[justkim]

Check into a good hair, skin and nails vitamin. I have seen the good the bad and ugly side of weak nails. If you have your hands in water a lot try using a really good lanolin cream. It will help protect your hands along with your nails. Rub it in really well all over the nail and cuticle area. You will start noticing how soft your hands become. For those of you that have to wash your hands multiple times a day you will notice that your hands become softer and your nails will not soak up a lot of moisture, making them less brittle. The other thing to consider is that you don't want to try to shape your nails when they have been in water for too long. When you file your nails don't use a sawing motion, go from side to center. If you can think of anything else I can help with let me know.

Originally Posted by Esme nha Maire

I used to have lovely strong nails, which I'd shaped since my teens, before I went on HRT (I'm MTF), but within a couple of years of being on HRT my nails had become weak and prone to getting little nicks and tears in them, which can be painful

If anyone has any advice for how to best look after such nails, to strengthen them, I'm all ears! (NB: I'm not averse to painting stuff onto my nails, but I'm not interested in wearing false nails. )

Originally Posted by girl_dee

hi!

i am sure some of the more experienced folks will chime in but..

i have weak nails too.. they *tear* . i bit them my entire life (gross i know) and recently just got (my first) manicure. i don't want false nails so i have french tips on my natural nails, because i like the clean look and i don't know what they put on them, but they feel hard as nails!
i am actually using them.



look at me talking like a girl............

Originally Posted by Esme nha Maire

I've only had manicures a couple of times (because pennies!) but so far as I'm aware, you tell the manicurist what you want done, and if it's within their ability, they do it. Just ask, Gayandgray, they'll be fine with it. There are women that just want their nails manicured like that too.