Manicure Help

[Knickerbocker]

I made a manicure appointment for the week before our cruise in June hoping that would force me to stop biting my nails. I would be way too embarrased to get a manicure the way my fingers look now. I don't want to have perfect nails or anything but I'd at least like them to look nice for the cruise. What can I do between now and the manicure appointment to help grow my nails out (and of course I will have to stop biting them)?

[ShedQueen77]

I've always been lucky and have had long, strong natural nails. For upkeep, I use Sally Hansen Hard as Nails or the Diamond Strength Hardener. The line also has products for promoting growth and length as well.

 

I've learned some of what I know about nail care from Anatomy classes in college! :) From a dietary standpoint, lack of Vitamin A and B12 causes dryness and brittleness. A lack of HCl (hydrochloric acid) causes nails to split.

 

If you want to stop biting them, a manicure is a great way to start! If your nails look pretty you won't want to ruin them. Using colored polish helps. It makes you more aware of your nail appearance.

[Nitra]

I had a doctor tell me to stand in front a mirror and watch how you look biting your nails.. not pretty at all.. .

 

I cant grow my nails for anything. I dont bite them anymore but they break. I have a calcium deficiency so that does not help either. I take citracal w D and they seem to be improving after several months on it. Also you can get some of that nail grow stuff. Find a taste you hate and keep it on your fingers.

 

I always wear nails for cruises or trips. The rest of the time I leave them off and just let my nails be.

 

OH another tip I remember hearing, when you feel like biting, file them! Even just start with one nail, try to avoid that nail. start taking care of it and watch what happens.

[heyitsmejudy]

Tbear gave you some great advice... now's the PERFECT time to get a manicure. Once you get your nails jazzed up, you won't want to chomp on 'em.

I had a terrible habit of biting my nails. Then I started wearing acrylics that just about ruined my real nail bed. Once I stopped getting fake nails and fills, etc., and started just taking care of the real things (kept cuticles clipped, nails filed pretty and clear polish on them) and saw how pretty they could look in just a little time, that did it for me. No more biting!

You might, in fact, consider getting fake nails just long enough to break the nail-biting habit. You can't get to 'em if they're covered by an acrylic nail. When you get the falsies soaked (don't pry 'em) off, you'll be amazed how much the real ones have grown! But don't go get fills every other week and all that stuff that causes ridges in your real nail. It takes FOREVER to get your real nails back up to snuff if you have fake ones for an extended period. I have a friend who gets hers done every other week and her real nails are paper thin.

Good luck. It's a terrible, awful habit that should be reserved for 11 year olds. Not fun to still have it at our age!

[Tammyg]

My nails have always grown pretty well on their own but both my mother and my sister have a terrible time with theirs. They both swear by jelatin. They mix the powder into warm water and drink a glass of it everyday. If you don't like the taste of Knox gelatin there are tablets at most drug stores that work really well too - they just cost a little more.

[ShedQueen77]

Tbear gave you some great advice... now's the PERFECT time to get a manicure. Once you get your nails jazzed up, you won't want to chomp on 'em.

I had a terrible habit of biting my nails. Then I started wearing acrylics that just about ruined my real nail bed. Once I stopped getting fake nails and fills, etc., and started just taking care of the real things (kept cuticles clipped, nails filed pretty and clear polish on them) and saw how pretty they could look in just a little time, that did it for me. No more biting!

You might, in fact, consider getting fake nails just long enough to break the nail-biting habit. You can't get to 'em if they're covered by an acrylic nail. When you get the falsies soaked (don't pry 'em) off, you'll be amazed how much the real ones have grown! But don't go get fills every other week and all that stuff that causes ridges in your real nail. It takes FOREVER to get your real nails back up to snuff if you have fake ones for an extended period. I have a friend who gets hers done every other week and her real nails are paper thin.

Good luck. It's a terrible, awful habit that should be reserved for 11 year olds. Not fun to still have it at our age!

 

I did acrylics once just for the heck of it. I only had them on for about 2 months and they destroyed my nails. It took about another 2 months for my nails to look normal again.

 

If you're looking just to break the biting habit though, it might be worth the short term damage to your real nails. Once you try to bite into one of those acrylics, you'll never want to bite your nails again! You can't run the risk of ticking off your manicurist OR your dentist! :D

 

Back to my painting point, I forgot to point out how BAD nail polish tastes. Not that you probably didn't already know that :), but it is a good deterrent.

[Nitra]

nail polish didnt work for me, I just chewed it off.. LOL

 

The fake nails work, just put them on for about 2 weeks, that is what I do and then I leave them off until I am going on another cruise or trip somewhere. I like nice nails when I travel. I do my own but not everyone has the ability to do them and have them come out right or stay on. I agree - DO NOT PEEL them off, soak them or let them fall off on their own but do not pry off those fake nails. It will ruin your nail fast.

 

Gelatin didnt work for me either.. LOL My nails basically just like being short.. but at least I dont bite them anymore..

[Knickerbocker]

Thanks everyone. I got a bunch of Sally Hansen stuff to put on my nails. That way if they're gunked up I won't want to bite them (hopefully). I'm doing okay so far. Cross your fingers. Ha!

[Kruising Katt]

I bit my nails for 50+ years and tried everything I could to stop with no success. Last Dec. I treated myself to a manicure and, I have no idea why, I haven't bit my nails since and now have nice looking nails that I can't believe are mine! A couple of them need to grow a little more but the others are long enough. I don't know why something worked all of a sudden but I'm glad it did. I'd tried polishing, bad tasting stuff etc. Now I

file my nails and polish them myself but I plan on a pro manicure every once in awhile. Good luck to you.

[Happy ks]

The OP has the whole thing backwards, you don't need beautiful nails to go get a manicure, you get beautiful nails from getting regularly scheduled manicures.

 

Once a week, every week leading up to the cruise, the last one should be a minute before you leave.

 

Do you know the bacteria you are introducing to your mouth? Or, just the opposite, do you realize how much bacteria is in your mouth that you are exposing your nail beds to :confused: I do realize it's probably the same as trying to tell a smoker to quit, it's another addiction. I don't mean to preach, but this is something that no one should be doing.

 

I'm sorry, I suppose I've been to too many hand washing and sanitizing inservices :rolleyes: I keep my fingers out of my mouth, nose and eyes for reduction of germs, both bacterial and viral.

 

Good luck to you, I hope you can successfully stop the nail biting and not be so embarrassed by your hands. Please come back and tell us you are no longer a nail biter :)