Thanks for the good ideas. I think I'll start with Sally Hansen's strengthener in the gold bottle. I got my nails done because my nails start splitting or peeling after they get so long. I love having pretty nails but the cost is such a waste! If I could do it myself (have never tried) I'd do them every week or when needed. Sometimes my nails really looked weird when it got closer to the fill appt two weeks after the last fill. I found a Tweezerman buffer - got it at Bed Bath and Beyond with their 20% off coupon - and gently buffed my nails. They are quite shiny right now but I think the Sally Hansen will help. I also think I have the 7-Day nail grower stuff - or maybe it is up in my daughter's room. Thanks for all of the suggestions! One last question...where do you all buy OPI nail polish? I found a color I really like but when I wanted to buy it at my salon they didn't have any.

I've had problems with my nails all my life until I used a product called Onymyrrh which is no longer sold. There's a similar product that's almost as good, found it on internet but didn't re-order. Bottle lasts forever. Ahyway I found a product called ER for nails at Sally's and it does toughen up nails but is drying to cuticles. What I do now after seeing a demo at a fair, I bought a file at Sally's, they have several makes. You file your ridges down and the ends of nail to seal by smoothing. Another section or side smooths your nails and another shines the nails like they have been polished. The instructions are right on the file. All this attention toughens your nails by increasing circulation to them. It does work great, takes very little time, I do it while watching TV or riding in the car. I carry a file in my purse to use when I think about it and have time. Once or twice a week is more than enough to touch them up. I no longer have to polish my nails. I have only broken a nail once when lifting a very heavy box and it bent my nail in the middle of the bed so it bled. My nail really didn't break until a few days later. Actually I cut it down close to the wound to keep it from hurting. I also use a moisturizer on my cuticles and supposedly this also keeps nails from being brittle. It works for me, and a lot cheaper and less time than seeing the manicurist every 2-3 weeks to get wraps. That was my previous solution but I always had trouble finding the time and didn't like the growing out phase. I started with the Onymyrrh and ended up with ER and the file which keeps my nails very healthy looking, natural and looong.

Before I started giving my nails some much needed attention, they too were rough, and splitting and brittle. I've always heard that emery boards, if not used properly, can actually cause nail damage, particularly if the boards are a bit worn on the edges. I got a Sally Hansen Ahead of the Curve Sapphire Nail File at WM and really like it. I'm 'thinking' that Walmart also has Hair and Nail Vitamins, though I'm not sure of what they contain that would be beneficial to nails. I've found too, that keeping something on my nails most of the time, really helps them. Everything I use is pretty neutral colored, so when it gets some age on it (chipping), it isn't unsightly like chipped 'colored' nails look. Once you notice a nail snagging on things, it is important to see what is causing the problem, and get it smoothed/filed, and get a coating of hardener or clear polish on it, asap. I've found that if I ignore a rough or splitting nail, I almost always regret it as it will end up tearing off. Good luck...Hopefully in time you will have some nice nails and be showing them off by wearing some rings.

Graywings, I stopped the Evista because I do not like taking medicines. My primary insisted and I have taken it for about 3 or 4 years. She retired and I have told my new doctor that I don't want to take it. I am also doing more weight-bearing exercises. She agreed that we can give this a try, pending the outcome of my next bone density test in about a year. We'll see. Java, I don't think it is psoriatic arthritis. I have read about that and it is talking about separation from the nail bed and such. While protein and calcium probably have something to do with it, I think the main cause is probably chemicals from over polishing and dryness. It seems like I was removing and reapplying polish 2 or 3 times a week this winter. Then when the technician buffed my nails paper thin, it was really bad. Some of that polish was off by the next morning. Oakley and Peegee, with that overpriced kit I bought at the mall kiosk was a buffer. It is incredible how much my nails are shining. I keep using the oil that came with it. There is also a hand cream that I left in Florida for my friend to bring up as it was over 3 ounces. I will get that next week. I agree with all above who said I need to lay off the polish. Now that is killing me as I do not like my nails without it, but I know I need to stop at least until I get this mess grown out. Thanks again for all of your replies.