does dark nail varnish really work?

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1

Hello I’ve just had my 2nd dosing of EC and I wondered if it does work. My thumb nails look like they are going darker on the bottom the cuticles I think!
I haven’t put any on but thought I might if it works and keeps them healthy.
Any advice appreciated.
Xx

2

Hi there,

My experience is that dark nail polish does work - but for chemotherapies from the taxane group, particularly Taxotere.Decetaxol. I’m not sure I’ve heard any recommendation to paint your nails when undergoing EC, but perhaps others can advise?

Best wishes for the rest of your chemo anyway,

Julie x

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yoru nails arent usually affected by EC… so its not really relevant but if you have taxotere it is meant to help… but it doesnt! LOL! mine still fell off.

its not actually research based its just a theory that because taxanes are light sensitive (they get put up inside a black bag) that dark nail polish would have the same effect on your nails as the black poly bags do on the infusion.

it works for some people but not for others… but if your having EC then your nails wont fall off anyway… (well they shouldnt!)

Lxx

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EC might make your nails discolour and grow thicker, but it shouldn’t make them drop off.

I had tax and didn’t use dark polish and all my nails were ok - didn’t lose one. They are still quite brittle though.
Dx

5

I put dark varnish on my toenails and wore black socks day and night. My hands had no varnish. There was no difference.

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I had 17 weekly tax. Kept my nails covered throughout. I had gel nails which last for about three weeks. If nothing else it was nice to be pampered and it cheered me up because I looked like I’d made an effort lol. My nails were fine, although they did tend to break if they got beyond a certain length. With FEC my nails developed discolouration, I could track each treatment rather like the growth rings on a tree.

X Sarah

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Thanks I just noticed it this time!
If that’s the only se I’m going to get this time I’m not complaining!
Thanks ladies.
Xx

8

Hi,
I used to have really long strong nails until my husband died nearly 12 years ago and they became brittle and broke easily until about 5 years ago when they seemed to regain some of their strength but never went back to the way they were before. I have also never been out in public without nail polish for more than 30 years. I had 3 TAX with Herceptin (Nov-Dec) then 3 FEC (Jan-Feb) and wore red nail polish throughout. I thought I was going to lose my nails a few days after 1st and 2nd FEC but fortunately that did not happen. After 1st FEC I trimmed my nails and now 3 weeks after final chemo I can’t believe how fabulous and long my nails are - the best they have been this century! I do have a horizontal ridge on each nail for each chemo and on most nails they reach almost to fingertip level so my nails have been growing well this year. Hope this gives you hope.

Take care, Liz, x.

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I had x4 FEC and under my nails went very dark also. Im now on TAX and i have painted my nails black - my fingernails do feel odd but they sre still firmly attached.

I think its like any chemo side effect, it will affect some and not others.