There are plenty of reasons to get artificial fingernails. Maybe you’re going to wedding or reunion and you want to look sharp. Or perhaps you’ve had trouble growing your nails long and need assistance. Gel, acrylic, and silk nails are widely used. Most people choose gels or acrylics when they’re committing for a longer time. Silk are most often used for a shorter time to strengthen nail tips or repair nail trauma, rather than making nails longer.
Gel Nails
Unlike toothpaste-thick gel products of the past, today’s gels have a similar consistency to nail polish. They are brushed onto your nails, nail tips, or nail appliques to extend length. After your nail technician applies each coat, you must put your nails under ultraviolet light for up to two minutes to ‘cure’ or harden the product. There is no odor during the application process. Gels are more expensive than acrylics, but they may hold their colour longer without chipping, so you may not mind the steeper price.
Acrylic Nails
Your nail technician will mix a liquid with a powder and brush the mixture onto your nails. They’ll usually cover your entire nail, though sometimes they’ll just add tips or a flexible form that they can sculpt to extend your nails. The product hardens as it is exposed to the air. You may notice a strong odor during the application process, but it isn’t harmful,provided the room has good ventilation. Over time, acrylics grow out with your nails. Every two or three weeks, you should return to the salon to have your nails filled in. Your technician will gently file down the acrylic edge closest to your nail bed and the existing acrylic nail.
Silk Nails
These fabric wraps are glued in place to strengthen weak nails or help a cracked nail grow out. Some wraps are made of silk, but others are made of linen, paper, then brush on glue. Silks are intended to be temporary, and the adhesives will loosen within two or three weeks, or sooner if you wash dishes by hand without gloves. Your nail technician can remove or reapply them at your follow-up visit.
