It's recommended that you give your nails at least two weeks between each gel manicure or switch up the type of manicure you get, like regular polish or dip powder. If you begin to experience discoloration, brittleness, or pain around the nail beds, it's time for a break, so it doesn't lead to nail damage long term.
How often is it safe to get them? Gel nails usually last 2–3 weeks. While people can safely have gel nails every few weeks, dermatologists recommend keeping the nails bare for at least 1–2 weeks in between manicures. This helps to strengthen, repair, and rehydrate the nails.
Although gel manicures can be beautiful and long-lasting, they can be tough on nails. Gel manicures can cause nail brittleness, peeling and cracking, and repeated use can increase the risk for skin cancer and premature skin aging on the hands.
According to Choi, signs that your nails need a break from polish include chipping and peeling nail beds, ragged cuticles, thinning of the nails, dryness, and white spots. If you are experiencing any of these signs, it may be a good time to take a break from gels for a while.
One of the biggest draws of gel manicures is how long they last. Depending on how well you treat your nails, a gel mani can have a lifespan of about two to three weeks. Once your nails start chipping or growing out, it's time for a fresh manicure.
No, it is not normal for gel nails to come off in such a short amount of time. A set of gels should last you around 2-3 weeks. They may have lifted prematurely as the nail plate may not have been prepared correctly before the gel application, or they may not have been capped/sealed at the free edge.
Acrylic nails can also damage the nails in the longer term, as the surface of your natural nails is filed down for application, meaning the natural nail becomes weaker.
To quickly remove gel polish, most nail salons applying acetone-soaked cotton balls directly to your nails and wrap them in aluminum foil. If residual polish isn't easily removable after a 10 minute waiting period, your local nail salon may also opt to use professional tools, like a nail drill, for a clean finish.
Paper-thin nails after acrylics are another common issue. Gel and acrylics cause the nails to lose moisture and become brittle, flaky and peeling. This can also be caused by improperly peeling the gel and removing the nail plate.
Overall, Dip Powder Manicures are a great way to get a healthy manicure that will protect and strengthen your nails without causing any damage. Just like any nail treatment, you do have to make sure you properly remove it to keep your nails safe and healthy – Don't pick at your manicure!
You're leaving gel polish on too long.
However, Hadley suggests removing a gel manicure after two to three weeks maximum to avoid damaging nail beds and cuticles.
Gel manicures are popular because they last a long time and don't easily chip or peel. But they've come under scrutiny in recent weeks following a new study that found that the ultraviolet lamps used for these nail treatments damage cells in ways that could potentially increase the risk for cancer.
Use a Cuticle Cream or Oil
Manicurist Rita Remark says that one of the easiest ways to repair damaged nails is to apply cuticle oil, followed by a hand cream. "Cuticle oils deliver vitamins and nourishment; the cream will lock moisture. Moisture loss is a common symptom of gel nail damage."
Since then, I've been testing a few polish systems that are much easier on nails than gels, and there are two I really like: Dazzle Dry, a lacquer system that lasts longer than traditional polish or hybrids and doesn't need to be cured by lights or soaked off, and the Green Flash system from Manucurist (yes, that's the ...
While regular polish can take longer to dry and may chip sooner than your gel manicure, there is essentially zero damage happening to your nail throughout the process.
“Much of the promotion in the market is that SNS is 'healthy' for your nails and better for them than, say, a gel polish system,” says Monika Carvalho, owner of The Nail Lab. “But SNS is essentially the same as acrylic and over time will damage the natural nail the same way.”
Gel and shellac manicures are chip resistant and lasting, but they can also cause nail brittleness, peeling, and cracking. To keep your nails healthy before, during, and after your manicures, apply the Nourish My Cuticles - Nail and Cuticle Oil to strengthen, hydrate, and repair your cuticles and nails.
"Natural nails can actually become stronger and longer while using gel polish [because] the layer of polish helps protect the natural nail and encourage growth," said Barry Shields, managing partner of Red Carpet Manicure.
Studies show that, over time, gel polish and its removal with acetone or manual peeling can weaken your nails, contributing to nail dehydration and thinning of the nail plate. Essentially, the process is tough on your nails.
Avoid picking or peeling the product off as this could damage your natural nails. Avoid filing your nails and pushing your cuticles back, as this will break the seal of the gel and can lead to chipping.
A gel manicure and a Shellac manicure are essentially the same thing: long-lasting polishes cured under UV lamps. The difference is that "gel nails" or "manicure" is the generic term for nails done under a UV lamp, while Shellac is a brand of gel nails by the company Creative Nail Design (CND).
Post-gel damage is typically caused by the removal process. Using the wrong tools and technique can leave tips with microtrauma.
Even though your acrylics may not chip or break for weeks, you should still expect to schedule a fill-in appointment every two weeks to account for your nail growth.
SNS nails. SNS, short for Signature Nail System, is a powder dipping system. first, your nails are prepped and primed in exactly the same way that they are for acrylic application. if you want extra length, tips are glued on at this stage exactly the same as acrylics (above)
Plexigel is a semi-hard gel, making it more durable than the soft nail gel manicure. This method is newer, and can be a problem-solver for flat, brittle, or torn nails. Plexigel is a flexible, yet tough, coating that plumps, lengthens, or repairs a multitude of nail issues.