Does Anyone Struggle, Like Me, to Maintain Decent Looking Fingernails?
By Marsha
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
Midland, Michigan
June 2, 2017 12:27am CST
When I was young I used to bite my nails and even though I no longer do that anymore, if and when I'm nervous or if they feel uneven I might peel some off unintentionally. Sometimes they'll grow great and look good too and other times they keep breaking and it's not a pretty sight.
While off work they grew nicely and I was sure that once I went back to cashiering they would begin to break again, but unfortunately, they began to do that earlier than that. When we got to the Ikea store a few weekends ago my pinky nail tore off when I released my seat belt. At least it didn't go down further than the quick, and it was an even tear.
Since then they've been coming off easily much to my consternation. The only thing I've done differently is run out of the vitamins I've been taking which are in the picture. I really didn't expect that they were doing me any good, but now I wonder.
Have any of you ever taken vitamins to strengthen your nails? If so, do you feel it really helps? I know that gelatin supposedly strengthens them, but I just googled this and it says zinc, Vitamin B 12 and iron are supposed to help also. A different source also mentions biotin.
The vitamins in the image contain Vitamins C and E and biotin. So, that makes me wonder whether it really was doing my nails good or not.
Any thoughts?
goo.gl/D2c9m4
14 people like this
17 responses
@LadyDuck (472004)
• Switzerland
2 Jun 17
Marsha do your toenails peel and break too, or only your fingernails? If only your fingernails are peeling/breaking this can be only an external cause. If both are peeling/breaking, it could be an internal cause, typically an iron deficiency. Over-the-counter supplements are not strong enough, go to see your doctor.
3 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
2 Jun 17
THey were fine for the last three months, only recently have they begun to break again. Prior to my being off they've been off and on. A lot of times it's doing things at work that cause them to break or catch on something like the mesh bags our onions come in. Invariably, one nail or another will catch on those. I have been told by my doctor or nurse that I'm slightly anemic. Maybe I was eating worse those few weeks, I just don't know.
My toenails are a different problem, and no they've never broken off or peeled. My fingernails don't peel just break off or catch in a weird way.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (472004)
• Switzerland
2 Jun 17
@MarshaMusselman If they told you that you are slightly anemic, you need to introduce more iron in your diet.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
2 Jun 17
@LadyDuck I know, but I never feel tired so it's hard to remember. I'll be checking out the food that contain iron, B12 and biotin to see whether I can increase something or other. The nail vitamins does have a large amount of biotin and maybe that portion did help my nails some recently, but I've not taken them long and my nails have been good and then not for the past few years.
I wouldn't know how much it's related to what I eat unless I did a food journal and I don't plan on doing that.
1 person likes this
@m_audrey6788 (58472)
• Germany
2 Jun 17
I really do not mind my nails so much..I just cut it once a week and put some hand lotion 
2 people like this
@m_audrey6788 (58472)
• Germany
2 Jun 17
@MarshaMusselman ..I cut my nails not too much I left a little white..and yes I think it helps our nails to grow healthy..try to prevent putting nail colors too long on your nails as it is one of the reasons of making it dry and weak
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
2 Jun 17
So do you keep them on the short side or do you try to grow them out a bit? I guess I could try cutting or trimming them and see if that helps them stay healthier. Maybe nails are similar to hair where when your hair gets a little trim it grows better.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112962)
• El Paso, Texas
2 Jun 17
I have weak nails and all I ever did to help them was step up the fish, egg and cheese intake. I'm a firm believer that diet can make a difference especially getting the proper amount of B12. I don't believe those vitamin pills does anyone any good but that's just my own opinion.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112962)
• El Paso, Texas
2 Jun 17
B12 is only found in animal products such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy @MarshaMusselman Although I do eat chicken and sometimes beef, I get most of my B12 from fish, dairy and eggs.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
2 Jun 17
I have been eating more fish, but am planning on having more eggs again. I know some of the foods with iron, but need to read up on the B12's as I've not a clue on that one. I want to start eating better again, so maybe that will all work itself out.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
9 Jun 17
@rebelann 'Okay, thanks, good to know.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121659)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Jun 17
I seem to have good, strong nails, and don't seem to have any issues with them breaking or chipping. But they seem to grow so fast, it feels like I am clipping them every other day! haha
My toenails are interesting. They grow fast too, but they all don't seem to grow at the same rate. It seems that some of my toenails grow at twice as fast a rate as the others. Who knows, maybe my blood circulates better in some toes than others? haha
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
9 Jun 17
I don't think my toe nails grow at the same rate either, in fact some barely grow as I've not clipped some of them in a very long time. I doubt it has anything to do with the circulation of blood in the toes or feet though.
I've had my fingernails stay at a decent length longer than I expected before, but they do tend to break more when I'm cashiering than when I'm just cleaning windows.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121659)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Jun 17
@MarshaMusselman The weird things we talk about on myLot! haha
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
15 Jun 17
@moffittjc I think we got started on those types of topics on bubblews.
1 person likes this
@ShaylovesKay (134)
•
2 Jun 17
Like you mine keeps breaking. So I bite them when they grow a little over the finger tips.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
2 Jun 17
I'll only bite them if they're jagged and I don't have any nail files handy or nearby enough to wait a bit. Is that why you're biting them to try to even them out? Maybe getting some nail files to keep in your pocket or purse would help you break that part of that habit?
@ShaylovesKay (134)
•
2 Jun 17
@MarshaMusselman Oh I don't carry a purse and would not want anything to do with nail care supplies. I bite them to keep them short. I have a nail clipper somewhere. If I found it I would use it.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
2 Jun 17
Are you saying that you like nice nails but you don't do much to maintain them, or you don't care too much about my situation, lol? You may mean something totally different than what this sounds like.
And good to meat you, I've not seen you hereabouts before and it looks like you've been here a bit already.
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
2 Jun 17
i've never bitten my nails or peeled them off unconsciously. i have heard about collagen and biotin, but haven't taken any supplements yet. maybe it's low iron, as suggested by others here.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
2 Jun 17
I think that may be a part of it, but I tend to eat the same way most of the time and it's odd how my nails were quite long for a long time and all of a sudden they've gotten worse and even before going back to my one job. I think I'll do a bit of research on what foods comprise those vitamins and see what all I can afford.
It would be nice to be able to work and keep my nails looking decent. They've actually improved a lot as I've gotten older.
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
15 Jun 17
I'm sure they will grow back one of these days. It was just a bit odd how they all broke off almost at one time and before I went back to my normal job.
@CRK109 (14556)
• United States
4 Jun 17
I've never tried taking anything for my nails. Sometimes they seem to be growing great and then they begin to break, so I just file them down again.
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
9 Jun 17
I only peel them off when they get caught on something, although I have been keeping a nail file in many pockets to be ready that way more. I've pretty much given up biting them which is about time. This last stint my nails stayed long for almost three months. Maybe they all broke off because they were just too long, I just don't know.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (117133)
• Anniston, Alabama
2 Jun 17
My nails grow fast and they are so hard they break easily. I dont take anything vitamins for the nails.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
2 Jun 17
Your nails are hard and they still break easily? I thought that most nails that break easily were because they were thinner not strong. Interesting.
@celticeagle (168126)
• Boise, Idaho
2 Jun 17
My granddaughter used to bite her nails. It was a stage and she did get over it. She still has short nails but they are able to grow now. My daughter was born with long nails and she grows them very nicely. Mine go in stages. They will be very nice for a period of about three months and then they split and break off. It is the same as the body goes through. A complete change about every three months. Biotin is very important. Eating gelatin helps to grow the nails too.
@just4him (317249)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
2 Jun 17
I didn't know there were vitamins specifically for nails. My nails all look uneven and break easily. I found when I eat more lettuce salads, something I really don't like eating, my nails are better than when I don't.
