Several years ago I injured my thumbnail—I don’t recall exactly how—which resulted in it splitting down the middle, from the tip to about halfway to the base. It took many, many months before the rent finally grew out completely, and meanwhile the nail got constantly snagged on my clothing, which would often split it even further.
Anyway, the problem is that ever since then, my nail’s been prone to splitting again. My questions are as follows:
- Is there anything I can do to permanently strengthen my nail so that it doesn’t split so easily?
- When the nail does end up splitting, what’s the best way of protecting it until it grows back out?
Does superglue really work in this application? It’s great for closing a cut while it heals, but it falls off skin in a few days. Would it adhere to a growing nail for the considerably longer time required for it to grow out?
Wouldn’t that risk gluing the nail to the nail bed? That could end up tearing the bed as the nail grows. Or do you speak from experience here and can attest that it’s safe?
I have a similar problem on one of my big toes. I had a split of maybe 3/8" on the nail. I figured it would grow out, but it kept snagging on my sock when I pulled it on, which I figured couldn’t be good for it. So I started taking a small slice of the adhesive part of a 3/4" wide bandaid and taping over the toenail (just wide enough to completely cover the split) every morning after my shower (removing the previous one before my shower). Simple, no danger of impeding growth, no more snagging, and it is just about grown out.
I might try nail polish. It significantly strengthens the nail.
I have used it on my big toe with a large split down the middle, has to be reapplied as the nail grows out. The stuff in crazy glue isnt any worse than what people use in cosmetic applications. I tried to find a good video but I got grossed out by hygiene of some peoples toes.
That and some videos are more about cosmetic repairs by I guess professional manicurist. Suffice to say people do a lot shit to thier nails and superglue is one of their tools.
Welp, silking works to reinforce the nail, but once it is grown out and you remove the silk, it will split if you even casually tap the end against something.
Personally, I just keep the nail chopped and gently buffed to a smooth edge close to the quick so it is more resistant to being whacked into something end on, or to snag on something. No matter what, it will keep splitting. It is now a fault in the nailbed from what I have been told. Sigh.
Permanently, or only while the nail polish remains applied?
While it’s applied.
I agree with aruvqan that there isn’t any way to heal the damage to the nail bed, and i think the best thing you can do is treat the symptoms.
I’ve had a soft spot in one nail for decades. Well, really, there’s a line from the tip to the base that’s soft, but it usually manifests as a dimple in the edge of the nail, where the softer/thinner bit has been worn away. For years i thought it would eventually heal. But it hasn’t. I trim than nail carefully so the dimple doesn’t get too deep and catch on things, or cause other problems.
I’ve had two nails split: left thumb and left index finger. In both cases, I fixed them by trimming them back as far as I could and then filing off anything that hinted at roughness. I’d often do them on a shorter schedule than the rest of the nails, so they never grew very far out. They each eventually grew out as one nail, although both have a ridge where the split was.