acrylic or gel nails

moneylover

I have always thought that if you had acrylic or gel nails that your own nails would be badly damaged over time and many postings on here point to this
I have a friend who has had 'false nails' continuously for about 10 years and she hasn't any problems that bother her
I would be interested to hear from others who have worn acyrlics for a long time. I am in my mid sixties and have never had nice nails in spite of trying everything including diet, oils, creams and hardeners. It is simply the type of the individual nail matrix and there is little you can do. Nail strengtheners work to an extent as a protector but I always have a couple of broken nails as a minimum none the less.
Also, is there any difference between gel and acyrilic nails or is it personal preference?
I would love to hear from any nail professionals on this forum!

AbbieCadabra

i've never had false nails of any type but i've recently started using a gel polish system from sensationail. i'm not using their polish any more as i've switched to harmony gelish, nothing wrong with sensationail polish but just not a wide enough range of colour for me.

i last did my nails 23rd December & they are still going strong, just one tiny chip on a thumb, & that's with using a swimming pool daily for the last 10 days too. the gel polish has protected my nails & they are now the longest they've been in years. i use cuticle oil 2-3 times a day & when i removed my last polish, my natural nails were absolutely fine.

i think with false nails, some buffing of the natural nail is required? this is what's always put me off as that will weaken them over time. gel polish might an alternative to false nails.

salongeek.com has lots of professional nail techs if you wanted a little help

baconandcabbage

moneylover wrote: »

I have always thought that if you had acrylic or gel nails that your own nails would be badly damaged over time and many postings on here point to this
I have a friend who has had 'false nails' continuously for about 10 years and she hasn't any problems that bother her
I would be interested to hear from others who have worn acyrlics for a long time. I am in my mid sixties and have never had nice nails in spite of trying everything including diet, oils, creams and hardeners. It is simply the type of the individual nail matrix and there is little you can do. Nail strengtheners work to an extent as a protector but I always have a couple of broken nails as a minimum none the less.
Also, is there any difference between gel and acyrilic nails or is it personal preference?
I would love to hear from any nail professionals on this forum!

I get Acrylics done they last anywhere between 4-6 weeks but your nails are weak and paper thin when they come off so i suggest getting them done every other month or so after that. My sister gets Gel nails they are meant to look more 'natural' but to be honest i don't see the difference only in the price.

moneylover

yes, had thought of gel polish but would have to get them long enough first for it to be worthwhile and that's the problem they are always all different lengths, never a good start point!!

Sally22_2

I first got Acrylic nails when I was 16 and in my first job. Ive just turned 27 and still have them done! There have been times where I have picked the nails off due to not having time to go back for infills but always get another full set within a week or two. No problems to report. Yes it can damage your nails but nails grow so quickly. I normally get mine done every three weeks, I paid £20 for a full set today and its normally around £16 for infills.

In fact when I was getting my nails done today, the other two ladies in the salon were in their 50s/60s both getting acrylics/gels. They were obviously regulars as well as they were having good old chin wags with the nail technician about their families and Christmas!

I would recommend acrylics but I have had them done at some salons and they have been useless. There are only two places I will get mine done now!

sweetcheeks33

Acrylics ruined my nails and kept them weak and thin. Since March last year I have been having gellish polish ( gel polish) on my nails and they grow like wildfire and have become very strong. They hardly break down and look natural. I certainly wouldn't go back to acrylics.

With your nails it is how good your nail technician is- I have a fabulous one but took me years to find her. Expensive doesn't always mean better but NEVER go to the chain bars mostly run by Asian staff as it is not nail acrylic that is mostly used, it will ruin your nails and never let any one use electric file on your nails either....

AbbieCadabra

moneylover wrote: »

yes, had thought of gel polish but would have to get them long enough first for it to be worthwhile and that's the problem they are always all different lengths, never a good start point!!

there was a post on facebook recently showing someone's natural nails in a pretty poor state & very short, regular use of gel polish for 3 months & they were in great condition/length.

i swear by cuticle oil, it's really helped mine. i use China Glaze or NSI.

tng86

Acrylic and/or Gel extensions/overlays do not harm your natural nail. The application of products does.

If your nail technician applies your extensions/overlays poorly, your natural nails will suffer. If genuine damage could be caused by the products themselves, do you think they would be readily available?
Application should involve a light buffing of the natural nail (dependent on system used) but never anything too harsh. No files should be used on the nail plate, only on the free edge of your nail.

Picking at or poor removal of extensions, acrylic or gel, can also cause harm. It can cause permanent damage to your natural nails. Gel or Acrylic should be soaked/buffed off (dependent on system) and other tools should not be used.

Maintenance/infills should be performed every 2-3 weeks. This is so your nail technician can address any lifting which may have taken place and so that your nails look their absolute best.

The use of cuticle oil is paramount in keeping your natural nails healthy. Solar Oil is a great product and I swear by it but other oils are available.

The difference between the two systems isn't as big as some may think. Acrylic is made up of a liquid and a powder. They are mixed on a brush and applied to your natural nail, either with a tip or without. Gel is pre-mixed but, again, applied using a brush, with a tip or without. Acrylic 'sets' without any help, whereas Gel is 'cured' under a UV Lamp.

Acrylic extensions are a bit more sturdy than gel nails. They can take heavy handedness much better than gel can.
Gel is better for someone who works less with their hands. It's also better at dealing with water and cleaning products too. Acrylic can stain with the use of different products, although it would depend on the brand used.

Gel polish is different and there are many brands who offer some kind of gel polish. It's hard wearing and long lasting, some can last for up to 2 weeks. I don't have as much experience with gel polish as the other systems so can't offer much advice. As someone has said, it's great for nail biters!!

Hope this all helps!

ETA: I'm qualified in Acrylic and Gel Overlays and Extensions.

struckbyastar

I have done a number of short courses in both acrylics and gels and do a lot of "hand modelling" for people training in extensions. I have found that different systems, even of gel, are best for different nails. Biosculpture was one of the first mainstream popular gel systems but I found that this works best on clients with already quite strong nails.

People with weak or short nails, when they get their first set of extensions, often tend to get them quite long and this is the first downfall. If you have short, weak nails, you are best having the extensions so that the tip is not even that much extended from your natural nail tip. Yes, you might not like the fact that you're not getting much extension but the small adhesion area means a long tip makes the nail "unbalanced". Of course, you're also much more likely to catch your nails... on everything possible...believe me... I've caught mine on things as soft as a kleenex tissue box and the whole falsie has pinged off! THIS will really weaken your nail.

Have you thought of getting gel overlays? or maybe just going for some nail art? I have small nail beds and struggle to get long nails so trained in gel extensions to be able to do my nails. I then tried out doing some nail art, and I no longer feel the need for extensions to get that preened feeling of extensions!

moneylover

struckbyastar wrote: »

If you have short, weak nails, you are best having the extensions so that the tip is not even that much extended from your natural nail tip. Yes, you might not like the fact that you're not getting much extension but the small adhesion area means a long tip makes the nail "unbalanced".

Have you thought of getting gel overlays? or maybe just going for some nail art? I have small nail beds and struggle to get long nails so trained in gel extensions to be able to do my nails. I then tried out doing some nail art, and I no longer feel the need for extensions to get that preened feeling of extensions!

thanks, v useful. I had already decided to have the nail extensions short, they look more natural that way. I don't think that gel overlays would be much good (that isn't the same as gel polish??) as my nails v poor. Also no good for nail art andat 67 I like things about my person to be simple and classic!