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Style & beauty

Acrylic nails

(64 Posts)
fizzers Sun 07-Apr-19 12:14:25

Anyone else wear acrylic false nails? just started with them since the new year, and I love them! the only time in my life I've had the long , painted nails that I always yearned for! But, just wondering, how long is it safe to keep wearing them? should there be a 'breathing' period? Anyone had nail problems with them?

phoenix Sun 07-Apr-19 12:32:24

You might find your own nails are thin and soft when you remove the acrylic ones!

NanTheWiser Sun 07-Apr-19 13:17:34

They absolutely RUIN your own nails, so I would avoid like the plague. My own nails are quite long, but that's with the assistance of a nail strengthener, and I assiduously manicure them every week.
If you must have them, make sure you use a reputable nail bar, and if possible have a break every so often.

NanTheWiser Sun 07-Apr-19 13:21:31

And make sure the old ones are soaked off, some technicians file them off, resulting in paper-thin nails.

Nico97 Sun 07-Apr-19 13:22:20

Although mine looked amazing they left my natural nailbed practically shredded ! I love the look of gorgeous nails, never having had them, but it just took far too long for them to recover so I have to give it a miss now sadly sad

EllanVannin Sun 07-Apr-19 13:35:41

It''s a miracle that the adhesive itself hasn't melted the nails.
I don't think long use would be beneficial to the nails as they could cause discolouration besides damage to the actual nails.

My own nails grow like wild-fire both fingers and toes so have to look after both. I always file my fingernails and paint them when they're all the same length.

Chewbacca Sun 07-Apr-19 13:43:43

I had acrylic nails for about a year and I bitterly regretted it for another 2 years after, because it took that long for them to recover. They were soft and pliable; very easily split down towards the nail bed as well as across the nail and they looked really poor and unhealthy. One of my nails developed a groove across that remains there to this day, no matter how long or short I keep them. I'll never do that again.

Tuppnce Sun 07-Apr-19 13:49:52

I cannot say more than those who have warned you of the dangers.
My nails took the best part of two years to recover and I still get vertical cracks which never happened before,
When the girl first removed them, filing them off had me in tears and my nails felt as soft as skin-not nails. You could see he damage to the nail bed.
Yes it is a quick fix- but unless you want to look like Dorian on Birds of a Feather, gels should be short , never long.
I would say soak them off today - and treat yourself to a good nail cream and strengthener to help them to recover.

Grannyboots1 Sun 07-Apr-19 13:56:09

Having a lifetime of short soft nails, I had the acrylic nails for a wedding two years ago and got 'hooked' on them. Going every five weeks for the infill. Went about a year before I had them soaked off and my own nails were dreadful. I will only have them again for a special occasion and then have them off.

ninathenana Sun 07-Apr-19 13:58:48

Interesting. A friend said the same that her nails were ruined after only one application but another friend and her daughter have had them for many years with only a week or two break now and then and hers are fine.
I have thought about it often as I love pretty nails.

nonnasusie Sun 07-Apr-19 14:37:07

I had mine done for my birthday last September and as others have said it ruined my nails and has taken ages for them to recover! Two or three nails still haven't recovered and I suspect never will. I have been put off having them done again !!

Bellasnana Sun 07-Apr-19 14:40:10

I’ve been doing them every month for the past six years. Yes, they do make your natural nails turn to the texture of toilet paper, but I have no intention of stopping. I like having pretty nails which don’t break.

Esspee Sun 07-Apr-19 14:41:07

Another vote for ruining your nails. Wish I had never done it.

fizzers Sun 07-Apr-19 15:56:20

my own nails grow like wild fire, but don't grow straight and they break quite easily, hence nail bar! the bar I use came by recommendation and seems ok so far. the nails are only attached more or less to the end of my finger nails. I've had them removed completely once and they were soaked off, I think I might leave them off every 6 months or so, but I love the nails

petra Sun 07-Apr-19 17:19:02

fizzers
I too love my nails and they're never coming off ?
My latest colour

bikergran Sun 07-Apr-19 17:23:13

I had gel ( I think they were classes as gel) hmm
on the day of my dd wedding..I have never felt so much pain whilst it was going on! it was a little nail bar set up in a shopping mall.
The way I describe it is having my nails bashed with a hammer!
I had to take paracetamol for days I got the nails off the next day.

I now just occasionally use the double sided sticky ones and take them off as soon as.

phoenix Sun 07-Apr-19 17:27:24

My hair grows like a weed, but my nails? Forget it!

They break at the drop of a hat, and always painfully low, to the extent that I have to clip the side off to try avoid "catching" them.

When Mr P and I got married, I opted for temporary stick on ones from the chemists, looked good on the day and were easy to take off.

Kittye Sun 07-Apr-19 17:48:15

I even avoid the gel manicures now, they made such a mess of my fingernails. When the gel was removed it took most of the top layer of my nails with it. I have gel pedicures in the summer and let them grow out over winter ( very sluttish I know ?) I keep my fingernails short and just use a clear or pale polish.

petra Sun 07-Apr-19 19:11:48

bikergirl
What on earth were they doing? I could almost fall asleep when its being done. There's nothing that can hurt.
They clean your nails: no pain. They put the glue on: no pain. Put the 'nail' on: no pain. Adjust to the size you want: no pain. Then the polish. Then the lovely hand massage.

Nannytopsy Mon 08-Apr-19 10:44:00

It took my nails from late August until February before they began to recover. Still a bit thin and flaky now. I wouldn’t do it again!

breeze Mon 08-Apr-19 10:44:00

Ruined mine too. It was some years ago. Took the top layer off so my nails were like cellophane afterwards. Took ages to recover. Other thing I didn't like was, as my nails grew underneath I got a ridge that collected dirt. So I felt they were unhygienic for food prep.

Lupatria Mon 08-Apr-19 10:53:13

i've worn acrylic nails for years and go every four weeks for infills.
I had to have them taken off when I went into hospital in august last year and the technician said "they'll be lovely and long when you next come in". they weren't! they just didn't grow - ok I was expecting that as i'd had acrylic nails about 20 years ago too.
so, as soon as I could, I went back to have a new set put on and now i'm happy again. I fully intend to wear them for as long as I can afford to have them done as my "proper" nails have never been good - they split horizontally right down to the quick and hardly ever grow so I can file them into shape.

GoldenAge Mon 08-Apr-19 10:55:51

You should get rid of them now and make a big apology to your natural nails by taking care of them with organic oils etc - they will be absolutely ruined for ever if you don’t take this remedial action

schnackie Mon 08-Apr-19 10:58:28

I have been blessed with very strong, fast growing nails and have always done my own manicures. At Christmas time, a friend was staying with me and insisted and 'treating' us both to a gel manicure. Beautiful indeed, but what a nightmare since they started growing out. The gel is impossible to remove - a salon quoted me a figure of £10 just to remove the stuff!! I did it myself, but as others have said, had to file it off and left my own nails so thin. If I had a special occasion without time to let my own grow out, I would use the stick-on ones and remove them immediately.

ickle Mon 08-Apr-19 11:03:47

on the same topic, can anyone recommend a recovery oil or treatment to repair after-acrylics? My nails are ruined and in desperate need of repair!
thanks