On Tuesday, for the first time ever and it’s about time too, I am getting my nails professionally done. As I’m on holiday for a couple of weeks I thought I’d treat myself to some sort of nail extensions (need to keep mine reasonably short and they do tend to get broken occasionally due to the nature of my work).
So does anyone know the pro’s and con’s of gels and acrylics? Which would you recommend? Can I file down gels if they are still intact when I get back to work? Can they be attached to quite short nails?
As I understand it, acrylics are stuck on top of the nail (gels are attached to the end right?) so a gap will eventually appear between the base of the acrylic and the cuticle as the nail grows out. Are they easy to remove when the gap starts to show? Can gels and acrylics be painted over with regular nail varnish if needed?
Is anyone else so extravagant to treat themselves to nail extensions?!
xx

Hi Lucy I think they look at your nails first and work out how long the nail they put on will be. I was goin to have my nails done with either gel or acrylics but because my nails were sort of long they just maincured them and painted them. They will tell you how to look after them and tell you wat to do if they break off. They might give you some nail glue incase any of the nails break off.

Lucy,

I can help you out. I started with acrylic nails, and eventually went to gel. Essentially, there are no major differences with their application, other than the basic materials used.

Personally, I couldn't live without this little extravagance, my nails are so thin and paper-like, I'm unable to maintain any length at all without my gels. I work extensively with hand tools, wiring, and installing equipment in information centers, vehicles, locomotives and offices, so my nails were constantly getting broken, chipped, and damaged in every way imaginable. (Telecommunications technician for the last 30 years or so.)

If your nails are not grown out to the length you desire, a plastic extension will be glued onto the end to establish a supporting base for the additional length. Then the technician will dip a brush into a solvent, then into a very fine powder which will adhere to the end of the brush as a soft plastic material which will be quickly patted down and shaped on top of the entire nail and plastic extension if used. As far as I can tell, the chemical composition of the solvents and powders are the primary differences between acrylic and gel.

The plastic material sets up rather quickly, and is then further smoothed and shaped into the final desired shape. At this point, there is another difference between the acrylic and the gel. With the acrylic, they're now ready for nail varnish and a topcoat. For the gel however, a thick clear gel is applied and cured under UV light, which causes an oily substance to come to the surface, which is then removed with alcohol. Now, the gel is ready for varnish and topcoat.

My experience with both types has been very good, however the gel nails seem to be much more durable and less prone to breakage, which is perfect for me.

The downside for both types:

Constant upkeep and expense. Depending on your rate of nail growth, you'll need to have them 'filled' about every two weeks. You are correct, the gap between the cuticle and the acrylic/gel material needs to be filled to maintain a smooth appearance, and if you're using a nail color, there will be a color void there as well. (not so noticeable if you're not using a nail color) My maintenance cost is about $50-$55 per month.

Keeping them filed to a preferred length is quite easy to do, but removal can be quite difficult and uncomfortable, so it not something you'd want to do regularly. The acrylic/gel bonds very well to the surface of the nail, so removing them causes quite a bit of damage to the top surface of the nail, leaving them thin and rough.

Some surgeons will insist that they be removed before any type of surgery, as the nail beds are a good visual indicator of the health of one's circulatory system.

I hope that I've been of some help.

Nicole

Thanks Donna and Nicole, that was really helpful. The process was exactly as you described Nicole, and it seems I was originally given false information in that gels do indeed cover the whole nail in the same way as acrylics, as you pointed out.
My friend and I both opted for gels, which look and feel fantastic. I had mine done in a lovely burgundy and the colour is still immaculate after a day and half, which is a first for me! I think the brand of varnish they used is called OPI. It’s great to have long nails again, and they feel so strong and healthy, though I am of course being really careful with them!
I shall have to file them down a bit after my holiday (I’m a keyboard player), and don’t know yet if I will bother to get them filled regularly. If I can disguise the gap with lots of basecoat and re-painting I may just let them grow out, or remove them entirely, or I might just get so used to having such good strong nails I will bear the expense of getting them filled regularly. Time will tell.
I do love a good bit of pampering and would recommend it to anyone, well worth treating yourself to a professional manicure, the difference is amazing.
xx