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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 11/30/2012 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
Does UC, or possibly the meds, affect your nails? My nails are so brittle and break, split or snag so easily anymore. I keep them fairly short. Or maybe it's just the effects of aging in general. I take biotin but doesn't seem to really help. Just wondering about experience of others.
Thanks.
Posted 11/30/2012 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
Have they always been on the thin side? If not, have the doc check you for vitamin or mineral defiencies. That's the common cause for dry and brittle nails.
Posted 11/30/2012 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
No, they have never been thin. They've been getting more brittle over the last few yrs but seem worse over the last few months.
Posted 11/30/2012 3:18 AM (GMT 0)
You might be deficient in something. Do you take a multi-vitamin?
Posted 11/30/2012 3:35 AM (GMT 0)
I take multiple supplements but not a multi-vitamin.
Posted 11/30/2012 3:39 AM (GMT 0)
There's a supplement for hair ,nails and skin. It contains gelatin in it. That is suppose to be good for nails. If you have ridges or lines in your nails that's a vit B deficiency .
Posted 11/30/2012 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
I see that you were also on Cortenemas? Steroids can also cause brittle nails. Are you still on them? Did the thinning of the nails coincide with the Cortenemas usage?
Posted 11/30/2012 4:32 AM (GMT 0)
Sherry - Hadn't linked the two, but had other issues with the cortenemas. I haven't used them much for the last month or two.

Faith - thought biotin was supposed to be for hair and nails, is there something I should be takin instead?
Posted 11/30/2012 4:57 AM (GMT 0)
What dose of Biotin do you take? I found that anything less than 5mgs or 5,000mcgs don't work very well. I take 5mgs daily to help with deep horizontal ridges due to nail psoriasis.
Posted 11/30/2012 12:45 PM (GMT 0)
1000mcg
Posted 11/30/2012 1:59 PM (GMT 0)
Try upping it to 5,000mcg's and see if that helps. Biotin is non-toxic and whatever your body doesn't need will be flushed away when you use the bathroom.
Posted 11/30/2012 2:00 PM (GMT 0)
Will try it...thanks!
Posted 12/1/2012 7:16 AM (GMT 0)
Faithmac, I also thought lines/ridges in your nails can be from cuticle damage?
Posted 12/1/2012 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
Madpotter- had to go back to the books for this one.
There are lots of dedicencys concerning nails.
Vit A def. brittle nails, splitting and peeling no half moon present.This can be vit d def too. Can be caused by the thyroid.
Vit b12 def nails curve down,dark spoon- can be hormonal or anemia.
Hang nails can be a vit C def

In one of my oriental medicine classes ridges was also vit b.
Posted 12/1/2012 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
It depends on the ridges tho. Vertical ridges are pretty typical in many people and is more common as we age. If the vertical ridges are extremely high, then it might mean a deficiency.

However, it is not normal to have horizontal ridges. Horizontal ridges can come from damage to the nail bed, diseases, or vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Like for instance, I use Biotin for my nail psoriasis but not for the cuticles, for the deep horizontal ridges that I get in my nails due to cuticle damage.
Posted 12/1/2012 1:43 PM (GMT 0)
And yes ridges can be from cuticle damage. I broke my pinky last year playing water vollyball . Broke the DIP joint. Mallot with alvulsion fracture, three operation later I have a damaged cuticle and funky ridges on my pinky nail bed.
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