How To Keep Nails Nice While Diving

[donnad]

here's whatcha do........get acrylic or solar nails put on at the salon.(and you can have them kinda short if you like).......french ones (with the pink and white powder, not where they use polish to get the french effect) i promise you will love the results. i wear acrylic nails 24/7, but usually have colored polish on, but when i'm getting ready for a dive trip, i get the french ones and it holds up perfectly through the whole adventure!! there's no polish ya know......they are buffed to a shine and look great. and as a bonus, it protects your real nails underneath from all the ocean water business. just keep them on all summer and get refills as needed, then you can let them grow off in the winter if you don't want the maintenance.

 

[valligurl]

yup...acrylics. I remember being called the "perfect nail b***" on a few trips before I gave up acrylics. Now, I just cut the nails short and pretend it doesn't matter. Pulling on the wetsuit rips 'em to shreds......

 

[Ringo]

yup... Pulling on the wetsuit rips 'em to shreds......

Yes, just watched a customer shred one of my brand new shop rental wetsuits yesterday. Apart from her own nails she didnt seem to care about somebody elses property. Watched in disbelief and never said a word! Put it down to experience.

 

[valligurl]

Wow Ringo....I meant it ripped the NAILS to shreds. Never thought it would hurt the wetsuit itself:0

 

[JodiBB]

I always guess as to how many nails I'm going to shread before the end of a dive...the most so far is 4, the least is 1....it's a no-win situation.

 

[stardiver]

I've just recently got certified earlier this summer and have noticed that between the OW check out dives and the quarry dives I've been doing on the weekends, that my finger nails have been peeling and splitting on the ends from being exposed to the water for so long at a time. Any advice on how to strengthening my nails so they're not as prone to this, or should of give up on having nice looking nails until winter?

Drygloves in the quarry. Cold fresh water is really nasty on hands (to say nothing of the trout, in Gilboa!). If not that, I have a friend who wears latex gloves under her neoprene gloves and swears it helps. I preferred just finding a good manicurist.

Frequent soaks in salt water seem to strengthen my nails. You might consider moving

*

 

[stardiver]

Yes, just watched a customer shred one of my brand new shop rental wetsuits yesterday. Apart from her own nails she didnt seem to care about somebody elses property. Watched in disbelief and never said a word! Put it down to experience.

They are not good on drysuit seals, either.

I once hopped into a 40*F quarry with 4 adv. nitrox/deco procedure students, with 2 long dives ahead of us that afternoon. I sat on the wooden steps and reached down to don a fin, and felt an unusually cold rush down my right arm...... big tear in seal..... hold on, guys, I'll be RIGHT back......

*

 

[Ringo]

Wow Ringo....I meant it ripped the NAILS to shreds. Never thought it would hurt the wetsuit itself:0

Ha ha - thought you were more concerned about your nails :lol: Nevertheless it was a 3mm shorty but you should have seen the length of her talons!!! Dont get me wrong - I love my nails - they look really good at the moment. Only due to no diving for medical reasons. Will have to say goodbye to them though when I get back in the water.

 

[adrisen]

Acrylic it the worst thing you could due to your natural nails. If you want to keep then looking their best during the dive season. Get regular manicures, keep your nails to a managable length,which is on the shorter side. Use a regular top and base coat that si designed for strengthing

 

[jadeh]

the only way i've found to keep my nails in any kind of decent shape is keep them trimmed very short when diving and use a coat of Sally Hansen Teflon Tuff.