An unexpected milestone...

[DaphneMiller]

I broke a nail!!!

While I've been off work and not exercising over Christmas, I thought I'd let my nails grow for a few weeks. This morning, I filed them down into a lovely shape, and was planning on painting them tonight.

Typically, while at work today (the office is still quite after New Year, pretty sure I'd get away with it) I had to move some heavy boxes, and now my middle nail is hanging off. I haven't the heart to pull it off completely yet.
So disappointed, but I'm sure it won't be the last time...


Anyone else got any tales of woe, or things which didn't quite go as planned over the past couple of weeks?

Daphne

[Beverley Sims]

Mine were getting too long Daphne and I had to cut them back a bit.
When I go on holidays I make sure they are growing fairly well about a month before.

[Kate Simmons]

If I cried every time I broke a nail, I'd be a basket case Hon. I actually cut them off myself sometimes as they get in my way. If that is the "man" in me, so be it.

[Jaylyn]

I tried letting mine grow some but finally gave up. I am always chipping one or can't keep the dirt out from under them. When dressed to a "T" I just decided to wear the fake nails. It's hard doing things around the farm with long nails..... Or heels two things I have found that are better in the house ....

[stephNE]

I try to keep a coat (or two) of clear polish on them. It does help to strengthen them and they are less resistant to breaking.

[5150 Girl]

I know how it can be, you finally get them grown out, and looking right, and something happens... It is devastating at first. But hey, you'll soon learn, they will grow back!
Personally, I recently got tired of this cycle, and I'm trying acrylics. They're probably not the answer for one who likes to keep this side of themselves quiet though....

[Sarah Beth]

I gave up letting mine grow out a long time ago. The kind of work I do they would never survive. I say press on.

[Cheryl T]

Can't tell you how many times I've had my nails just so and preparing for a night out when WHAM!!! one breaks, then another and I'm left using those darn press-ons again.
Too many tears shed to account for.

[AllieSF]

Yes, about every other week. I just get my nails to a perfect not too long nor too short length and I rip or tear one of them. Worse yet, is when I plan on redoing them in the afternoon, one of them rips in the morning necessitating trimming all of them to balance them out. That just happened this morning!

[reb.femme]

Hi Daphne,

Here is a Youtube link to a nail repair vid and this method does work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHxqkK_cRbU

Many others there, but a starting point anyway.

Rebecca

[carhill2mn]

On Xmas Eve I was getting ready to go to church (not en femme, sadly) and as I pulled a sliding closet door a wheel came off its track. As a result I broke three nails! Alas, I could not get them repaired at the salon until the day after Xmas!

[Diane Smith]

Isn't it amazing how devastating it can be to break a nail? I mean, it's such a small and insignificant item in the scheme of things. I wear LONG acrylics all the time, and broke one down to the quick (there was PAIN and BLOOD!) a couple of months ago, and was so upset that I actually used some sick time and rearranged my work schedule so I could get to the nail salon for a repair before I had to be seen in public again. And my nail tech and I were laughing about the silliness of the situation the whole time -- but she and many of her other clients are exactly the same way.

Daphne, a professionally applied tip and acrylic overlay on that one nail at least may be your answer, although I realize it's more of a commitment than some of us can, or want to, make.

- Diane

[DaphneMiller]

It's not just me then! Knew it...

I'll definitely follow up on some of your advice about repair and strengthening them, though it sounds like stick on ones may be the way forward... I was just peeved because there's only a couple of occasions throughout the year when I can actually let my nails grow.

Now I've experienced it for myself, I'll NEVER again be as dismissive when my wife complains about breaking a nail.

Daphne

[Marcelle]

Luckily my nails are quite strong . . . a point that bugs my wife and younger sister to no end as their nails will break in a slight windstorm. However, even my nails did not hold up under the crushing weight of tiling, grouting, framing and dry walling. I had to lay three to rest over the holidays . . . cue the light ghostly call of taps playing in the distant background.

Hugs

Isha

[Eryn]

I try to keep mine at the "slightly long for a guy" point so they will look nicely femme when polished, but when I'm not going to work I let them grow out a bit more. When they are longer I definitely get more breakage so if you wish to avoid this keep the length modest. Keeping a clear nail strengthener like Orly Tough Cookie or Sally Hansen Hard As Nails also seems to help.

Look at the GGs around you. The great majority of them have modest-length nails because they lead active lives.

[rachael.davis]

a drop of superglue can help preserve a nail that is breaking but hasn't seperated

[LaraPeterson]

For me, artificial tips are just a lot easier than a manicure.

[Madeline80]

My wife, in cosmetology, says always file, never clip. Apparently filing stimulates the nail so it grows faster. I keep mine as long as I dare to, and when one breaks it comes back pretty fast. I have to file them a little 2-3 times a week. I also use the strengthener but I dull it a little with some nail polish remover if I don't want it too shiny in guy mode.

[Sarah V]

I achieved all my TG/CD milestones that I had intended over these two weeks off from work. The only thing that did not happen as the stars just did not align totally correct and I was not able to meet up with as many of my gurl friends as I had planned to, but I did have a very nice time with the ones I was with.

[Teresa]

I managed a finger sandwich between two building blocks, broke the finger it took six months before I had a shaped nail ready for the polish.