HELP!!! Fingernails - I know it sounds silly, but....

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Melaniedoingwell
Melaniedoingwell Member Posts: 80
in Breast Cancer #1
I just finished my year of chemo - (only the Herceptin was a year). My hair is coming in fine - I've even had to have it cut a couple of times (YAY!!!!) - my fingernails colorwise look fine. The problem I am having is they are so weak and brittle that they keep splitting down into the nail bed, at least my thumbs do. I have been keeping them super short - I can not keep them shorter because I do actually have fingers to which they are attached and I really don't want to chop off my finger TIPS!!!!

Anybody have any helpful hints or experience with this? They will catch on oh, anything and start to tear down into the bed....

Thanks!

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  • Barb021808
    Barb021808 Member Posts: 1
    #2
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    Biotin
    When I went through chemo (although not Herceptin) I took 1000mg of Biotin every day. My oncologist said she had never seen anyones nails come through chemo so well. It's an over the counter B vitamin and isn't very expensive. You might want to give it a try and see if it helps.
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #3
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    I'd call my oncologist
    You might ask the oncologist what to do. I was told to put a nail sealant on nails but this was before chemo had started. Since yours is cracked it's different. But call the office. They may want to examine them first.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #4
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    Na8il Envy
    Nail Envy by OPI is what saved my nails. I was told about it and given a sample at the 'Look Good, Feel Better' class.
  • eihtak
    eihtak Member Posts: 1,473 Member
    #5
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    Rague said:

    Na8il Envy
    Nail Envy by OPI is what saved my nails. I was told about it and given a sample at the 'Look Good, Feel Better' class.

    Iron level ???
    I was kind of anemiac at one point and thats when my nails suffered. My nails are something I have always been proud of so was bothered! As soon as my doc had me taking more iron (ferrous sulfate), my nails came back better than ever. Worth a check anyhow????
  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #6
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    eihtak said:

    Iron level ???
    I was kind of anemiac at one point and thats when my nails suffered. My nails are something I have always been proud of so was bothered! As soon as my doc had me taking more iron (ferrous sulfate), my nails came back better than ever. Worth a check anyhow????

    Yep
    My nails were effected, but are back to normal. They developed horizontal ridges/lines and peeled like an onion if I wasn't careful. I kept them sort and they returned to normal as those horizontal ridges grew out - which was maybe 9 months after chemo. This effected all my fingernails, but only a few toenails. Go figure. Hope the chemo effected ALL of the cancer cells!

    Suzanne
  • taiga
    taiga Member Posts: 75 Member
    #7
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    Double Whammy said:

    Yep
    My nails were effected, but are back to normal. They developed horizontal ridges/lines and peeled like an onion if I wasn't careful. I kept them sort and they returned to normal as those horizontal ridges grew out - which was maybe 9 months after chemo. This effected all my fingernails, but only a few toenails. Go figure. Hope the chemo effected ALL of the cancer cells!

    Suzanne

    fingernails
    I just finished chemo and my thumb nails and a couple other fingernails did the same thing. 2-3 vertical splits - way deep into the nail. I will try the OPI product. It has helped to keep them very short and I use brush on nail glue to keep them together so they don't catch on things.
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #8
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    Double Whammy said:

    Yep
    My nails were effected, but are back to normal. They developed horizontal ridges/lines and peeled like an onion if I wasn't careful. I kept them sort and they returned to normal as those horizontal ridges grew out - which was maybe 9 months after chemo. This effected all my fingernails, but only a few toenails. Go figure. Hope the chemo effected ALL of the cancer cells!

    Suzanne

    Mine started doing the same.
    I have been on chemo since Jan 2011, and it wasn't until I started on Herceptin that my nails started splitting. I keep them polished, use the OPI strengtheners but they keep splitting. My toenails are good. I asked the oncologist and I think he thought this is the least of my worries right now... so I have been trying my own ways.

    Suzanne, I hope you are right, that this means that it is hitting the cancer cells also!
  • sweetvickid
    sweetvickid Member Posts: 459 Member
    #9
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    I did 18 rounds of chemo and
    I did 18 rounds of chemo and my nails looked horried. Got real lumpy and turned a strange grey shade. That all grew out and then I had the problem of the thumbnails splitting. Did the opti nail and biotin and that took care of it.
  • Blondiemomma
    Blondiemomma Member Posts: 41
    #10
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    Happened to me too!
    I was wondering why my nails were getting so bad. I'm on Herceptin, too. Several of my nails have come loose from the nail bed. My nails look gray, have vertical ridges and horizontal lines. I've been keeping the gelish (shellac) polish on them but they split into the quick all the time. I do a good multivitamin but my oncologist wasn't thrilled about my taking supplements.

    Thanks for asking this question. At least I know there is hope that one day they will be okay again.
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #11
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    Blondiemomma said:

    Happened to me too!
    I was wondering why my nails were getting so bad. I'm on Herceptin, too. Several of my nails have come loose from the nail bed. My nails look gray, have vertical ridges and horizontal lines. I've been keeping the gelish (shellac) polish on them but they split into the quick all the time. I do a good multivitamin but my oncologist wasn't thrilled about my taking supplements.

    Thanks for asking this question. At least I know there is hope that one day they will be okay again.

    Sally Hansen...
    I was warned before chemo started To take extra good care of my nails...I used Sally Hansen triple strength...it's an acrylic..(and in a green bottle).....you put on two coats first, then one every other day....my nails never broke or split...they did turn yellowish...I kept a pale pink polish on them in addition to the Sally Hansen...it may sort of "seal" the cracking for you...I got mine at Walgreen's...

    Best wishes,
    Hugs, Nancy
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #12
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    MAJW said:

    Sally Hansen...
    I was warned before chemo started To take extra good care of my nails...I used Sally Hansen triple strength...it's an acrylic..(and in a green bottle).....you put on two coats first, then one every other day....my nails never broke or split...they did turn yellowish...I kept a pale pink polish on them in addition to the Sally Hansen...it may sort of "seal" the cracking for you...I got mine at Walgreen's...

    Best wishes,
    Hugs, Nancy

    Sally Hansen products have
    Sally Hansen products have never stayed on my nails - peels off in a 'sheet' within hours of being put on. Actually Ht OPI Nail Envy is the only nail strengthner/polish that has ever stayed on my nails. My nails have never-ever been decent, but now 2+ yrs post TX I have. EVER had. Toe nails tought have decided they like to let fungus stay with them even with RX TX.

    Winyan The Power Within

    Susan
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #13
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    MAJW said:

    Sally Hansen...
    I was warned before chemo started To take extra good care of my nails...I used Sally Hansen triple strength...it's an acrylic..(and in a green bottle).....you put on two coats first, then one every other day....my nails never broke or split...they did turn yellowish...I kept a pale pink polish on them in addition to the Sally Hansen...it may sort of "seal" the cracking for you...I got mine at Walgreen's...

    Best wishes,
    Hugs, Nancy

    The Sally Hansen has worked
    The Sally Hansen has worked very well on my nails. Have you asked your oncologist if he knows of anything? Hoping you find something that helps you.


    Hugs, Angie
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #14
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    eihtak said:

    Iron level ???
    I was kind of anemiac at one point and thats when my nails suffered. My nails are something I have always been proud of so was bothered! As soon as my doc had me taking more iron (ferrous sulfate), my nails came back better than ever. Worth a check anyhow????

    Nothing is silly to ask on
    Nothing is silly to ask on here. Usually every question asked is something we all want to know. Being low on iron or anemic can have an effect on your nails. Have you been tested for iron?


    Lex

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