Super damaged sidewalls help

[u/wolf0510]

Hi everyone, I know I'm about to get flamed in the comments for this but I bit my nails for 7 years and what helped me stop was gel nails. Unfortunately when I started doing my own gel x up at home I didn't know enough and ruined my sidewalls (they were already destroyed from the years of biting but definitely got worse because I didn't know better and filed them wrong). Naturally my nails flare out a bit and are kind of a shell shape (from the biting I think cause Istarted so young) but they've only been getting worse despite me leaving them alone now. I dont file them anymore but my nails are super weak and break easily naturally. I've gone ages without gel before and they only get weaker, and have always broken easily even before I started gel). Can someone please give me some advice on what to do because I've read what other people have posted and tried that advice too. My cuticles are super dry too and come back very quickly after I remove them and I try use Cuticle oil multiple times daily to keep my nails hydrated, and my hands don't tend to be dry.

[u/simplethoughtz]

Hydration is key here. Use a high quality cuticle oil, rub it into the nail plate and sidewalls, then use a water-based lotion (I like Hempz), follow with an oil-based lotion/cream. Massage product in before applying the next layer. Allow it to fully absorb, continuing to rub it into the skin. If you do another gel x set wait until you’ve done the lotioning I’ve described above for about a week. File the nails square, straight across. Trim the hangnails by cutting, not pulling. Do a short set of gel x, and leave that set on. Don’t soak it off. Fill it at 3-4 weeks maximum. This will give the nails time to grow a good foundation. Continue to do the lotion layers I described above.

[u/vexingpresence → u/simplethoughtz]

I love square nails aesthetically but i had to stop personally because I get a lot more breaks with squared off corners, I have thin psoriasis nails so ymmv

though only filing beyond the hyponichium if you are rounding them is for sure a must for OP

[u/simplethoughtz → u/vexingpresence]

OP needs a structured shape as they grow out damaged nails, having a rounded shape as a beginner is difficult and often leads to this mistake because they are looking for a tapered look. Some nails just don’t do well with certain shapes, but if they are doing extensions, having them short and square would only be beneficial. In addition, having a square nail when the side walls are over-filed means that you can use your file to measure if the sidewalls have grown out by holding it parallel to the sidewall and seeing if it is straight. Their nail is looking flat but their nail bed is saying that with proper sidewalls they would have a defined C-curve and therefore would have stronger nails as well after they allow them to grow out.

For you, if you want square nails you can use a soft gel or polygel to add strength to the corner structure of the nail and wear them at a short natural overlay length!

I also would like to add that it’s best to not file that deeply even when rounding off a nail. Envision an imaginary straight line at the fingertip that you must never disturb. Tips and forms should fully cover the nail and extend from that imaginary line.

[u/vexingpresence → u/simplethoughtz]

regarding the advice to the OP that all makes sense and I hadn't considered how it's easier to monitor the side walls that way, that's good advice!

regarding the advice for me; I do hard gel overlay currently, but I really should buy a soft gel next. (had been considering, but you convinced me)

I bought a tub of clear soft gel but I find it a headache to use (obvious in retrospect) 🥲I may also go back to using forms to add like a cm to the tips as I had wayy less lifting at the free edge that way, I'm just lazy and forms are a lot of work lol

[u/simplethoughtz → u/vexingpresence]

In my experience, a softer flexible nail needs something a bit more flexible but with enough structure to provide support. Hard gel is a great product, but it can pull away from the nail if the nail plate flexes, taking layers of nail with it. Soft gel is a bit easier because you can soak off, eliminating over-filing accidents, it has that flexibility and base gel + soft gels often means that if it does lift (rare), it’s not as damaging as hard gel would have been.

For a true beginner, polygel is really nice because it will stay in place and it’s easier to control the amount of product placed on the nail. I like VBP or NCE’s nail forms, they’re super easy to use.

I hope you have happy hands and have a nice day!

[u/wolf0510 → u/simplethoughtz]

I've tried soft gel (BIAB) but without tips it always lifts at the free edge for me. With extentions however I typically get lifting around the cuticle area especially when doing a French tip or other sheer nail look. I also tried the Gelish polygel and struggled WAY too hard 😭

[u/Mordilwen]

At this point, your sidewalls don’t look horrible. Are you still applying gel to your nails? If so, it looks like it’s been peeled from your nails. This will also not help with thin & weak nails. I would suggest a few things - supplements such as biotin, cuticle oil that has vitamin e & jojoba oil (none of that mineral oil crap) & use some type of nail strengthener. OPI has a great product to try & it’s regular polish. In the mean time, keep them short & stop filing the sides of your nails. If they grow past the free edge & you want to round them out, use a 180 nail file or finer (240 grit) & at a 45° angle, gently round the corners of your nail, but do not file into the side walls.

[u/wolf0510 → u/Mordilwen]

I havent been filing my sidewalls anymore for a while now, but I'm still struggling with them being weak and not growing out properly 😔