{"id":3222,"date":"2013-06-24T20:03:14","date_gmt":"2013-06-25T03:03:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nailcarehq.com\/?p=3222"},"modified":"2017-01-26T17:52:49","modified_gmt":"2017-01-27T00:52:49","slug":"white-spots-in-nails-sues-pure-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nailcareheadquarters.com\/white-spots-in-nails-sues-pure-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"WHITE SPOTS IN NAILS – Sue’s Pure Nail Oil\u2122 Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/h2>\n

White spots in nails\u2014we all get them and many people wonder about the true source.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s post is a combo article\u2014a Pure Nail Oil\u2122<\/a> Challenger\u2019s results and an ASK ANA. A few months after Sue Metcalf of Lacquerland.blogspot.co.uk<\/a> did her Pure\u2122 Challenge, she asked me a what the white spots in her nails were from. Our resulting dialogue gave me the opportunity to work with Sue to find out why her cuticle lines were still so red and irritated.<\/p>\n

The Truth – White Spots In Nails<\/h2>\n

According to Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D<\/a>., \u201cthese white spots are simply a sign of some past injury to the nail matrix, where the nail cells are formed. Two myths are that white spots in nails are a sign of calcium deficiency, or a zinc deficiency. They aren\u2019t true. Neither is the well known but bizarre notion that the spots are due to eating too much Hellmann’s mayonnaise (I’m not making this up).\u201d ~Andrew Weil, M.D.<\/p>\n

Ok, now that we\u2019ve gotten covered the truth, let\u2019s dive into Sue\u2019s initial 3-Day results using Pure Nail Oil\u2122.<\/p>\n

Sue’s 3 Day Challenge<\/b><\/h1>\n

Sue’s Results<\/b><\/h2>\n

Before and After – Right Hand<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"www.NailCareHQ.com<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before and After – Left Hand<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"www.NailCareHQ.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Sue\u2019s Thoughts<\/h2>\n

January 18, 2013 Since I have been wearing polish every day, I have been fairly unconcerned about the state of my naked nails. They were hidden by some very pretty polish! \u00a0To be honest, I feel polish has protected them. I certainly don’t have the same issues with peeling nails and I think nail polish has acted as a barrier from water, knocks and scrapes. I have used oils,\u00a0Vaseline\u00a0and balms on my cuticles and they help a little. If I don’t, the skin dries and cracks within days and it feels sore and looks worse.<\/p>\n

\"www.NailCareHQ.com<\/a><\/p>\n

The hardest part of the challenge is going naked for three whole days. That is 72 hours! For the first 48 hours, for me, this meant three times an hour. My nails were drinking the stuff. After almost 48 hours to the dot, the rate of\u00a0absorption\u00a0began\u00a0to slow and I had to apply oil less often.<\/p>\n

\"www.NailCareHQ.com<\/a>Today, the 72 hours is over. My nails look better and feel fantastic, smooth, glossy and not oily in any way. The cracked nail on my little finger feels smoother. The white of my free edge seems whiter and the staining from months of nail polish is much improved. To conclude, Pure Nail Oil\u2122<\/a> gets a MASSIVE seal of approval from me.<\/p>\n

\"L_Day<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

ASK ANA: White Spots In Nails<\/h2>\n

March 12<\/p>\n

SUE: Ana, can you help? Why do I have these marks on my left hand nails?<\/b><\/p>\n

ANSWER<\/h2>\n

ANA<\/b>: It’s so fascinating to me how different your two hands are. The white spots in nails are called Leukonychia Spots. These white spots are generally caused by injuries to the matrix\u2014behind your cuticle line\u2014where your nail cells are formed. According to Doug Schoon, author of Nail Structure and Product Chemistry,<\/b><\/em> True Leukonychia turns your nails completely white, like chalk.<\/p>\n

The wide, straight line on your ring finger is a classic “nail bruise”. It happens when you bang the nail matrix area against something. It hurts like crazy when it happens, and you forget about it. But that bruise shows up in your nail about 1 month later when that spot finally grows past the eponychium. White areas are rich in nail cells that didn’t flatten as they normally do and turn transparent.<\/p>\n

Overall, it’s nothing to worry about, especially if you’re moisturizing your nails with Pure Nail Oil.\u2122<\/a> Is your left hand in more water or chemicals than your right hand? There’s something you’ve got to be doing differently with that hand. ~Ana<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

March 13<\/p>\n

SUE<\/b>: Thank you, Ana. It is baffling me. If anything my right hand is used more as it is my dominant hand. The only thing I thought is that I push the cuticles harder with my right hand. I have one of those double ended metal pushers. A blunt blade on one end for scraping and the other is a elongated spoon shape for pushing. I tend to use a wooden stick now – and you can see no white marks in the nail closest to the cuticle.<\/p>\n

ANA<\/strong>: Yes, it is very possible, and plausible, that you are doing some damage if you are pushing too hard with the double ended pusher. My guess would be that you were pushing down as well as back. Too much down-pressure near your cuticle line would be the same as hitting the matrix. The Lunula (moon), easily seen on your first two fingers of your right hand is actually the exposed portion of your matrix. Those nail cells are still alive and can be damaged by injury to that area.<\/p>\n

The tool you are using is for removing the cuticle. But most people don\u2019t really know what the cuticle is. The cuticle is a thin layer of skin on the nail plate, the correct removal method is to gently slide it across the surface of your nail. The cuticle stays attached to your nail as it grows past the eponychium (which is a thin band of skin that creates a seal against the nail so bacteria can’t get in). Most of the time, you can’t see the cuticle, you can only feel it with the tool. Proper cuticle removal only requires gentle scraping\u2014NEVER nippers.<\/p>\n

It is physically impossible to remove the cuticle with nippers. Nippers are used to incorrectly remove the proximal nail fold of the eponychium. This skin is a required guardian seal to prevent bacteria and germs from entering the matrix.<\/p>\n

I’m so happy to see that the red irritation around your cuticle lines is looking much better when compared to your first photos, but I’m still seeing some tight swelling and a touch of redness. Have they been like that your entire life or is it something that has come on in the last few years? How often do you push back your cuticles (eponychium)? ~Ana<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

SUE<\/b>: Thank you Ana, I push the cuticles back with my fingers ALL the time. I have the oil pen by my bed and I am oiling the skin (I have gel on so tend to put oil on the gap between the gel and skin). I watch TV in bed from 8pm most nights – I have spinal issues and need a break from my chair. During the day I oil at least every hour. So many people have said I need calcium and vitamin D supplements, or zinc, because I have a deficiency. If that was true I doubt my body would show it on just one hand? !!<\/p>\n

The redness is much diminished. Thank you for noticing. Where do you see the tightness and swelling? Do you recommend more oil in those areas? I used to be a chronic skin biter, usually when I was stressed I’d notice myself doing it. I have pretty much kicked that since being unable to work but if I drive and am stuck in traffic, I have noticed my fingers move to my mouth, like a reflex. Being nail aware has almost cured me.<\/p>\n

ANA<\/b>: That’s what I thought. I must say, your oiling regimen is fabulous! My husband is a skin biter too…it’s a tough one. I’m more of a picker, so hard skin bugs me really fast. I have to have little infant clippers with me at all times.\"Pure\u2122<\/a><\/p>\n

There actually is no need to push your cuticle lines back more than once a week, right before a new manicure. (This is going to be another hard habit to break.) You actually want to see a nice band of skin called the Proximal Nail Fold of the eponychium. Can you see it in my photo (to the right)? It’s the lighter colored fold of skin touching my nail.<\/p>\n

I don’t see these in your pictures so it would be easy to think you clip your cuticles. What you may be doing instead is actually pushing that Proximal Nail Fold too far and back under itself, which causes irritation and swelling. It’s very easy to over do it.<\/p>\n

What I’d like you to do is to just oil and massage your skin when you feel like pushing it back. Then when you do push them back once a week, I would like you to only use a fingernail to push them back. Does that sound do-able? Oh, and since you live in England…for sure…you need to take Vitamin D …at least 5000 IU. Huggs! ~Ana<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

SUE<\/b>: Yes, I see what you mean. I’ll see what I can do. I do use nippers if I get an edge or a ragged bit but I don’t cut them religiously like some people do. I can imagine it would be too sore and sting with polish remover. I have some Calcium\/Vit D tablets we got for our son when he broke a bone. They are lower in dose than you suggest. ca 500mg\/Vit D3 200iu March 14<\/p>\n

ANA<\/b>: Right! So you can see a tight seal between mine and the nail plate. Whereas there is a huge gap in your photos. When that seal is broken, bacteria and germs get in and cause swelling and infections, which can also affect new cell growth in the matrix.<\/p>\n

My sense says that your Proximal Nail Fold needs to completely replace itself, which may take 2 to 6 weeks. The oils in Pure\u2122 are anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, so using them religiously will help kill the germs while you are healing.<\/p>\n

Anyone living above the 40 degree Latitude line needs to be taking at least 5000 IU of Vitamin-D.\u00a0I live in about the same climate as you. We just don’t absorb enough sunlight throughout the year and our bodies can’t store Vitamin-D like some other vitamins. My doc started me on 10,000 for about 9 months before Vitamin-D actually started showing up in my blood tests.\u00a0Take care sweetie! ~Ana<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

SUE<\/b>: Thank you. I have started to rub the oils downwards towards the free edge rather than pushing up. The oil does seem to help minor cuts (I am prone to getting whitlows or cutting myself on thin air). I will send you a picture in a few weeks and then we can publish a case study! Thanks again for your encouragement and wise words.<\/p>\n

\"www.NailCareHQ.com<\/p>\n

ANA<\/b>: Yay!!!! Oooo, and it helps paper cuts heal faster too. That sounds perfect to talk to your doc. The easiest way to tell if you have enough D is to have a quick blood test done. I’m looking forward to seeing your pics in a few weeks! Huggs ~Ana<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

March 19<\/p>\n

SUE<\/b>: I think that skin fold thing is starting to reappear. Hopefully I hadn’t cut it off (didn’t think I had as I don’t, only very dry bits) so it was probably pushed to far back by far.<\/p>\n

ANA<\/b>: It is!!!! Yay! Just keep oiling that skin. I would also recommend getting some Chapstick or other product with beeswax in it. Use that after you oil to seal it in. This will help prevent the oil from being rinsed away as often. You’re doing great! ~Ana<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

March 23<\/p>\n

SUE<\/b>: Here are my nails now. You are responsible for the improvement! Xx (photo to right)<\/p>\n

ANA<\/b>: Oh, My Gosh!!!!!! This makes me want to cry! I’m so happy! Your eponychium is gorgeous! (Ok, that just sounds weird…but you know what I mean!) ~Ana<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

5 Month Update!<\/h1>\n

May 30, 2013<\/p>\n

I have been using Pure Nail Oil\u2122 for some time now and I am impressed with how my cuticles and nails have improved!<\/p>\n

I became a hand model for my daughter to pass her exam in acrylic nail enhancement. I have subsequently had infills so I cannot show the effect on the actual nail plate.<\/p>\n

I believe the effect of Pure Nail Oil\u2122<\/a> on my skin speaks for itself. The photo below is amazing!<\/p>\n

Like you read above, Ana gave me lots of advice regarding cuticle care. I had been guilty of constantly pushing back my cuticles. This had given them a bunched up appearance and some redness of the\u00a0eponychium (cuticle\u00a0line). I have also been a hangnail biter in the past. Decades of abuse is probably impossible to repair completely but rigorous application and massage of Pure\u2122 has improved the condition beyond doubt.<\/p>\n

I have use one 15ml bottle completely and am part way through my second bottle now. I’d say the bottle lasted 3 months. The only improvement I could suggest is to change the label to be grease proof! Over time it has become blotched with oil. \ud83d\ude1b<\/p>\n

\"www.NailCareHQ.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Ana\u2019s Thoughts<\/h1>\n

What amazes me most is the dramatic difference in Sue’s skin. Her proximal folds of the eponychium have re-appeared beautifully. The red inflammation is gone. And most importantly, Sue has learned how to take care of her nails and skin so much better. She can be proud to show off her hands, and I’m very proud of Sue’s willingness to take advice and\u00a0implement\u00a0it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

White spots in nails\u2014we all get them and many people wonder about the true source. Today\u2019s post is a combo article\u2014a Pure Nail Oil\u2122 Challenger\u2019s results and an ASK ANA. A few months after Sue Metcalf of Lacquerland.blogspot.co.uk did her Pure\u2122 Challenge, she asked me a what the white spots in her nails were from. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3259,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,23,8,199,18,7,3,4,6,5,164],"tags":[16,226,225,227,9,57,191,68,67,10,71,224,223],"class_list":["post-3222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ask-ana","category-brittle-nails-nail-problems","category-cuticle-oil","category-jojoba","category-nail-care-2","category-nail-oil","category-nail-problems","category-peeling","category-solutions","category-splitting","category-white-spots-in-fingernails","tag-brittle-nails","tag-infected-skin","tag-inflamed-skin","tag-lacquerland","tag-nail-care","tag-nail-file","tag-nails","tag-natural-fingernails","tag-natural-nails","tag-peeling-nails","tag-pure-nail-oil","tag-white-spots","tag-white-spots-in-nails"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nailcareheadquarters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nailcareheadquarters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nailcareheadquarters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nailcareheadquarters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nailcareheadquarters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3222"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nailcareheadquarters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3222\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nailcareheadquarters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nailcareheadquarters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nailcareheadquarters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nailcareheadquarters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}