Hand Sanitizer and natural nails

[bitter_betsy, BSN]

Help!  I work in an ER and I use a lot of sanitizer.  We have trackers that monitor when we go into/out of a room.  If we are there for 60 seconds we have to sanitize on the way in and out. Sometimes the tracker gets us if we are too close to the door and we get dinged.  We have to maintain 50%.  Last week the tracker tagged me over 400 times.    
I've always had short, brittle, thin nails.  I no longer bite them ever, and now they are filed short but still not terribly strong.  Im not going to spend $$ on a manicure but Id like to find a nail polish (clear is fine) that will help protect my nails from all that sanitizer that I don't have to spend 30 minutes taking off with acetone every week.  I don't even expect it to last more than a week, but more than half a shift would be nice. Everything I've tried so far is sticky by the end of the shift and is just messy and gross.   I tried searching here but came up with mostly things related to fake nails which arent an option for me.

[JKL33]

39 minutes ago, bitter_betsy said:

If we are there for 60 seconds we have to sanitize on the way in and out. Sometimes the tracker gets us if we are too close to the door and we get dinged.  We have to maintain 50%.  Last week the tracker tagged me over 400 times.    

I'm already in a mood today so nevermind me, but I wouldn't be able to care less about this. I use appropriate hand hygiene always. I would refuse to let the inadequacy of someone's tracker become my problem, and this is one of those issues where I would find a way to tell them that as professionally as possible. People running around worrying about this stuff and trying to make it work and worrying about their stats is THE #1 reason the insanity grows and grows by the day.

Alas....I see that is not what this post is really about. ?

I don't have lovely nails either but the only thing I ever settled on was moisturizing hands/cuticles when I think of it, to minimize the chance for them to get dry and ragged. Then with the nails just shaping and using one of the boards where you do the smooth/buff/shine process so the nails look decent without polish.

I'm not someone who has to try a bunch of over-hyped skincare junk and cosmetics, but now that I think about it I might try this product and see if I could make my nails look a little better.

[bitter_betsy, BSN]

@JKL33

Alas, my protests fell upon deaf ears.  Our manager however did fight to get us to 50% unlike other floors where they are required to maintain 90% or more.  

I have been using more of my aloe plant when I come home on my poor hands - I am just looking for a solution to keep these poor nails from getting so raggedy!  I'll have to try out the lanolin lotion as well!  Thanks!

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

I actually have a documented allergy to most hand sanitizers. I don't know if it's the alcohol or some other incredient but I really only use it when we are under survey. I go by the old stand-by of washing my hands between patients and while a bit time consuming it saves my skin. I also coat my hands and nails with Bag Balm and wear cotton gloves to bed so my hands start the day well moisurized 

[AceOfHearts<3]

I can get a couple shifts out of this stuff, but I haven’t found anything besides gel or dip from the salon that holds up longer. The alcohol in the hand sanitizer is the enemy. I’ve tried some nice nail strengtheners from Ulta and Sephora with this on top and haven’t seen much of a difference. One of my friends was told to take a prenatal vitamin to help her nails. Good luck!

https://www.target.com/p/essie-gel-couture-nail-polish-gel-couture-top-coat-0-46-fl-oz/-/A-50637455#lnk=sametab 

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

On 10/9/2020 at 4:34 PM, hppygr8ful said:

I actually have a documented allergy to most hand sanitizers. I don't know if it's the alcohol or some other incredient but I really only use it when we are under survey. I go by the old stand-by of washing my hands between patients and while a bit time consuming it saves my skin. I also coat my hands and nails with Bag Balm and wear cotton gloves to bed so my hands start the day well moisurized 

I also use O'Keefe's Working Hands - It is sold anywhere hobbyists use their hands alot. 

Hppy

[CoffeeHacker]

I am starting nursing school but have a problem with the nail on my left middle finger splitting lengthwise. I keep by nails very short (due to years of playing instruments). The split causes my hair to catch when I am washing it, etc. 

I plan on using Zoya Natural Nail series. The top coat is satin so it will not look like a manicure. The formula is supposed to make the nail stronger. I hope that I will be able to stop painting my nails after a while. 

My color polishes are Zoya and I love them. The company was one of the first to remove harmful carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. On the rare occasion that I do my nails, I noticed that my at home manicure lasts for about 2 weeks. It would last longer but I could not stand the length (I cut my nails weekly).

[CoffeeHacker]

My regular nail length is cut to the quick and I can't go any shorter. Having the nail split while short is a huge pain. 

Spent way too much on a manicure at a salon and it did not help when I removed the polish. Been this way for almost a year. 

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

After years of brittle splitting nails + recent hair shedding last year -gone since added Biotin supplement a year ago. Rough hands improved with Norwegian Hand cream or  O'Keefe's Working Hand.

[CoffeeHacker]

4 minutes ago, NRSKarenRN said:

After years of brittle splitting nails + recent hair shedding last year -gone since added Biotin supplement a year ago. Rough hands improved with Norwegian Hand cream or  O'Keefe's Working Hand.

Heard good things about biotin. Will try that as I am going crazy with my nails. Would love to only paint my nails for fun and not necessity.

Thanks to the OP for starting this thread and everyone else for contributing.