Client's Peeling Nails

[Mrs.Clooney]

Attached are photos of a client who has been coming to me for a few months. She knows I participate on a professional forum and won't mind me asking for some input here.

Both her and her mum changed over from another nail system (different techs and different salons) , and whilst not in any way criticising the system used, I question the ability of the techs as the nails were very damaged... pitted and overbuffed! One of the techs advised that hand creams and treatment oils cause lifting and advised against their use .

Most of the damage has now grown out on both mum and daughter, although I have noticed extreme difficulty in soaking off the Calgel I've applied at the tips where the damage and scoring is still visible. Not a Calgel problem, but that of the damage. Just goes to show why NSS key the nails prior to application..... it sticks and won't budge!

Early October JPG is of the daughter's nails and shows how the damage has grown out with healthy looking nails towards the base and the damage towards the free edge. This brings me to my next problem... she came to me yesterday for soak off and reapplication. She has not been at all well, especially of late. The doctors cannot find out exactly what is wrong but she has been having some digestive problems and has lost one and a half stone in the last month. She apparently had an extreme Vit D deficiency in April which was corrected and the only medication she is taking is to help with excessive acid.

The two 4th Nov pics were taken yesterday after soak off, revealing badly peeling nails mid nail plate on 7 of her fingers. The Calgel on all of these nails had started lifting considerably from the base of the nails. 3 of the nails on her left hand had no lifting and interestingly enough, no peeling mid nail.

I doubt this is a Calgel or technical problem. I also don't think my client has in any ways been picking at the lifting gel as there was no evidence for this and think that this is due to her ill health. I recommended that she had no more Calgel applied as I don't think the soakoffs are doing her any favours at this point in time. I have instead recommended nourishing prescription manicures until her health problems are resolved.

I would really value your input please as I was quietly dismayed by the state of her nails currently. We were making good progress from the damage done so it is really sad that this has happened.

Thank you.

 

[J.Victoria]

Deficiency of Vitamin D tends to decrease the absorption of calcium in the body and eventually affects nail health. It could just be that it will take a while for her nails to recover

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Yes I agree, thank you. I explained this to my client which is why I recommended rather concentrating on nourishing nail treatments rather than gels. It is such a shame as she her nails were starting to look good.

 

[gillian w]

They do look like they have had a pick at them.This could just be infil damage growing up.
Maybe keep them very short minimal free edge and just put 2 layers of clear Calgel on and stress the use of oil i have had previous success with damaged nails by doing this.Gives very good strength. you can see whats going on and they do not have the regrowth showing quickly so can get away with about 4 to 5 weeks before soaking off again.It also soaks off really quickly.Only thing is they need to renew the top coat because obviously in 4 to 5 weeks they will look 'mucky' if they dont.
If they keep peeling as they grow up beyond the free edge they may need some silk reinforcement for a while.

 

[geeg]

Does not look like picking to me. It looks like de-lamination due to ill health which you have said she has had. Her nails do look very depleted and I would suggest Solar Oil every day and a warm oil manicure treatment regularly for a few months.

As this looks like the cause is her physical condition, I don't see why it should make any difference for her to continue with the calgel. It will disguise the condition and make her feel better about herself. The condition is the condition and a soak off every few weeks is not going to make it better or worse IMO. Her nails will start to improve when her physical condition starts to improve. You won't make her nails or her physical condition any better internally by using oil and leaving the nails better or using the Calgel.

Her nails will hopefully improve with time and you will note that improvement at soak off time if it is happening.

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

They do look like they have had a pick at them.This could just be infil damage growing up.
Maybe keep them very short minimal free edge and just put 2 layers of clear Calgel on and stress the use of oil i have had previous success with damaged nails by doing this.Gives very good strength. you can see whats going on and they do not have the regrowth showing quickly so can get away with about 4 to 5 weeks before soaking off again.It also soaks off really quickly.Only thing is they need to renew the top coat because obviously in 4 to 5 weeks they will look 'mucky' if they dont.
If they keep peeling as they grow up beyond the free edge they may need some silk reinforcement for a while.

Hi Gill, I honestly don't think she has been picking. I have been seeing this client for a few months now and I have never seen any evidence of having a pick.... you know how with some clients you can just tell. She was perfectly honest when I asked her if she has been using treatment oil and easily admitted that she had not.

The silk reinforcement is a great idea. Thanks x

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Does not look like picking to me. It looks like de-lamination due to ill health which you have said she has had. Her nails do look very depleted and I would suggest Solar Oil every day and a warm oil manicure treatment regularly for a few months.

As this looks like the cause is her physical condition, I don't see why it should make any difference for her to continue with the calgel. It will disguise the condition and make her feel better about herself. The condition is the condition and a soak off every few weeks is not going to make it better or worse IMO. Her nails will start to improve when her physical condition starts to improve. You won't make her nails or her physical condition any better internally by using oil and leaving the nails better or using the Calgel.

Her nails will hopefully improve with time and you will note that improvement at soak off time if it is happening.

Thanks Gigi. I have pondered with the idea of using Calgel on her. My concern was that if her nails have deteriorated so quickly with premature lifting, then I may end up needing to soak off more regularly hence dehydrating more than needed if this makes sense.

I have filed them short so very little free edge is visible and I have an appointment with her early next week where I said I would reassess the situation after seeking some advice.

 

[VHunter]

Tear in the nail plate in the direction those tears are is 'usually' (from what I've seen) either the result of
A) picking
B) a good bang against something if the length is too long for the client.

All the tears seem to go the same direction, if you know what I mean. As if there was downward pressure applied to the free edge to pull up at the eponychium, resulting in the direction of the tear.
Is that making sense? Not sure if I'm explaining it right.

Is it possible, that due to her health and the week state of her nails, that they are simply too long for her and should be shortened to the end of the finger and no longer?

If it was just peeling from health issues, I would "think" that the lifting/tearing of the nail plate would have no rhyme or reason for it's direction. But they are all in the same direction.

I would keep them ultra short and either A) keep applying a gel NNO to protect them from further peeling B) apply Shellac so that even if she does bang, it's not going to pull against the plate BUT will help prevent further peeling.

hth's

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Tear in the nail plate in the direction those tears are is 'usually' (from what I've seen) either the result of
A) picking
B) a good bang against something if the length is too long for the client.

Although it is not very clear from the 3rd photo, there is some vertical splitting towards the free edge on her ring finger. This has never been present before. There was no lifting at the free edge either which is why I honestly don't think she has been picking.

Calgel is a fairly soft gel and if she was picking, it would be evident. The lifted areas were lying neatly flat against her nail plate. Honestly, I ruled out picking at the appointment.

This significant deterioration has occurred in a very short period of time.... just over 3 weeks and in slightly longer than this, she has lost over 1 and 1/2 stone .

 

[VHunter]

Yup, that's why I'm leaning towards that due to her health and nail's natural condition.... she likely whacked them and because they are weaker... the length is too long for her now.
Know what I mean?
I was only saying that we usually see 'that kind' of tearing due to the reasons I listed. "Usually" but not always so, I'm gathering.

Try a shorter length, literally stopping at the end of her finger. Maybe see how that goes? If nothing to whack, then they won't get torn?