No pressure, no breakage
Are you used to subjecting your nails to pressure, using them to prise open things? Well, you need to stop doing that — it makes your nails weak and leads to breakage. It is especially bad when you have long enhancement nails. Not only do you run the risk of breaking your enhancements, it could also pull your natural nail off the nail bed. Painful!
Oiling your cuticles
Cuticles need to be pushed back from time-to-time; otherwise, they tend to grow over your nails, making them look ugly. Make sure you apply some cuticle oil to soften them. An easy and ideal routine would be to wash your hands and moisturise them before turning in every night.
Filing your enhancements
Extremely long nails (and enhancements at that) spell trouble. They are brittle and tend to break under slightest pressure. You must visit the salon weekly for a buff & shine weekly maintenance so that they don’t snag.
Protect while working
It is common knowledge that detergents contain harsh chemicals that dry out your nails and hands. They are even more detrimental to your acrylic nails. So, wear gloves when you are working with suds or are performing household chores.
Treat your nails like jewels, not tools. Wear gloves when you do any kind of housework or gardening, use a soda can opener on pop tops, and dial the phone with the eraser end of a pencil.
Don’t ignore lifts
Acrylics & enhancement gels tend to come off after a while. You must get your extensions closed if they come off the nail bed even slightly. Visit our salon and get the lifts filled — the air gaps are a perfect breeding ground for bacterial and fungal growth.
This can lead to discolouration of your natural nail and deterioration of the nail bed.
Don’t glue it
Don’t even think of trying an at-home DIY when you notice a lift in your acrylics. Applying glue to fill in the lift is the worst mistake you can make. The moisture in the glue attracts fungi and bacteria. Filling your lift with glue will definitely infect your nails.
Touch-up and breather
If you intend to keep your extensions for long, make sure to get a touch-up done every two weeks. That’s because the gap between your natural nail and the extensions gets wider with time and your acrylics start wearing off. Also, make sure you give your nails ample time to breath between each session.
Do not keep your extensions on for more than three to four weeks at a time.
Extra care
If you are wearing polish or a French manicure, apply a top coat every other day to prevent chipping and yellowing. If you are out in the sun frequently, you may need to apply top coat every day.
Your nail technician can recommend a top coat with UV inhibitors made especially to prevent yellowing.
Your nail technician will recommend an application (whether it be acrylic, gel, or a lite gel ) and a nail length that best suits your hands and your lifestyle.
For example, if you are especially hard on your nails because you work on the computer or do heavy work ,shorter nails may be best for you .
Reschedule your appointment if you are ill. If you have a contagious skin or nail condition , wait until it clears before visiting the salon again. Make an appointment with your dermatologist if these conditions persist.
Very few clients will discover that they are allergic to an ingredient in some nail products. An allergic reaction is characterized by redness, itching, swelling, or irritation a round the nail or around the eyes and mouth . If you develop any of these symptoms, call your nail technician . She will help you determine what ingredients you’re having a reaction to and will take steps to help you avoid them . If necessary, she can probably refer you to a dermatologist . Do not ignore a condition that develops around the nail.
If for some reason you decide that you no longer want to wear extensions, do not take them off yourself! Although it may seem the simplest way to do it, pulling the nails of f can damage your natural nail and make regrowth a long and painful process.
Extensions can be safely removed if done correctly by your nail technician.