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As I get older, my formerly very strong nails now wear off faster than they grow, even on nylon strings and not playing very much. I am looking for first-hand advice on anything that works to strengthen nails significantly. I have found chats on the web claiming various products work; however, I have seen chat rooms loaded up with disguised advertisements ("testimonials") from suppliers of other products, so I do not know what to trust. My dermatologist is sceptical that any of these work. So if you actually have experience, I would appreciate it. So far, one flamenco player in San Diego told me that he simply coats his nails heavily with CA. Anything else work?

Secondly, if worse comes to worst I may need to try plastic nails. Last time I tried one, it was too rigid and the repeated playing caused the plastic nail to pull most of my real nail loose, leaving a paper thin nail to grow out. So, any advice on plstic nails would be welcome, too.

There is a product that I bought at Sally Beauty Supply.  It is a nail strengthener, that you paint on every day layer after layer.  Build it up for a week or so, then take it off and start over. I had a nail that kept splitting down the middle, and had for a long time, couple of years, and this stuff eventually solved the problem.  I would put it on, let it dry, then take a very fine nail file, the extra fine sandpaper kind with multiple grits on one board, and buff it out to a semi-gloss so it didn't look like I had painted nails.  I can't remember the name, but it sure seemed to work for me.  Square bottle, 1 1/2" tall plus the top.  Red printing on the glass.  It might have been a Sally Hansen product.  It also made that nail, which was very brittle, much stronger.  It was on my right middle finger, so I used it a lot, playing guitar, that is.  OK, OK, when I drive too.

The other thing I used, also from Sally, was the powdered Nail resin that you build up on your nail and a form, then sand down and shape to your desired look.  It worked too, but I think those resins dried out the nails, and was not good for them.  The powder worked, but the other stuff seemed to be good for the nail, and made them stronger.

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Waddy

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I found the bottle of stuff that worked.  I had given it to my wife, and, well, she found it.  It is called "Revivanail", and is made by European Touch Co, Milwaukee, WI.  It worked for me.

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Waddy

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Thanks

Gelatin capsules from the drugstore, or just eat some hide glue daily. FDA approved and you can get it at the grocery store, Knox gelatin packets. It's also a homeopathic rememdy for arthritis. I can attest to it affecting my nails after a months use.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

[QUOTE=Bruce Dickey] Gelatin capsules from the drugstore, or just eat some hide glue daily. FDA approved and you can get it at the grocery store, Knox gelatin packets. It's also a homeopathic rememdy for arthritis. I can attest to it affecting my nails after a months use.

[/QUOTE]

exactly!!!! fix the deficiency not the symptom. the long range outcome is much better. Treating the nails from the exterior is short term. You might as well go get acrylics. Not making fun because I use to do just that with great result once I got in my nail techs head why I want them on one hand only But seriously gibe the gelatin tabs a shot.

For another point of view....
Nail facts and FAQ by a dermatologist

It does seem logical that eating gelatin (made from cow hooves in part) would strengthen your nails- who ever saw a cow at the manicurist?

I attribute my Mr. Universe body to the fact that I eat lots of meat aka muscle.

Cheers
John

Remember Feynman's famous lines:Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.

If it's got active ingredients (i.e., it actually works), it ain't homeopathy. Homeopathy is short for 'overpriced solvent with no biological activity or effectiveness whatsoever'.

This was your evidence based medicine factoid for the day. I now return you to sawdust and woodchips.

Mattia, what an education I'm getting for just hanging out on the OLF.   

You are correct by the way.

Let me restate the premise: A home remedy for arthritis is the daily ingestion of Knox Gelatin, a packet a day. While I was taking it to help me with arthritis affliction, I noticed my nails getting thicker and stronger, and growing excessively.

But.... it just could have been a wrinkle in the time-force continuum or a accidental release from the nearby Nuclear Plant that made my nails grow..... who knows.

Besides, if you get tired of taking Knox you can always glue in lables with it.....

One thing I've noticed about arthritis it seems to cycle on and off. It gets better then worse, then better again. I know there are different types of the stuff.

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Geeze - the Off Topic section has either been showing pictures of turds on a guitar or has a bunch of guys talking about growing out their nails.......

http://kickas.org/medical/as7/index.html

While we are talking about arthirits, if you have RA you might want to check out the connection with Klebsiella bacteria. For example, the above site. There are a percentage of people with RA whose autoimmune reaction is totally attributed to a reaction to this normally harmless intestinal bacteria, which can be removed by avoiding all starch forever.

Bill,

I have very bad nails.  Thin with a propensity to split.  The only thing that works for me is the use of ping pong balls.  I cut them up and glue them under the nail.  It is the best sounding artificial nail you can find and you can't even tell they are on except my nails look a little whiter.  If you're interested in this approach I can explain it in more detail.

Chris

Chris, please explain the ping pong balls. I have heard of this, but I did not realize they were under the nails. The beds of my nails are attached all the way past the end of my fingertip, so it may be difficult for me to get the plastic under the edge.

Bill,

It's the sort of thing that a picture says a thousand words.  If you give me a day I'll snap some pictures of the process.  It's actually very easy but easier if you can see someone do it.

 

Chris

OK, biting my nails while I wait.

I play (and build) classical and flamenco and have tried just about every product good and bad on the market.

I have poor nails that break no matter what I have tried (vitamins, soaks, nail polish, hardeners, CA, etc).  The various nail hardeners may work for some but for me none did the trick.  My nail bed shape is not good or consistent as well so I have tried the pinching torture devides that make your nails for the right shape but that was way too much of a hassle.

I know that alot of flamenco players swear by CA and it works some but eventually all of the products that build up in layers have to come off and sometimes they come off when you do not want them to.

I have tried most of the plastic nails on the market as well, all in an attempt to get a solution that works consistently.  The best of the fake nail solutions is the acrylic nails that are baked on under a lamps.  Pat Metheny who is a great player has poor nails (as do I) and since going to acrylics has found it to work well.  That is because of the amount of playing that he does.  Acrylic are also the most expensive so unless you play alot it is overkill.

The best solution I have found so far that gives me the nails I need to play with (since I have poor nails) is a solution from I bought from http://www.guitarplayernails.com .  They are tips that you have to put on but they look like real nails, feel like real nails and more importantly play like real nails.  It is not expensive, is easy to apply and repair and lives up to its promise.  On the website there is a link to a youtube video that shows all about the product and how to apply it.

It is not the solution but is one that worked for me.  I wanted a solution that didnt look like painted nails, that did not have to be fussed with daily and that did not break even when playing flamenco.

In the end if you can not get a nail solution that works, you can always just forget about nails and take up Lute...I have thought of that as well

Bill,

I was unable to find the time to do a series of photos demonstrating the process so instead I found this site.  It's not my site and my process is a little different but this will give you the idea.

http://www.siobhanarmstrong.com/nails/01.htm

I don't use the fiberglass tape.  I think it is unnecessary and looks bad.  I deal with people on a daily basis and the finished look is important to me.  When I'm done you can't even tell I have something on.  My nails just look very white on the tips. 

Important points are: 

*you need about 1-1.5mm of nail extending from your nail bed to attach the PPB to.

*the curved part of the PPB that goes against your nail bed should be a good fit.  The pictures on this site show a very crude and roughly cut curve.  Like anything else, workmanship matters.  A good fit will be more comfortable (you shouldn't feel a thing) and will last longer. I use sandpaper wrapped around a dowel or something to create the curve.

* leave enough PPB so that it will act like a handle when you glue.  Once you have the PPB nail glued under your nail, trim to a general shape but leave long at this point.  I then level out the step down from the natural nail to the PPB with a bead (a fillet) of super glue.  Buy it from a good hobby store not the consumer stuff.  The surface tension of the CA will pull it down into the corner of the nail/PPB joint. Any excess that is sticking up can be filed down level with your real nail.  Use the super glue accelerator to harden the fillet.  A very light mist is all you need. 

At this point you can file to shape and you're ready to go.  It sounds much more complicated than it is and once you've done it a couple of times it goes very fast.  The most time consuming part is shaping the curve to match your nail bed.  Good luck and feel free to email me if you have more questions.

Chris

 

Thanks everybody.

The only problem with the add-ons and CA, is the CA.  I used to use it, and now if I put it anywhere on my fingernails, it seems almost impossible to keep some from touching the skin at the edges, or underneath the nail.  I have become highly sensitized to it, and my fingers start itching like fire not long after applying the nails, and it stays for about a week after I clean it off.  I also have to massage my fingers with Cortisone cream to make it stop.  I used the nail powder with great success for a good while.  You put a form under the nail, and add a resin to this nail powder.  It maks a paste that you paint on, and extend over the end of the nail.  Then you can shape it down and file it right, and you can't even tell it's there.  Lasts a couple of weeks, before you have to re-do it.  I just figured it wasn't good for the nail, long term. 

Recently I tried the stick on nails with the little double stick tabs.  They work for about a day of playing, but no longer.  They are also kind of white looking, but anything not to miss the string when you swing at it.

_________________
Waddy

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