Badly broken nail...help
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free skin care · Sun Jul 16, 2006 4:00 pm

I just broke a nail. The break is halfway down the tip of my thumb. The nail is still attached but if it comes off it will leave quite a bit of flesh exposed. Mad

Is there something I can use to keep it on until it grows a bit so the cut's not so far down? I was thinking about something like glue to put over it like nail polish? Does something like this exist? Aside, from drugstores I have an Ulta and Sephora near by. Thanks for the help

free skin care · Sun Jul 16, 2006 4:48 pm

Ok, there's no good solution here, but with luck you can fix the break enough that you can let it grow out without hurting yourself. You'll need tissue/tea bag, super glue, and some nail strengthening clear nail polish (I like OPI Nail Envy, but Sally Hansen will work if you are desperate.) Cut a small square of tissue or the edge of a tea bag--- just big enough to cover your break. Next, put a drop of super glue right on the crack, and quickly put the square over it. Let it dry for a minute or two, then add another drop of grazy glue over it so the whole square is saturated. After that has dried, cover the whole nail with two coats of the strengthener. Depending on the severity of the break, you may or may not need to redo this once or twice as your nail grows out. Good luck!

free skin care · Sun Jul 16, 2006 5:35 pm

I usually use brush on nail glue when this happens to me. You can buy it at beauty supply stores, but sometimes drugstores carry it too. I brush it on, hold the nail down till it dries, then use a top coat of something. Sometimes I even file the dried glue down with a buffer because if it's bumpy I'll pick at it!

free skin care · Sun Jul 16, 2006 8:01 pm

Thank you both for the help. I broke it at work so I was able to find crazy glue and a tissue. I do have a nail stregthener at home and I'll pick up some nail glue just in case. I'm the only girl at work and it just so happens that this week is the first time I had the courage to come to work with colored polish on. And this is what happens Rolling Eyes

Thanks again!

free skin care · Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:06 am

Misha I hate it when this happens, some great tips, I have been reading and learning myself Laughing

I normally strategically bite the nail off Embarassed

then cut my other nails down so they all look short!

Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:05 am

I think Sally Hansen makes a nail repair kit that comes with lots of see-through stickers that you stick on your nail to hold it together and then paint over it to give it more strength. I swear by those things when I break my nail such that it can't be cut off nicely.

free skin care · Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:45 pm

Yeah, I normally file everything down too. Broken nails are very common with me. But this time it broke so far down that it's almost the same has having the whole nail ripped out. Never been here before...I will definate keep these tips in mind for my less severe breaks too.

Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:37 am

That happened to me once and what i did was

1) grabbed a tiny bit of tissue and folded it into long rectangle (abt the length of the rip but 3mm longer) by 3mm. Make sure that the shape covers the tear

2) put some clear nail polish on, and while its wet place the tissue on top like a band aid and slap on alot of nail polish

It worked Great for me. The tissue was hard and the rip was protected. No one even noticed I had a "bandaid".

Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:39 am

In case I wasn't clear, in step 2 - put the nail polish on your nail that has the rip.

Also I guess if you wanted to disguise it, after the clear nail polish is dry you could paint over it with another colour.

Tue Jul 18, 2006 2:01 am

misha if its broken from the middle just cut down the nail if its long and wait till its grown again Crying or Very sad

free skin care · Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:52 am

HA! I had the same problem yesterday .... my thumbnail broke way below the free edge and it was a panic. Too far down to just cut and wait as it would have caught on everything on earth till it grew long enough to cut at the natural free edge and that would HURT!
So.... I found a product called Sally Hansen Instant Nail repair ...its basically like a mini acrylic nail application in a double ended wand. Powder at one end...glue at the other... you just brush on the glue over the split and then sprinkle on the powder over the top. Wait a couple of mins...and smooth over with a buffer.
Ok its not the worlds most perfect ( though after re polishing with nail lacquer it is close) thing...but it definitely holds everything together till it grows out and lets you keep the 10 nice looking nails at the same times. Thats what I did! If you dont... you'll catch your hair in it when you shampoo etc etc and it's not fun.

free skin care · Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:56 am

I have been having great results with "Calico Invisible Nail Bandages," about $3USD at Longs.

free skin care · Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:10 pm

I have to second the tea bag and superglue recommendation. I've ripped a lot of nails below the tip line, and this trick will work long enough to let it grow out. Just keep a piece of tea bag and the glue in your purse, because sometimes if you put a little too much pressure on the nail that is ripped, the tea bag will tear too. If you have everything handy, you can do a quick repair.

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