taking care of horses noticed their nails were becoming stronger because of the cream they put on the horse hoofs).

It does moisturize.

I'm also going to get some biotin and try taking that.

Thanks!

Excellent, Angie. Hope it restores your nails to their former health.

 

[Brân]

If you can find some sort of equivalent to this it saved my nails that were brittle from malnutrition when I was at my most unhealthy.

https://www.boots.com/sally-hansen-miracle-cure-10068476

 

[Lisa the Goatgirl]

I can't say i've mastered averting this problem yet, but it's one i've been contending with myself since i started painting my nails. I keep getting the top layer at the tips of my fingernails peeling away. And i was very conscious that i didn't want to end up where you're at now, but i could, so i've been experimenting and learning a lot about nail care.

Some of the best tips i've found are to never leave the nail polish on more than 2 weeks, to give your nails at least a few days between polishes for them to recover and revitalise, and to regularly rub lotion or nail oil in, ideally daily, rubbing it in small circles directly into the nail. I often do it twice on a day where i use polish remover - once right after, and again right before i go to bed. That routine seems to be helping combat the problem, my nails look a lot healthier now.

This hard as Hoof you've gotten sounds like it should help a lot, so as i say, rubbing it directly into the nail in small circles will likely make a marked improvement.