Fingernails Affected by Chemo

[geewisdom]

Can anyone share what you may be taking to lighten your nail color. Although I've finished chemo, my nails were affected by chemo, they are dark at the nail bed area. I am loosing my thumb nail, just waiting for it to fall off.

[Barbteeth]

Oh how awful...at least they’ll probably grow back normally after the chemo?

I have no advice really but if it was me I would just wear really dark nail polish to hide them if you’re embarrassed

I know it’s not a major thing but self esteem and looking nice are still important...my nails are weak and splitting so I have hard gel nails done every four weeks or so and they look nice...just have them fairly short and a French natural look

I also have hair extensions for my thinning hair...I may feel rubbish but don’t want to look it!!

All the best

Barb xx

[geewisdom in reply to Barbteeth]

I hear you Barb, exactly what I have been doing, dark nail color. I am also hoping that my thumb nail will grow back. It's still hanging on but very weak.

Thanks so much!

[BangorBelle56]

Polybalm is very good but is not an overnight fix and expensive 😀

[geewisdom in reply to BangorBelle56]

Thanks Bangor, I'll check it out and see if its affordable for me. Thanks Kindly.

[NamasteLove]

I had the same side effect. I didn't know of anything to prevent or treat it, so I just had to wait until they grew out. Eventually, they did. As soon as I was able, I got them polished to hide them.

Tea tree oil is good to use on your nail beds. It is antiseptic, anti fungal, etc. will help prevent infection, especially if you are loosing nails. The smell is strong, so I add some lavender drops to it. Coconut oil is moisturizing for your hands and nails, as well as anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial. I mixed the tea tree, lavender, and coconut together and used it on my hands and feet.

Hope this helps!

[geewisdom in reply to NamasteLove]

Nice!!! NamasteLove, I'll try this. Thanks Kindly.

[Timtam56]

Not my fingernails so much as the skin on my fingers is broken, raw, dry. And very sore. Onc doesn’t seem worried. I am! It hurts and catches on everything. But she just says hmmmmmm.

Also, my medication is letrozole, ibrance a denocumab injections.

[geewisdom]

Sorry to hear that Timtam56, I hope this gets better for you. Thanks for sharing.

[RLN-overcomer]

Greetings : Sister/warrior almost 13 years ago I had aggressive Chemotherapy, and my hand, and toe nails were completely black, and morbid looking. When I could, I would paint them so people wouldn't look at me weird, or I would keep my winter gloves on when I couldn't paint them. Well to this day some of my toe nails still have some black areas, that can make it look like my feet are dirty. I rarely wear sandals, and I donated almost all of my sandals to charity. On rare occasions I will paint my toenails, and wear a peek-aboo open toe heel. This is a small price to pay to have NED for almost 12 years after treatment, especially when the chemotherapy Oncology Dr. that treated back then said I wouldn't live to see 2009, even with the aggressive treatment he was going to put me through. I am thanking God my fingernails are now just as good as they were before chemotherapy. I like my nail tips., but It took around 6 -8 months for the black fingernails to grow out completely. Happy 2020 New Year sister/warrior. XoXoXo

[geewisdom in reply to RLN-overcomer]

Thanks so much for sharing RLN, your story was touching and uplifting. I am hanging in thee and will hope that in time they will gradually return in color.

[Jerseygirl45]

I feel bad for you. The same happened to me woke up two fingernails gone. I laugh because if you tell that to your doctor they say.Oh no I don't think that is from chemo.

I have not had chemo since June 2019 and I still have one finger nail not good and two of my toe nails fell off finally the other day. Went to foot doctor and she agreed chemo does this and they will grow back.

I will be starting chemo again this week and it will start all over again including bladder problems and infections.

But what choice do we have.

I did go to my nail salon for holiday and she made a fake nail with gel and it looked real.

I hope at least the chemo will help you.

Barbara

[geewisdom in reply to Jerseygirl45]

Thanks Barbara, Sorry to hear that you are returning to chemo. It'll be ok, just take it slow. I thought the same to put a nail tip on my thumbs and I may get it done tomorrow.

[Jerseygirl45]

Gemzar, had first treatment yesterday no side effects so far.

Have you ever been on Gemzar?

How are you doing? What treatment are you on now?

Barbara

[Jerseygirl45]

She said she was doing Gemzar alone. Hope it works. I didn't have the steroid the day before. Did not have the cocktail of Benadryl, Pepcid, zofran and steroid yesterday either. They did give me a pill for nausea but I did not get nauseous anyway.

[Jerseygirl45]

I will have petscan next week. Hope it is not too bad since I was on Kisqali for two months and she said it did not work markers went way up. Had no meds at all for about 4 months. Hoping for good things with Gemzar.

Barbara

[Jerseygirl45]

Thank you I hope so.

Hope Afinitor works for you. That is the other one that matches my mutation.

[Jerseygirl45]

Luck to us both 💕💕