Comment by Jeff W on October 15, 2009 at 6:50pm

Nail problems are common with AA. You can try taking Biotin based supplements (such as GNC or other Hair,Skin, and Nails supplements) which may help. I had some brittleness and ridging of the nails, but nothing real serious. I took Biotin supplements, but not real regularly and I don't know that it made much difference to me. Incidentally, as my hair condition spontaneously recovered my nails also seem somewhat better.

Comment by meg on October 16, 2009 at 6:52am

Yes fingernails and toenails... A woman in my town has splitting. I believe it has to do with protein deposition and in some cases of AA this is disrupted. This woman has overlays on both finger and toe nails.

Comment by Frank on October 28, 2009 at 5:26pm

When I was young, my parents took me to the University of Chicago's dermatology clinic. This would have been about 1972 ish. I think there were a gaggle (what else do you call a group of doctors?) of interns doing a rotation in the clinic and asked to take a look at me. I still remember them coming through while I was sitting there in the gown. All of them had large magnifying glasses and all looked at my fingernails. I am sitting there half naked with not a hair on my body and they are all looking at my fingernails. I remember thinking, what was that all about?

My nails have gotten bad from time to time, but nothing too unmanageable. It seems to come and go and to be honest, it hasn't really been that much of a problem for some time. I think it is rare for someone to have really bad splitting though. My grandmother had au as well. She just used nail polish and it seemed to work for her.

Comment by Andrea on October 28, 2009 at 5:42pm

I'm new to this. I had up until very recently truly fantastic hair and nails. Now my hair is falling out in patches and general thinning and my nails are quite soft. Because is probably a symptom of a greater problem, I'm hesitant to introduce too much into my system until the medical problem is diagnosed and we are on a path of treatment, but I am taking biotin and omega 3 which is supposed to help. I got my supplements from GNC. I figure the Omega 3 would help my joints as whatever brought on the hair loss is on the rheumatological spectrum.

Comment by MiNAH on October 29, 2009 at 1:55am

YES...BUMPS & SPLITTING NAILS.
I INCREASED MY SPINICH..."IRON...IRON...IRON"
YET, DON'T EXPECT CALCIUM TO DO THE TRICK.
CALCIUM MAKES THEM STRONG!
AS I TRIED THAT FOR YEARS.
SO SPINICH/CALCIUM & READ UP ON THE WEB ABOUT NAILS.
MAKE SURE YOU USE CLEAR & NATURAL BY METAMUCIL(FIBRE SURE) IN YOUR FOOD.
AS TOO MUCH IRON CAUSES CONSTIPATION...EXCUSE THE EXPRESSION!
OR HAVE LOSTS OF FIBER/FRUITS...BERRIES, PAPYA, POMERGRANIT ETC!
I ALSO HAVE OMGA 3, FLAXSEED OIL, BIOTIN, ZINC, ETC, ETC.........
SO....MY NAILS WERE LIKE WAVES IN THE OCEAN.
NOW THEY ARE NORMAL ECEPT FOR THE SPLITTING, RIGHT DOWN THE..... MIDDLE.

Comment