long time wearers of gel or acyrilic nails

bagginslover

I used extensions for over 12 years. I used acrylics, gels and fiberglass/resin, and over the years they left my nails damaged and thin. I carried on with them so long because they were so thin, and it actually hurt to have bare nails, then just decided enough was enough and went cold turkey, only using stick-ons for special occasions. I had to file down the free edge daily as they would catch and tear so easily, it took 2 years for them to get back to full strength again.

Its worth mentioning that if you do try out extensions, and don't like them, it will take 6-9 months to be rid of the damage! I 'relapsed' in feb, and had a set of tips put on, the damage is still evident on the very ends of my nails now, and they are only 2-3mm long.

Lucy_Lastic

I have had both gel and shellac nails. I loved them so much I had them soaked off then re-applied time and time again over a period of 6 months. The last time I had them done, the manageress of the beauty salon did them and noticed that my nails were white and flaking. Her staff had not noticed this before, but I had noticed that they were looking a bit white in places.

She said I should not have them done again until they had recovered. She seemed surprised, as if I was the one and only person that this had happened to. A friend of mine who lives in a different part of the country had exactly the same experience.

I spoke to a manucurist at my hairdressers and she said she only does gel nails as a one-off for a special occasion/holiday as they are great for that, but would advise her clients not to have them done more often as the acetone used to soak them off causes nail damage and of course constant use means that the nails cannot breathe or get any moisture.

I previously had strong nails, now after three months they are only just starting to look good again. I won't be having any more gel or shellac.

freyasmum

No nail enhancements, whether permanent/semi-perm, need ruin your nails PROVIDED that you visit a respected nail salon who will work WITH you to help you have beautiful nails. The trouble is that anyone can attend a one-day course and set up in business :wall: So, step one: research well!

If you have really weak/bendy nails then I would recommend acrylic enhancements. Gel is more suited to those of us with rather inflexible nails, those which have very little bend/give in them; if you were to put acrylic on those nails, they'd be shattered in no time at all.

Cuticle oil is a definite for healthy nails. Those white/flaky nails after having shellac removed are due to either just not using cuticle oil at all, or being pretty lax with it. Nails do flake naturally, it's just that it's not normally noticeable if we have nothing on our nails. However, when we have a coating like shellac (which doesn't require pre-buffing which, of course, won't remove the ready-to-flake bits), it builds up and we notice it when the shellac is removed. This is not a contraindication to treatment. Similarly, nails don't breath, they don't need a rest and can be reshellaced quite happily straight after having the previous set removed. If the poster with the acetone removal is soaking for longer than 10 minutes, then I'd advise her to revisit her technique - place a saturated cotton pad on the nail and wrap in foil and leave for 10 minutes. If applied correctly, the shellac will just disintigrate and come off very easily.

A healthy diet, whilst essential to general health and wellbeing, will sadly not make naturally weak nails strong. It is clearly important to keep eating nice, healthy foods but they won't magically make your nails grow stronger. Their strength is determined in what is known as the 'germinal matrix'; if it's short then your nails will be paper thin; if it's nice and long, you will have strong, healthy nails. There is nothing you can do to change this, other than applying one of the various coatings available.

And for reference, Lanolin IS a mineral oil and will not be of any benefit. Mineral oils are barriers - baby oil, petroleum jelly, etc. This means that they sit on top of the skin and don't allow the passage of moisture either in or out. Find a good, non-mineral-based product that will help.

Lastly shellac and gellish, gellac, ACG, et al are similar, but different. Shellac does not offer strength (like polish), whereas the others can. However, all of the other systems require prebuffing of the nail, while shellaced nails should NEVER be buffed (like polish). Shellac is not a gel polish, rather a nail polish which has harnessed some of the better properties of gel. This allows it to be removed quickly and easily (like a polish), it is applied incredibly easily (like a polish) and then has instant wearability (like a gel) and durability (like a gel). It's really the best of bother worlds but is suited to those who already have lovely natural nails, but want the semi-permanence that shellac allows them to have.

So, find a good tech. Allow them to do what they need to and follow their aftercare advice which will invariably include: no harsh chemicals without gloves, cuticle oil a good few times a day, keeping your nails protected, keeping to your maintenance schedule, don't use your nails as 'tools' - e.g., use a knife to flick up the ringpulls on cans, etc.

Good luck

SUESMITH_2

freyasmum wrote: »

And for reference, Lanolin IS a mineral oil and will not be of any benefit. Mineral oils are barriers - baby oil, petroleum jelly, etc. This means that they sit on top of the skin and don't allow the passage of moisture either in or out. Find a good, non-mineral-based product that will help.

Good luck

agree with everything you say, except lanolin is not a mineral oil, mineral oils are derived from petroleum products, lanolin is a by product of wool production and is frrm the sheep's sebum glands. all the others you list are petroleum based and are not good.

sorry to be pedantic when you have given good advice

moneylover

Freyasmum
I have been re reading your post and it answers questions that basically I have asked of people for years. I think it should be a sticky on this board. I am going to pass it on to several peoople I know at work who also struggle with their nails.
I want to comment and ask a little bit more but its nearly 2am....so I will post again in the next day or so
Two immediate question though- if its down to the matrix and this makes complete sense (I have my mothers nails- all ten of them) I can see how covering the nail can help but what does the cuticle oil do since it cannot soak into the nail? I think someone may have explained that but I have forgotten and I do like to know why I am doing something or why something happens, which is why your posting is such a blessing.
Secondly, I was using for a while a hardener that was helpful a bit. I think it was Sally Hansens Miracle cure but am not sure as have used so many and I got the whitening, flaking on the nails and they felt a little bit like sandpaper similaar to the poster above. It didnt notice with the hardener on but I stopped using it as I thought of it as damage. It disappeared quite quickly it didnt have to grow out. So was that actually not harmful?
Nailtieques 2 which I use now doesnt have that effect and does help but my nails still 'catch' all the time and soon break once they get beyond a little bit of white at the top of the nail.

Lucy_Lastic

Freyasmum,

Thank you for such a comprehensive answer! Seems that the people I have been going to don't know what they are doing!

To remove the gel my nails were soaked in acetone (or the salon version) in a bowl for well over 10 minutes. One of the girls actually told me that sometimes it can take as long as 40 minutes!

My friend had pads soaked in acetone applied and wrapped in foil. She had the same result as me - white flaky nails. Neither of us ever had our nails buffed.

I use cuticle oil every night, my friend never does.

I also tried Minx on my toe nails without success. As soon as I wore my sandals the little toe minx came off (twice). Is is only good for flip flop wearers? Is is better for fingers than toes?

oopsadaisydoddle

When I remove my shellac I wrap my nails in cotton wool soaked in acetone and then tuck that in with foil. The majority of the time, it comes off straightaway after the 10 min soaking time.

I do sometimes need to help it off though with a cuticle pusher but this in itself doesn't do any harm.

Freya'smum - great post but I disagree with the bit about nails needing to rest. I'm not saying everyone is the same but Ive found my nails seem much stronger if I leave them natural for 24 after removal of shellac. I'm not saying this is the shellac though, more the acetone used to remove.

AmanitaM

freyasmum wrote: »

No nail enhancements, whether permanent/semi-perm, need ruin your nails PROVIDED that you visit a respected nail salon who will work WITH you to help you have beautiful nails. The trouble is that anyone can attend a one-day course and set up in business :wall: So, step one: research well!


Snip


So, find a good tech. Allow them to do what they need to and follow their aftercare advice which will invariably include: no harsh chemicals without gloves, cuticle oil a good few times a day, keeping your nails protected, keeping to your maintenance schedule, don't use your nails as 'tools' - e.g., use a knife to flick up the ringpulls on cans, etc.

Good luck

Couldn't agree more. I have no damage to mine despite the years of fake ones. It is down to having a decent nail tech.

My nails have been enhancement free for 3 weeks now and I'm having to file them down they have got so long.

I keep a bottle of nail oil on my desk and use it twice a day (I always have) otherwise they get no special traetment.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

MIL has had her nails done every week for about the last century

OK, I'm exaggerating there, she's had them done regularly since she was about 45 and she's now 64 (I think). She has never been able to grow her own past her fingertips, despite using oils, handcreams, eating well, wearing gloves - nothing works.

I saw the state of them when she had to get one removed when she broke a finger. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

In any case, she's had [strike]standard[/strike] cheap [strike]looking[/strike] acrylics for about ten years constantly, until her usual person decided to give it up. After a fortnight of awful looking hands, she went to a proper salon and had gel nails for the first time.



They now look healthier than they have ever done before, they don't look like plastic claws glued onto the ends of her fingers, she's been able to stretch out the time between her appointments and she has even gone without the things for a whole month without any noticeable damage.

Personally, I just found if I stopped biting them, applied a blob of Nail envy if I could be bothered and clipped off the entire bit that had been bitten as soon as it reached the end of my fingertips, my natural ones were fine. It just takes having some false ones on for about a week to break the biting habit each time, but as I play string instruments, I need to have my nails very short and the callouses on my fingertips left alone, which seems to be completely alien to every nail tech I've ever spoken to - and I'm not paying out for someone to not do what I've asked for.

Pity, really - I could quite enjoy having nice nails again.

moneylover

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

MIL has had her nails done every week for about the last century

OK, I'm exaggerating there, she's had them done regularly since she was about 45 and she's now 64 (I think). She has never been able to grow her own past her fingertips, despite using oils, handcreams, eating well, wearing gloves - nothing works.




QUOTE] but would she say that her nails were really damaged by the acrylics/gel or not? If I could get 20 years out of false nails it would be fine, as I would (probably) be pushing up the daisies then.

One problem - how do you 'find' a good nail technician anyway. I dont actually know anyone who goes locally. I live in Chelmsford so if anyone wants to recommend thats great!! Have had recommendations for 10-15 miles away, too far though