fingernails during chemo

If you are talking about having acrylic nails applied on top of your own nails, you may have had your last acrylic nails.  Depending upon what kind of chemo regimen you are getting, the nails can be something that you need to watch and be concerned about.  I had 6 rounds of Cytoxan/Taxotere chemo regimen.  My onco suggested that I use Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Clear polish to help keep my nails strong.  I started out with that brand but later switched to Essie All In One base coat/top coat ( clear blue color) which seemed to stay on my nails longer.  Through my readings here in the chemo threads, I learned that Taxotere is hard on the nails and I should consider icing my finger and toe nails.  I got the okay from my onco to do that.  I iced my tops of my fingernails and toe nails during the Taxotere infusion--- 15 minutes before the Taxotere infusion began, 1 hour during the Taxotere infusion and for 15 minutes after the Taxotere infusion ( a total time of 1 1/5 hours).  I did have indentions in my finger nails that went across my nails.  Those indentions seem to coincide with every round of chemo... sort of like age rings in a tree).  I also took care of my nails by keeping them short and used rubber gloves when washing dishes or using house cleaning supplies.  I also learned not to use my finger nails as tools to open cardboard boxes and staple removers.   I did notice that my nails had a slight yellow tinge to them that has since grown out.   I know that not everyone ices and not every one uses rubber gloves and are just fine.  At the same time, I know some women who had Taxol and wished someone had told them to ice because of the nail damage that they still have a year after chemo treatment and the neuropathy they still experience.  I haven't read any clinical trial reports about icing and the prevention of neuropathy but that's not to say that there haven't been studies on this.  I do know that I did not lose any fingernails/toe nails or suffer any permanent nail damage and have experienced very minor and minimal neuropathy.  I have noticed my nails chip a little more easily than before but that is something I can deal with.