Gel manicure

[Wicky]

It was SO pretty!

I went with a friend for my first ever manicure, almost three weeks ago. I've never kept nailpolish looking good, but this, as advertised, lasted without trouble and the only reason I decided to remove it was because it was growing out.

Bought some nailpolish remover advertised as being for gel polish.

It would NOT come off. I soaked a nail in it, I put it on cotton and wrapped my fingertips with foil and sat... Still, I had to scrape the softening polish off with my fingernails.

HOW is this stuff supposed to come off? I've read that the polish is really bad for nails (and the light used to set it is the same wavelength that causes skin cancer). Is there something I can do for my scraped nails?

Too bad. It WAS so pretty. But I bet that in five months, my nails will be flaking like mica, which is what they do with other polishes (I know that it is not the remover that causes this).

Sigh.

[Chisamba]

I used to get powder manicure. But I grew then out and tried gels for the first time. It is my plan to go back to the salon when it's time to remove them.

[capstone]

When I remove my own gel (rarely), I file off the shiny top coat first. Then I use acetone and foil like you describe. Most of it just lifts off like magic after 15 minutes or so. The bit on the tip is the most stubborn in my case but I think leaving the remover for longer would do the trick there too. As it is, I lightly file that area to take off the last bits. This is the same process my nail technician follows.

Interestingly, I had the dip powder done 2 weeks ago, while I was in the US, and am wondering how I am going to remove it when I can't stand it anymore.

[WheresMyWhite]

I have crappy nails... split, layer, you name it and I *used* to chew them something fierce.

I have had acrylics for years. A few years ago started with a gel coat (which yes, needs the UV to cure) and regular polish over that. Moved to a new state with new manicurist and in the process, switched to gel polishes. I *love* them! I easily get 3 weeks+ out of a rebase. My tech uses a dremel to take the old gel polish off and a bit of the acrylic before putting down another thin layer of acrylic and a new gel color.

Yeah, the UV might be the same wavelength as what causes skin cancer but for me, doesn't concern me. There is very little of my hand (mostly just the fingers) that are in the little "box" that cures the gel. And, it isn't for very long. I would personally be much more concerned about the UV from the sun which is for a longer period of time, happens every day and hits everything that is exposed.

I can hear the gasps of horror about the dremel and acrylics but I always have nice looking nails which is something I will never have without this

[chantal]

pure acetone in foils removes it. filing off the top layers helps as stated above. i love them if i need something to last for a few weeks, but the gel really dries out my nails and makes them weak. especially if i go to a salon that files off the top layer of my nails. i ask them not to if i go somewhere other than the place i trust.

but yes, gosh they look pretty.

my easy solution is to go back for a regular manicure and have them take off the polish. just get the regular polish instead.

[DJR]

I BADLY chewed my fingernails since I was a toddler. I tried everything known to man to stop, without luck.

This past December, when my daughter's adoption was finalized, she and I went to the nail salon to have her nails done to commemorate the occasion. My nails were (as usual) badly chewed so I wasn't going to do anything, but the manicurist felt that she could use gel filler to topcoat/elongate my nails and then put a matching polish on (to match my daughter's manicure). I was very skeptical having tried artificial nails in the past (both DIY and professional). But I acquiesced.

It's now five months later and my nails are beautiful, and ALL MINE! I had to get gel filler under my gel polish until late March, then my own nails were long & strong enough to go without. I was, again, very skeptical that my nails would last given the punishment I subject them to on the farm. But, I need not have worried because the gel polish is SO strong.

I get a few layers on each nail to help keep my own nails from breaking/chipping/bending (my own nails are very soft but getting stronger month by month). I go back in every 3 wks, give or take, for a re-do, and in between I file them to keep any rough edges smooth.

I tried once to remove the gel polish on my own but it was hard to do, and I lacked the patience to sit with my nails in foils for 10-15 min! So, I get them done professionally and treat myself to that ... after all, I went 50 years without any manicures so now I'm making up for lost time!

[Wicky]

Wow - I didn't know that it was so complicated! DJR - what brand do you get? I would go regularly if I thought that it would help my nails!

[WheresMyWhite]

PS. The gel curing light is LED, not UV so no cancer worries although the amount of time spent under even the older style UV is, I suspect, much less than what one spends outside in the good old sunshine

[DJR]

Wow - I didn't know that it was so complicated! DJR - what brand do you get? I would go regularly if I thought that it would help my nails!

Hmmm, I'm not sure which brand the salon I go to uses. I see that it says "seaweed gel" or something like that on the bottle.

[chantal]

DJR-are you saying your nails are strong with or without the gel polish on them? My nails are strong as heck with the gel polish, but it's all the polish. When the polish comes off, my nails are weak and they peel. If I kept gel polish on all the time, they would appear to be strong but really aren't.

[capstone]

DJR-are you saying your nails are strong with or without the gel polish on them? My nails are strong as heck with the gel polish, but it's all the polish. When the polish comes off, my nails are weak and they peel. If I kept gel polish on all the time, they would appear to be strong but really aren't.

In my case, it is even worse, in that prolonged use of the gel has made my nails weak both without and with the gel.

[DJR]

DJR-are you saying your nails are strong with or without the gel polish on them? My nails are strong as heck with the gel polish, but it's all the polish. When the polish comes off, my nails are weak and they peel. If I kept gel polish on all the time, they would appear to be strong but really aren't.

Strong with the gel polish on. My nails have always been weak because of chewed them for so long. With the gel polish on, they are industrial strength!

[chantal]

DJR-are you saying your nails are strong with or without the gel polish on them? My nails are strong as heck with the gel polish, but it's all the polish. When the polish comes off, my nails are weak and they peel. If I kept gel polish on all the time, they would appear to be strong but really aren't.

Strong with the gel polish on. My nails have always been weak because of chewed them for so long. With the gel polish on, they are industrial strength!

Thanks for the clarification. I limit my gel manicures to special occasions for this reason. But yes, I love the way they look. LOVE IT!! But you should see how crappy my nails are right now after 6 weeks with gels on. peeling and short and just icky.

[WheresMyWhite]

And for me... my nails were weak, short, chewed and peeling before I ever put a thing on them. At least now I have something that is strong and looks nice ...

I am more than envious of all of you that have good nail quality...

[DJR]

And for me... my nails were weak, short, chewed and peeling before I ever put a thing on them. At least now I have something that is strong and looks nice ...

I am more than envious of all of you that have good nail quality...

Ditto!

[Moutaineer]

You guys filled me with enthusiasm to give myself a manicure this evening, however I just sliced a really attractive chunk out of my ring finger, so I think I'll have to wait until that heals before I draw too much attention to my hands!

I have the home gel system. It's a bit of a pain in the ass, so I started using some stuff called "Gel Envy" which has a nuclear warhead-proof top coat. I can make a thoughtfully applied set last a week even with barn chores and general lack of care. And it comes off easily. Can't remember who makes it, but I buy it in the cosmetics aisle of the grocery store

Just a PSA, a friend of mine got really bad deep burns to her fingers from a salon gel application. As she's a massage therapist this was a very bad situation for her. That rather put me off.

[WheresMyWhite]

Just a PSA, a friend of mine got really bad deep burns to her fingers from a salon gel application. As she's a massage therapist this was a very bad situation for her. That rather put me off.

But from the gel itself or the curative light?

I know about how long the light should stay on and if I had any concerns, my tech would be hearing my questions or I'd be just taking my hand out...

[Moutaineer]

We can only assume that something was faulty as she's a reasonably intelligent person.

[WheresMyWhite]

We can only assume that something was faulty as she's a reasonably intelligent person.

And I would agree but not sure that, even now, hearing about this would put me off...

I've been doing either UV or LED for years with never a problem...