This is part I of Fluoride Based Nail Treatments. Part II is linked at the bottom. The fluoride based nail treatment is part of a greater series on Nail Hardeners that can be found here.
So as you know I like me some home shopping channels. One night I was watching QVC and saw this old lady with nice nails selling this nail strengthening product.
I was so jealous and amazed. I must have watched the presentations for a year or two (what can I say, I like to torture myself :p), but eventually I ordered because I couldn't hold out any longer. I was not disappointed.
I wish I had before and after pictures, but that was so long ago ... before digital cameras 0_o ... at least in my realm of being.
I have tried several of the Prostrong products and kits, but feel you only really need the fluoride accelerator (pictured above) + your own moisturizer of choice. This routine, along with these rules, helped me to eliminate most of my peeling.
How does it work:
Prostrong has the patent, therefore mostly a monopoly, on this technology (sadly). Almay used to have a product similar to this, but I haven't seen it in the store in 7+ years. In short, calcium (Ca) and fluoride (F) make a pretty strong bond as calcium fluoride (Ca-F). (yeay chemistry!) You have naturally occurring calcium in the nail plate, while the fluoride resides in the strengthener. Placing the treatment on your nails creates lots n lots of Ca-F (calcium fluoride) bonds, which in effect hardens the nail plate. This is actually very similar to the way formaldehyde strengtheners work (in idea only); there is no cross linking of keratin with the fluoride treatments.
What type of nail would benefit from this product?
Ideally, nail strength is achieved through a balance of nail hardness and flexibility. If your nail has the following combination of characteristics soft, bends easily, tears and peels (how to determine these things click here) then you could benefit from fluoride treatments since adding hardness to the nail plate will balance out the flexibility already in the nail plate. Furthermore, it is important to maintain a proper moisture routine during and after treatment as this prevents dry brittle nails.
A single symptom of peeling does not mean this treatment is right for you. Peeling can result from a whole host of physical trauma or lack of moisture and the exact causes must be determined and analyzed on a case be case basis. Think about whether you do any of the following things mentioned in this post. If you are guilty (even if by association only) do your best to correct the problem because after all healthy nails = :D
Nail Hardeners - Fluoride Based Nail Treatments part II will discuss - Prostrong application, fluoride based treatments problems and concerns, other fluoride containing treatments, and where to find them.
Here is part II of Fluoride based treatments
Here are links to the other parts in the series:
Categories of Hardeners and Formaldehyde
Are Formaldehyde Hardeners right for you?
Protein Based Hardeners
Formaldehyde + Protein Based Hardeners
Formaldehyde or Protein Based Hardeners + Moisturizers
Fluoride Based Nail Treatments Part II
Dimethyl Urea Base Hardeners
Nail Conditioners Post or Video Review of DermaNail
Urgh, I need this but I don't even want to think about how much it'll cost...
ReplyDeleteMy Mum is on a QVC diet, and has been since the new year. She (and I, not going to lie) found that she was spending too much on makeup...
hee hee QVC diet. OMG, they have a UK version of QVC?? That's pretty neat! AND they sell OPI?! Interesting.
ReplyDeleteOK, I bought it! I, too, have been wondering about this product for years, but you have convinced me. Your nails are amazing. I, on the other hand, just took off my acrylics after six years and my nails are a disaster. So I hope the ProStrong will help. Now I'll see if I can learn to file my nails the way you suggest.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog, BTW. I found it when I was doing a search for Zoya nail polish,of all things!
It's great stuff. Don't forget to moisturize like crazy mad all day every day!
ReplyDeleteI tried the prostrong line long ago. Did nothing for me and the polishes were awful too. I applied them with base coat and everything. Nails wiped clean before application All was fine and pretty but when I washed my hands or took a shower, the polish would just peel off! Very strange polish, not waterproof.
ReplyDeleteGave up on this stuff and would rather just moisturize my nails with a stick of unsalted butter! :p
My guess is that your nails were hard enough and no amount of formaldehyde or fluoride was going to fix anything ... only moisture could. That just goes to show you that finding the right treatment for your particular nail condition is important.
ReplyDeleteSo hell yea start slathering and can you pass the bacon grease instead? :p
I'm using dermanail right now. Can I add this to my routine?
ReplyDeleteI always kept treatments separate. That way I knew what was working. In either case, make sure you moisturize often (with either treatment, DermaNail or Prostrong)
ReplyDeleteI've been using derma nail for 8 weeks now, my peeling has grown out, can I use this now for the weak bending nail I'm left with..?
ReplyDeleteHey! Absolutely love your blog! I started using dermanail after I found "you" and now recovering from breaks caused by switching apartments, my nails seems to not suffer as much of cracks and breaks on the sidewalls! I like! So I started to look for Pro accelerator. I live in Sweden and cannot find it here so expaned my search for it to anywhere that ships to Sweden. And QVC UK does! Yay! But they only have Proadvanced. I e-mailed them to ask and they say it´s the same thing but I´m not sure. My experience is that great products found cross the Atlantic sometimes changes, guess differernt types of rules on ingrediens, they get less effective basically. Do you know if Proadvanced just is a new, and perhaps better, version? Does not say much in prostrongs website either....
ReplyDeleteHey Loodie - question - the Canadian QVC (The Shopping Channel) has a bunch of Prostrong products for sale, but I don't see the Accelerator. Does it come by a different name now? :P Here's the link: http://www.theshoppingchannel.com/Prostrong/pages/productresults?nav=N:100038-2046847&s_kwcid=TC|14868|%2Bprostrong%20%2Bnail||S|b|14823605100&gclid=CMP7hYfQk7MCFYpFMgodqVkAPw
ReplyDeleteIn theory, wouldn't toothpaste have the same effect?
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I found that my severely peeling nails were the result of iron deficiency. So a daily iron supplement first thing, or some take prenatal vitamins, can be a cause for those of us with thin nails, that won't stop peeling.
ReplyDelete