If you have a set of hard gel nails, you'll only be able to “remove” the colour by filing it down into a thin, translucent layer and waiting for the rest of the nail to grow out. However, if you have soft gel or soak-off gel nails, you will be able to remove the polish with acetone.
Acetone offers the most effective way to remove gel nail polish at home, says board-certified dermatologist Shari Lipner, MD, FAAD. Instead of wrapping your nails in foil, she recommends using plastic food wrap.
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.
To remove the softened coating, a metal pusher is used, which strips off not only the varnish, but also the layer of the nail. It hurts. Over time, the nail becomes thinner and hypersensitive. The pain does not disappear, but only intensifies.
Soaking your nails will probably not take any of the gel nails off by itself. But once you have soaked your nails, it will be easier to remove them with whatever acetone-free method you choose. If you choose to file off the gel nails after soaking, be sure that your nails are totally dry before you start.
"The biggest risk to leaving a gel manicure service on for longer than three weeks is that the extra weight can start pulling on the edge of your nail, causing tears in the base of your nails," says Reynosa. "They can then lift, which peels back keratin layers and causes more mechanical damage.
Our number one tip: Don't pick or peel off your gels. It never ends well. If you notice white spots, lines or an unevenness on your natural nails, it can take anywhere between three to six months for them to go away, as that's typically how long it takes for your nails to grow out completely.
This is a heat spike, also known as over-cured gel or gel that cured too quickly. When the gel product is exposed to UV light from your nail lamp unit, the chemical reaction from that liquid to the solid state (because of the friction in molecules coming together) creates an exothermic reaction, which releases heat.
A gel treatment will last for up to two weeks without chipping, dulling, cracking or peeling, so keep your polished look going by getting your nails reapplied. In between appointments, get your gel soaked off and treat your nails with moisturisers or cuticle oil.
For those who love to apply the gel nail finish to their acrylic nails, the gel finish needs to cure properly under a UV light. The curing process takes time and can be the cause of the pain you feel at home the next day as your nails begin to heal.
I'll give it to you straight: The longest you can wear a gel manicure without compromising your nail health is two weeks, says Evelyn Lim, chief educator of New York–based nail salon Paintbox.
To keep your nails healthy, it's safest to have your gels removed at the salon. Removal fees can cost anywhere between $10-$20.
If done incorrectly, the tools and technique cause damage and leave nails rough after removing gel. You might also notice spots and white lines that take months to grow out. Your nails get used to the gel and its protective coating, so they start breaking and snapping after the gel is removed.
The gel topcoat is a tough, nearly impermeable layer that seals the color in place—that's why gel manis are able to last for weeks instead of days. Scratching the surface with a coarse nail file will help the acetone to penetrate without a hitch.
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.
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).
Shellac is thinner and softer than gel polish, but harder than traditional varnish. On the other hand, gel nails are made with—you guessed it—liquid gel.
Gel nails are less likely to cause damage to natural nails than acrylic nails. They are less harsh on the natural nails during the application and removal process, which can be beneficial for people with weaker nails.
When the “correct” thickness of UV gel is applied, they may become warm. But when applied too thickly, more heat is released, and the nail can become very warm. When one also uses a nail lamp that releases too much UV energy for curing that UV gel, then overheating becomes very likely to occur.
Medium pressure UV lamps radiate harmful UV which can cause serious burns to skin and eyes. While thermal burns are felt immediately, UV burns are not felt for several hours. Short exposure to lamp radiation can cause severe burning of skin and eyes.
"Prolonged use of gel manis and acrylics dehydrates your nails, making them dry, brittle, and fragile," says manicurist Jin Soon Choi, founder of JINsoon nail polish and salons. Cuticle oil is your BFF for imparting deep hydration.
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.
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 ...