“It’s better for your nails!”: Demystifying Today’s Most Popular Nail Services
At New Age Spa Institute, the NASI team believes in spreading knowledge for the betterment of the community. No one should be left out of the truth regarding common nail misconceptions, and so we’ll focus on the types of nail services you can receive. With that knowledge, you can make your own decision about what’s best for you or even make suggestions for loved ones.
How many times have you heard that gel manicures are better for your nails than acrylic? Or that dip manicures are better for your nails than gel manicures? With the advent of so many new nail products, and their incredible claims, it can be hard to differentiate what is going to work best for you and your nails. New Age Spa Institute takes a deeper look into what exactly is “better for your nails”.
The New Age Spa Institute specializes in beauty professional education and hands-on training for trade programs like massage therapy, makeup artistry, esthetics, clinical aesthetics, and nail technology. The motto at New Age Spa Institute is that the “Learning never stops!” Continue reading for an inside-look into the wealth of knowledge and expertise that NASI’s educational team offers.
To understand what is better for your nails, you’ll need a basic understanding of the chemistry of nail enhancement products. All nail enhancements (any nail product used to enhance the beauty and strength of the natural nail) are born of the same chemical family; the acrylates, or more commonly known as “The Acrylics”.
Wait…so, gel polish is an acrylic? Yes…and no. Gel polishes are chemically formulated from the same family of chemicals as acrylic nail products, but they are not chemically identical. To put it simply, gel polish and acrylic are cousins in a big, diverse, chemical family. So, while they share many elements, they are also incredibly unique! If gel and acrylic are cousins, where exactly does dip fall in the enhancement family? You may be surprised to learn that dip powder is acrylic, with some key differences. Think of dip powder as the fraternal twin sister of traditional acrylic powder, known to professionals as polymer powder. Dip powder is comprised of finely milled polymer powder and color pigments, glitters, mylars, etc. that give it its color and finish.
Now that we know that all enhancement products are chemically related, how can we determine which one is better for our nails?? The answer to that may also surprise you. None of them are. As they are all from the same chemical family, neither gel, nor dip, nor acrylic, will be better- OR WORSE– for your nails. What about the claims that acrylic, or gel, or dip are damaging for the natural nail, leaving it weak and thin? What about our own first hand experiences with damaged, weak, even painful nails after these enhancements? How do we reconcile what we have experienced with what we’ve learned? To answer those questions, we need to take a closer look at these services and their procedures.
First, lets take a look at the service itself. All nail enhancements require proper nail prep. This means that the natural nail needs to be completely cleansed of dead skin, dirt, oils, and debris. In the past, it was believed that the natural nail needed to be deeply etched or roughed up with coarse abrasives in order for these products to adhere properly. Even though this is a practice that has not been endorsed by professionals for the last 20 years or more, we still witness aggressive over-filing of the nail plate, leaving the nail thinned and weakened before the product is even applied. This weakened nail plate will easily break under the enhancement if its jammed or caught, as it cannot withstand even the most minor impact, presenting the potential for infection! Furthermore, improper use of electric nail files during prep, maintenance and removal greatly contributes to nail damage. (Note: Electric files themselves are incredibly safe and effective in the hands of trained, experienced nail professionals.)
Next, lets discuss the removal process of gel polish as well as dip. Gel polish and dip are both removed by soaking in an acetone-based solution for up to 20 mins. Acetone is necessary to break the product down for easy removal. However, it can also be incredibly dehydrating to the nail plate and surrounding skin. On top of this dehydration, the nail plate itself swells when soaked in any liquid and stays swollen and softened for at least 30 minutes after soaking. This means that when it is time to remove the dissolved product from the nail, it is in softened state, making even the most-gentle removal methods potentially damaging. It is best not to force the product off of the nail as this will without a doubt cause damage to the nail plate by peeling up several layers of it in the process. The same goes for picking or peeling the products off of your nails. Enhancement products form a physical or chemical bond with the nail plate, depending on the product chosen. If those bonds are not properly broken through soaking off it will always result in damage to the natural nail.
You may be thinking, “Does this mean I should just stop getting my nails done?”. Absolutely not! While the methods of prepping and removing nail enhancement products CAN be damaging, it doesn’t guarantee they will damage your nails. So, how can you ensure that your nails don’t sustain damage from nail enhancement products? Find out at our next blog post for Part 2!
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