Hi all, Just after some advice regarding discoloured nails due to the effects of Chemo. I have heard that either painting your nails with a dark colour can help, especially protecting them from the sunlight or just painting them with a clear moisturising varnish. Not sure which path to go down, any advice is much appreciated.Thanks x

Thanks Fletch, will do. All the best to you also and yes please vent as it helps everyone! I have one round of chemo to go next week...yay!!! In regards to the nails I've decided not to paint them and keep things natural and going to use Essential Oils to try and keep the nails healthy etc. xx

@Fletch @Jrcn My nail damage with TC ocurred out of sight in the nailbed where the nail starts. It slowly grew into view, one horizontal ridge for each infusion. This was in addition to mid-nail crescent shaped discolouration. All my fingernails lifted but none came off. My last infusion was the 8th March and now the damage has reached the end of my fingers where the nail hits clear air. They're too weak to survive so they have all broken! I'm kind of pleased because it means soon I won't be reminded of chemo everytime I look at my fingers. I did lose three toenails, including the two big ones, despite using dark nail polish for the duration. They're going to take a little longer!One of my nails today:

Hi @Fletch, its good to vent so don't feel bad. I've been wearing a black cap on my head since losing my hair and a Bamboo sock (that's what I call it) when I'm cold which gets me through. My hair is starting to grow back but taking a while at the front, I think I'm just impatient. Nails - my toenails are just starting with the discolouring and its almost been 3 weeks since completing chemo. The oils I use are Doterra - I make a blend using Myrrh, Frankincense, Lemon with Fractionated coconut oil and use it every second day. @kmakm that's great you didn't lose your finger nails and have finally reaching the end point with them. Yes they certainly remind you of the chemo days, I get embarrassed about mind and hide them where possible.

@Blossom that's great to hear the oils haven been working to some extent for you. Yes the Myrrh is expensive, I think there is a blend you can use without the myrrh to strengthen your nails?Good luck with anymore treatment you are having x

No problem with finger nails or toe nails on AC T over here. Used a gel coat polish (not black) as recommended by the chemo nurse (only fingernails though) . They all stayed fine, intact and grew normally.

Discoloured Nails | BCNA Online Network

Doin_it
Member
7 years ago
Eek. I was told to paint mine with nail strengthener. Now I’m wondering if that is enough
Kiwi_Angel
Member
7 years ago
I had TC chemo and painted my toenails a dark colour and then went to a nail salon and got black shellac put on my fingernails - I got it changed once during the course of my chemo and Im now 2 months post chemo and my nails seem to have survived. they did make me put my hands in these horrible freezer mitts when I was getting one of the drugs too.
kmakm
Member
7 years ago
Hi Jrcn. I had TC chemo and painted my toenails with black nail polish. My last infusion was in mid-March and two weeks ago I lost my two big toenails and another one! Who knows? Maybe if I hadn't painted them I would have lost more.

I used the clear on my fingernails a bit but in the end I didn't worry about it. Most of them got brown markings, they all lifted, got a ridge for each infusion and now that the brown damage has reached the top, are splitting and breaking. But I didn't lose any.

I don't know if that's any help but that was my experience. Good luck! K xox

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