h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Has anyone got a cure for splitting finger nails?

Yeah, chop your fingers off. Problem solved!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, STOP CHEWING THEM, TUT! TUT! TUT!

As you can see Michael, I'm in one of my silly moods. <evil

Emmily

Always, always, always wear gloves when doing housework, gardening or any other sort of stuff that involves getting your hands dirty. And eat lots of nuts and seeds.
Beyond that - don't know what else you could try - but I'm sure someone'll be along soon with more ideas!

I second that advice!
Also keep your nails short & neatly shaped - trim to the bottom of the split if you can. You can buy a so-called strengthening nail varnish, which may at least give some protection until the split grows out.
I had a badly slpit nail that took over a year to eliminate and is still a bit fragile.

Is it an old wives' tale that gelatine is also good? Such as eating jelly cubes.

Use a fine grit emery board to file your nails. The rougher ones are too harsh. If you buy a nail strengthening product read the ingredients and avoid the ones with formaldehyde. That'll harden nails pretty quickly, but it also makes them brittle and dry and prone to peeling and splitting. Also find formaldehyde-free nail laquers, and get non-acetone polish remover if you use nail polish. Get a decent cuticle cream or oil and use it regularly on both the cuticles and nails, including under the tips of your fingernails.

If none of that helps after a while go see a licensed manicurist and get his/her advice. There are also some pretty good vitamin supplements on the market that'll provide for healthier, stronger new growth, but they won't do anything much for the part of the nail that's already at the tips of your fingers. Biotin is supposed to be excellent for hair, skin and nails, but ask your doctor or pharmacist about the recommended dosage.

11 May 2006. I still have the same nail splitting, nothing works to cure the problem. I just keep the nail cut short.

Eat chocolate.

Seriously.

Don't know what's in it, but it definately strengthens nails and promotes growth.

It tastes better than nails,so should work!

Put some plasters on!

I had two split nails and a very lovely manicurist applied nail extensions that lasted until the split had grown out. The manicure on those and the other eight nails collected compliments from all and sundry for eight weeks.

There is a product range called nailtiques which are designed to strengthen nails and don't contain formaldehyde - the cuticle oil is pretty good (although I'm never sure whether it is the oil or the act of rubbing it in (stimulating blood flow to the nail bed) that does the good work - really helped me sort out all the peeling and splitting last year. They are bad again at the moment but I haven't been usingthe stuff on them.

T - can I use this as an excuse to not do anything that might get my hands dirty?