brittle split nails

[LovelyLathers]

My Mom (75 years old) has asked me to come up with an oil to help her splitting cracked fingernails. They split from the top almost half way to the cuticle. Is there something anyone would reccommend to use? I was thinking maybe

jojoba 30%

calendula infused oo 20%

shea 20%

avocado 10%

coconut 10%

bee's wax 10% for some harness

maybe lavender eo a few drops?

Thanks for any help with this. Sue

[CareBear]

I know this is unrelated, and she's probably on top of it, but you might want to make sure she's eating properly and taking a vitamin - that's a HUGE sign of malnutrition which is extremely common in the "elderly" population when they eat much less, etc.

I think the jojoba and some unrefined shea would be really good - the stuff will soak in nicely. Dont' know that you want beeswax - you want it to absorb, no? Or maybe I"m dead wrong!

[LovelyLathers]

Carol thanks for your input. I didn't think of that with the bee's wax so I will leave it out and up the jojoba and shea.

As far as her diet and eating I am not concerned with that she lives with my sister and eats well. She does all the cooking for them other wise I would worry about my sister and her family being malnutritioned!!! My sis doesn't cook lol.

[CareBear]

does she want to come visit me for a while then? my kids miss my cooking, now that I've found SOAP

[LovelyLathers]

Sorry Carol, I am next on the list but when she is sick of me she might want to go to your house. lol. She even cleans the house! My sis doesn't know how to do that either. I know why she wanted Mom to live with them.. LOL

How about if a add emu oil too. It has lots of healing.

[CareBear]

I got an eczema recipe from someone here that has emu in it. I HATE the greasy feel of it - remember emu is basically chicken fat! But yes it's supposed to be healing.

BTW, I didn't like the balm that way so I threw in some citrus wax and that made it nice. Unfortunately I didn't write down what I did.

[elitenaildesign]

There is really nothing that can be done for somthing like that.Jojoba oli would be best since the molecular structure of it can be absorbed through the nails. Most oils cannot be absorbed into the nail. Something with tea tree wouldnt hurt either. Get a really good nail treatment such as Nail Tek for hard brittle nails. That should help some. Unfortuantley those that have come to me with severly split nails like your describing, we ended up putting on some type of overlay, silk, fiberglass or acrylic to stop the splitting.

[CareBear]

Anything that will also help prevent a fungal infection or whatever might be good, as long as it's not irritating. I think tea tree falls into this category!

[LovelyLathers]

Thanks for the info, I will see maybe I can talk her into an overlay. But doesn't that leave her open for a fungus when you have cracks in the nail?

[elitenaildesign]

Not at all. If you can find a qualified nail tech with some experience, they will be fine. JUST STAY AWAY FROM THE ASIAN NAIL SALONS!!! You are asking for all sorts of trouble.

I would have a nail tech look at them anyway just to see the severity of the cracks and maybe she will have some other suggestions. I have made acrylic toes for people who have next to nothing for a nail. Its pretty cool.

[jazzbo848]

have her take a vitamin b supplement. many people have trouble absorbing the b vitamins, and the b's do play a part in nail health. in fact a general vitamin as well as the b's probably would not hurt. very often as we age, we absorb fewer nutrients from our food than we used to do.

i make a cuticle/ nail oil from ako, avacado oil, rbo, wheat germ oil, emu oil, tea tree and lavender eo that seems to help some people.

is she wearing gloves when she washes dishes or does cleaning? someitmes those products can really wreak havoc on hands and nails.

cheryl

[LovelyLathers]

Thanks for all the ideas everyone. Sue

[SueH]

Besides trying a B vitamin does she have any thyroid problems?

[LovelyLathers]

No she has really no medical problems but poor circulation and had a heart attach 5 years ago. . The circulation problem may be what caused it to happen the Dr. believes. Made some oil for her to try and see if it helps. She hates to have her hands look bad that is why she is trying to fix this problem. She will not have any overlay on her nails, and she is firm about that!