Will buffing help or hinder peeling nails?
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Wed May 13, 2009 12:46 pm

I used to bite my nails, and now have soft nails which are prone to peeling. My theory is that buffing (followed by polish) will help protect the weakened tip.

What say you lovelies; good idea, or insania?

Wed May 13, 2009 7:13 pm

I'm not surprised that no one has a definitive opinion on this topic; it is a tad unorthodox.

I ended up filing the nail back a bit, buffing the nail smooth, then coating with Barielle Fortifying Nail Builder. So far, it is holding and the peeling (which goes as far as the quick,) appears to have been held at bay. A couple of people on MUA advised using Orly Bonder, and I will look into this treatment.

I hope to provide an update after testing this for a few weeks.

Fingers crossed...

free skin care · Wed May 13, 2009 8:39 pm

Buffing will help the frayed bits from catching and peeling further but it won't cure the problem of soft peeling nails. I would also recommend a bonder in addition to a hair/skin/nails vitamin.

free skin care · Thu May 14, 2009 12:29 am

I have never had long nails until I used Talika nail strenthener day & night for a couple months. My nails had always been peely and I'm a nail bitter too.

free skin care · Thu May 14, 2009 5:44 am

Some people claim that buffing is not good for the nails - I tend to think that it is because it stimulates the nail bed by bringing blood to the area. However, I recommend to rub emu oil into the nails and surrounding skin every night. My nails used to be completely transparent and would continually split and peel. Since applying the emu oil, they have become opaque and really strong. I have tried every nail hardener on the market and nothing has worked as well as the emu oil.

free skin care · Thu May 14, 2009 7:51 am

When I get manicures, I have my nails buffed instead of polished. I have no problem with splitting or fraying afterwards and they are very hard. The buff shine lasts for a few weeks and looks very natural.

Thu May 14, 2009 10:23 am

SylphideNoir wrote:

Buffing will help the frayed bits from catching and peeling further but it won't cure the problem of soft peeling nails. I would also recommend a bonder in addition to a hair/skin/nails vitamin.

Thanks for he input, SylphideNoir! I guess this was my thought, as well. If I could just get the rough edges sitting flush with the rest of the nail, then give the nail time to grow out, it would keep the problem from worsening.

Thanks for the suggestion of supplements, too. I really will look into it.

Thu May 14, 2009 10:25 am

c4ward wrote:

I have never had long nails until I used Talika nail strenthener day & night for a couple months. My nails had always been peely and I'm a nail bitter too.

Thanks c4ward! I know a lot of MUA'ers like the Talika line. I'll have to try and find it here!

Thu May 14, 2009 10:35 am

Keliu and AnnieR, i don't buff too often but feel I should. It really does a world of good, and I think it is exactly because of the reason you mention, Keliu. My nails just look healthier after buffing, perhaps because all those ugly ridges are gone.

AnnieR, I'm amazed at how much longer a buffed nail keeps its shine. I'm lucky if I can keep a mani looking ok for a week. I've never thought to have them buffed during a mani. Thanks for the tip!

Keliu, you are the emu oil QUEEN! I've ordered some already, just based on your other glowing posts. I'm hoping to work it into my facial routine, but am test-driving some Avene products first. Can't wait to see what it does for my nails, though!

free skin care · Fri May 15, 2009 7:49 am

They do a nice car wash buff with the polish and wheels and it is very natural. But I keep my nails short and I am always digging in the garden or playing with my nieces so manicures don't stand a chance. Since I am a cuticle chewer and they are always looking ragged, I go in once a month and have a trim and buff!

Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:57 pm

As a former manicurist many moons ago... buffing your nails is very good for them.. it will give you better circulation and make your nails grow faster.. but you should be using a leather buffer... the nail that you can see now that you polish is dead..so until that grows out the newer growth will be stronger and grow faster.. also I highly recommend nailtique or nailtek.. they are exactly the same just different names... due to the fact that the couple got divorced and each have their own name...make sure you use it as your base coat and you can use it as a top coat...but it is not necessary... I had artificial nails for many years, I tried every product .. can't even begin to name them all.. and NOTHING worked.. but I can tell ya that Nailtique stuff does.. I would try the formula for real weak nails first to get you started.. (ex: people that just got acrylics removed..) you need to buy their thinner though which I think sucks,because half way through that bottle it gets thick as hell... then switch to what formula you need based on your nail type... I am using formula 2.. but go on their website to see which is right for you ... Oh one more tip... do not change your nail color too often it will weaken your nails... once a week at most...

free skin care · Sun Jun 07, 2009 8:10 am

Not a good idea. Anything you do to your nails will weaken them. That includes polishing, hardening, filing, buffing...EVERYTHING.

However I just can't use NOTHING. I can't live without my nail stone for filing. It seals the tips and makes them smooooth. After that a moisturizing nail oil would is great to use and leaves a nice gloss on the nail. TIPS is very good and you can get it thru ASK Cosmetics on line or QVC.

Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:01 am

buffing will hinder fine nails. buffing thins your nails as it buffs thats how it gets rid of ridges so it will only hinder fine nails

free skin care · Wed Aug 05, 2009 8:41 am

I am a reformed nailbitter Smile

. I bit them for years and had the same problem with breaking whenever I tried to grow them out. Honestly I just stopped one day and took a hair and nail supplement and let them grow without putting anything on them . My nails are the strongest they have ever been. I wish you the best of luck and know how frustrating it can be.

Wed Aug 05, 2009 7:41 pm

I have to agree with michelle411. If you buff the nails so much that you are actually grinding down ridges (as I have done) it thins the nail in spots and makes them weak and more prone to break/split. Putting a polish or base on to strengthen the nail, after thinning through buffing, may help a bit. But if you have thin nails to start with, I wouldn't buff too much.

I actually have very hard nails that grow really fast - but because I cut back my cuticles (I know!) I have vertical ridges. I've tried to buff/file down the ridges and my nails often split in those weakened spots.

free skin care · Wed Aug 05, 2009 11:36 pm

My nails used to be paper-thin and soft but since I started with VEGA protein replacement and a ton of supps like MSM/C and BioSil they are stronger. I keep them filed short with a crystal file and moisturize the cuticles every night and wear gloves to garden and clean.

Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:40 pm

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for your fantastic information, advice, and support. I would have been lost without all of the input.

I am back to report what I've discovered in the couple of months since I last posted. The good news (or bad news, depending on your perspective...) is that everyone is right about buffing; it can help a lot if done conservatively, but can cause a lot of damage if over-used. I know the results of both practices first-hand. At first, I was very gentle with buffing and saw a huge improvement. The buffing evened out the surface, which meant that they didn't catch on everything. However, on a couple of nails I went all out and buffed too much, resulting in nails that were vastly weaker than the others. Learned my lesson there, I can tell you... Anyway, I was able to keep the tips snag-free for long enough that they grew out and are fine. Well, all except the original culprits; both index fingers just don't seem to get better. I have been using emu oil for 7 weeks (thanks Keliu!) and think that has made a genuine difference in nail strength. I can say that the buffing (very, very gently) has improved the look of my nails as well. I should mention that I only use the first abrasive pad on my four-step buffing pad, as making them too shiny will keep polish from adhering to the surface (and I've been using polish as a sealant, so to speak.)

Thanks again, everybody! My nails are healthier because of you!

(Totally OT, but I had mentioned that I was starting on some Avene products, and Praise Be! I think it has cleared my hormonal acne. Just thought I'd add that in... it's a big deal for me!)

free skin care · Fri Aug 07, 2009 8:06 pm

MaitriArch wrote:

I used to bite my nails, and now have soft nails which are prone to peeling. My theory is that buffing (followed by polish) will help protect the weakened tip.

What say you lovelies; good idea, or insania?

Anything you do to peeling nails or even great nails will damage them. I wouldn't be buffing. If you want shine, than a bit of nail oil or olive oil will do the trick.

Sat Aug 08, 2009 7:37 am

SusieQ wrote:

MaitriArch wrote:

I used to bite my nails, and now have soft nails which are prone to peeling. My theory is that buffing (followed by polish) will help protect the weakened tip.

What say you lovelies; good idea, or insania?

Anything you do to peeling nails or even great nails will damage them. I wouldn't be buffing. If you want shine, than a bit of nail oil or olive oil will do the trick.

Oh, SusieQ! I wish that I were one of the lucky gals who could leave her nails natural! I'm so jealous of kmy1's hard nails! However, mine are way too soft from years of biting, even five years after stopping. Olive oil IS an important part of my nail care routine. I soak my finger tips in it after removing old polish (and rub it all over my hands, too. That's an added bonus.) Ideally, I like to give my nails a couple days off from polish, during which time I apply oil (emu, olive) twice a day. I have stopped cutting my cuticles, and although they're not perfect I'm seeing a reduction in thickness (from years of cutting. Geez! I've done some horrible things to my nails...)

Like I said above, judicious buffing worked wonders for me. I've been battling peelies for five years, and buffing has been the only thing that helped keep the ragged tips smooth until the peeling section grew out. As with all anecdotal advice, I'm sure it won't work for everyone so use caution.

fawnie, I'm so glad that you mentioned the crystal file. That is the one tool I will never be without. I cringe when I think of all the years I used an emery board on my super-soft nails, not understanding why they were so ragged afterwards. I'm sure those horrid boards contributed to my nail-biting. As all nail biters know, it is the uneven and jagged edges that exacerbate the urge to bite. Live and learn, I guess..

I would love to hear how gals who go au naturel care for their nails. And as a side note, how long does everyone keep their nails? I keep mine just about at fingertip length, mostly because I'm enjoying having longer nails for the first time in my life.

free skin care · Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:21 am

Its the buffing that is causing the peeling. I'm certain. PLUS all those years of cutting your cuticles. Just leave your nails and cuticles alone and they will heal nicely. A bit of oil is all you need. Don't even push your cuticles back because this will break the seal around the living part of your nail. You will see a big difference after a couple of weeks by leaving your nails alone. Good luck.

Mon Aug 10, 2009 4:48 pm

I am a firm believer in nailtiques. I bite and pick at my nails which is a bad habit but they will get long and strong when i use this stuff. Some of my ridges have decreased over time. I LOVE this product!!!

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