fingernails

[Martine Amance]

I had grown my finger nail to the point where they were about half an inch beyond my fingertips. Since I do a bit of manual labor I had to cut them back, but I was very reluctant to do so. I find it addictive to grow them long and most likely I would have continued growing them if it were not for the necessity of working with my hands. Have any of you had a similar experience?

[Carla Michelle]

Yes. I discovered early on in the nail growing experiment, that being a bicycle commuter and longer nails do not work well together. I've since settled on a length that is even with the ends of my fingers. When they start to get longer than that I file them down even again. I've been keeping them painted and they currently are a pastel blue on the fingers and pastel pink on the thumbs. Get lots of looks and a lot more compliments that I ever expected. I love it.

[Kelly]

I do enough rough work with my hands that make long nails an impossibility. Like Carla, I try to keep them even with end of fingers. Even then there is pearl. Just in the last 10 days or so I have broken two. Both times is when I had taken my gloves off to do some fine motor task and neglected to put them back on.

Keeping nail files around the house and doing quick shaping almost daily (e.g. while watching the tube) is a sufficient compromise for me.

The bigger problem is keeping them clean!!! At the end of some days all ten are black at the tips and it can be frustrating trying to get all of the gunk out. Washing hair turns out to be the best nail brush out there.

[Diane Hoffrau]

Nicely shaped and painted with clear nail polish works just fine
(I prefer UV gel cure since the last a LOT longer)
If you look around - that is much better than what most GG's sport

Diane

[Ralitsa]

I agree about the gel polish. It's expensive but worth it. Now I see that there are do it yourself kits for the gel polish and I may try that.

[Davita]

My nails grow until they start breaking. Age is not your nail's friend. I have no length restrictions other than my nails are brittle and they all tend to start falling apart about the same time. As for gel polish, I am always in a color when I have polish and my nails grow out enough in a short time. Having to redo my nails sooner than the gel wears out isn't practical for me.

[Zephyr Lily]

I too have very long nails, currently they are about half inch longer than the tip of my finger but I want them to be longer still.

My nails grow very quickly and I have found that pushing Vitamin E cream in and around the cuticle keeps them soft and supple, but every now and then I will break one and it makes me so mad when that happens, so mad I could spit...




zephyr

[Carol Ann]

I am with Davita, as my nails split or break after they get about 1/4 inch pass my finger tips. I get so upset as I am alway keeping them up and shaped.

[Martine Amance]

I must admit that I cut mine ti about an 1/8th of an inch longer that my fingertips, go work to do. But one thing I have noticed is that I can grow them much longer here in the Fort Worthy area that on the eastern slope of Colorado. I think it has to do with the very dry conditions in Colorado (humidity ranges from a high 0f 70% to a low or 40%) to the less arid conditions of Fort Worth. I suppose I should put some clear polish on them as a minimum. Thanks for your comments.

[April Rose]

I used to grow them long, but lately I've been practicing the guitar, so that means short, short short! Doesn't mean I can't put polish on, though.

[Mike P.]

Does using certain nail polishes weaken your nails? I'm pretty sure that removers strengthen them, or so they say, but I notice that prob because I type a lot for work on the keyboards, that my nails often crack. I noticed one of my toe nails did too, so I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to make them stronger? I'm not bothered that I can't grow them, as I don't want them to be too noticeable, but would like to try some clear polish that may not be so noticeable.
Thanks- Samantha Jane

[Davita]

Nails need to breath and so far I havent heard any polish allows nails to breath. Nail polish is a chemical and used to contain formaldihyde. How can that be good for you? Nail polish remover has to remove a chemical with a chemical. Again, how can that be good.

BTW, like hair is dead, so are your finger nails. Nothing can repair a nail except to grow it out. I send people to a web site for nail care info. my web site has several links for nail care, but really that's an easy Google to get answers on nail care.

[Mike P.]

Thanks Davita, I'll check that site out. My roommate suggested that I go to one of those pharmacy chains to buy cheap, but better nail polish, and other cosmetics than the ones at the dollar store, but is there are other way of removing it without remover? I suppose that's why it's better to leave it on, and not keep taking it off, which is why I will try clear polish that may not be so noticeable. I would love to just go around with my nails polished diff colors, but not at that point yet.
Samantha Jane

[Carla Michelle]

That's what I do now Samantha, paint my nails what ever color I want and have. Currently they are a very pretty pastel pink and very shiny thanks to the topcoat. Lots of guys look at me kinda funny and lots of gg's compliment me, both on my color choices and quality of my work. I absolutely love it.

[Leeza]

A few weeks ago I was going to play my accordion. I picked it up, put it on and started playing it.

The bass was producing a squeaky sounds and I thought "oh no, I am going to have to adjust the buttons.

Three days later I fixed it - I shortened my fingernails.