Health

Clients With Cancer

October 11, 2013 | Bookmark +

I have a client with natural nails who I’ve been seeing for 20 years. During the past year she underwent radiation for breast cancer and her nails began splitting and peeling. I have tried different nurturing and hardening products. She also goes to the gym and uses the pool for her exercise routine. Perhaps the chlorine is also harsh on her nails. Do you recommend a certain product or have any other advice?

Answer

The excessive splitting and peeling you are describing is indicative of brittle nails. Fingernails take six months to replace themselves on average, so the radiation exposure of the past should not be an issue currently. However, when the nails are exposed to water, the cells within the nails expand and contract excessively resulting in a weakening between the cellular bonds and consequential peeling and splitting. Swimming is great exercise and your client should not compromise this beneficial activity. She can avoid other excessive water exposure by wearing gloves with any wet work (dishes, washing clothes, wet hobbies). Also, sometimes a two- to four-week break from nail polish remover can help. Nails are composed of protein so be sure your client is consuming a healthy protein-rich diet. Also, she can consider a biotin supplement (2.5 mg), sold at health food stores.

— Dana Stern, M.D. is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in nails. She works in private practice in New York City.

 

Have a health question? (about salon safety and sanitation, nail disorders, science, etc.) E-mail it to Judy.Lessin@bobit.com and check back here for an expert answer.

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I have a client who has a recurring problem with her fourth toes during the winter months. Both of her “ring finger” toes develop a pinkish-red oval area on the pad. Then a month later, when I see her again, the skin has become dry and hard like a callus, with the layers of skin peeling away to reveal a deeper, dark epicenter.  It’s extremely painful for her and, needless to say, we do not touch it. But it clears up in the summer when she’s wearing open-toed sandals, so I suspect it has to be due to the boots she wears in the winter. Plus she never puts lotion on her feet or uses a foot file in between visits. What do you think causes this?

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What are the big white spots on my natural-nail client’s nails?

I have a client who has been with me for about two years. She used to wear acrylic nails but has been a natural nail client for eight months or so. She has these white spots on her nails — big spots that are dry, but not flaky, right in the middle of the nail. I did try to buff them lightly but they do not come off or grow off. I had a new client come in last week who had the same on her toenails. She said it started after she had a pedicure done at another salon. Can you help?

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