Acrylic removal and aftercare

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no.23

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Hi, I'm currently coming to the end of my nail tech course.

Around a week week ago I removed a full set of acrylics which I had done for practice on the MIL, they were lifting on a couple of fingers but overall were fine.

I was very careful when removing (it took an hour, which I know is way too long). I don't like the idea of soaking the fingers completely in a bowl in case of any cuts and it shrivels up your fingers so I've tried using cotton wall soaked in acetone and wrapped in foil and also the edge bandage wraps. In the end we got so fed up I placed the wraps under a towel and rested a hot water bottle on the top to see if this helped, I don't actually know if it did help or if they'd just been on for so long anyway.

I left to soak initially for around 20 minutes. I filed them as far down as I was happy to do. I used the edge acetone as I saw someone recommend on here, the OPI acetone and I've just bought the NSI acetone as I use NSI acrylic products.

Anyway, apart from having major issues with the removal, I applied CND rescue RXX after the removal and told her to use cuticle oil and within a few days, once the air had got to the natural nail they would harden up a bit ( the free edge had gone quite see-through and they were quite soft). At the weekend she told me she wouldn't have them done again as it broke all of her nails and they are now really short again. (despite telling me she used to pay a friend £40 to regularly do her nails in the past with a hard gel, this friend used an e-file and her nails would be so painful after). She is incredibly fussy and I know she's a serial biter and picker and kind of confessed that she picked a rough edge rather than file it down and was using a dove anti-ageing hand cream rather than the cuticle oil I had recommended.

I know proper acrylic removal is not meant to damage your nails or take as long so now I'm really scared and put off ever doing acrylics again in case it happens, I really don't want to ruin peoples nails!
Is there any helpful advice anyone could give me?
 
Did you file any of the natural nail by accident?
 
Did you file any of the natural nail by accident?

No. that's the thing, I'm quite confident that I was very, very careful when removing. I filed the acrylic down at the start and then after a longgg time soaking they went jelly like and came off. I expected the natural nail to be a bit soft as they hadn't been exposed to the air for 2+ weeks. As I said she is also a serial biter and picker.

I just don't know how else I'm meant to remove them whilst maintaining the exact condition prior to when the acrylic was applied..

I've also removed a few of mine, which were done by other people and the free edge on my thumb had almost split in the middle. After a few days using rescue rxx they were much better. I then used gel polish over them and a week on they now feel much stronger.
 
I would say you've done everything right and the damage could have been caused by her picking her previous set? To be honest having acrylics you get used to the extra strength and when it's off you feel bare. She probably had weak nails to begin with. I wouldn't let this put you off nails. In fact it's a good eye opener to how you advise a client to take care and follow your aftercare advice and how they don't and do their own thing and blame you for it all. Onto the next for another type of experience
 
Yes, she said the acrylics were so thick (I know for certain they wasn't, in fact I was a bit concerned they may not have been thick enough). Perhaps she was just in a moany mood. She does take medication for thyroid and I know this does affect the nails, and perhaps years of damage with the e-file doesn't help. I have another set to infil / remove very soon so fingers crossed. I really hate how people are so quick to pass the blame.

Any ideas how I could speed up the removal process?
 
Yes, she said the acrylics were so thick (I know for certain they wasn't, in fact I was a bit concerned they may not have been thick enough). Perhaps she was just in a moany mood. She does take medication for thyroid and I know this does affect the nails, and perhaps years of damage with the e-file doesn't help. I have another set to infil / remove very soon so fingers crossed. I really hate how people are so quick to pass the blame.

Any ideas how I could speed up the removal process?

What system are you using? Like what make products etc
 
Just read you use nsi
Your removal process is correct I do exactly the same. Once I've put the 10th foil on the finger I go back to the first and with an orange stick I scrape off the jelly acrylic off each one to speed it up
Then wrap again
 
Last edited:
My faith in acrylics has been restored. I removed a set yesterday and the nails were so perfect underneath, beyond pleased! I think perhaps I didn't file enough off of the ones mentioned above and then they were soaked in acetone for longer than needed, hence why the free edge went see-through.

Lesson learned!
 
Aww that's good to hear was it the same client
 
No, not the mother-in-law but I'll pin her down for a new set soon now I'm feeling a bit more confident. This removal was on a set I did just before Easter for my assessment :)
 
That's good see it's fine
 

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