Difference between Acrylics and gels

[easypeasy]

Can anyone enlighten me on acrylic and gel??????????
Me being new to the nail world, what is the difference? I hear people say acrylic is bad for the natural nail,and the gel is much more gentle.Is this true? I have been doing nails since May,and yes i have noticed that long term wearers do have thin weak nails afterwards. Some clients decide to have a break from them so then I put them on strenghening treatments.And some just carry on having the enhancements because they cannot live withot them.
I am so used to using L&P now,maybe i could offer both services eh?
easypeasy :?

 

[geeg]

All nail enhancements are acrylic including gel. It is not the acrylic that is damaging or weakening client's nails.

It has been tested and proved that nail enhancement products, even the dreaded MMA, do not thin and weaken client's nails.

The damage is caused by the Nail Technician over filing the plate or the clients picking the enhancements off the plate or unsafe removal. Nails do not need a 'rest' if the nail plate is nurtured and respected during the service we give.

People who give you the information you have written are uninformed or have an interest in selling you gel as opposed to L&P acrylic by trying to scare you. Gel is acrylic the difference is that gel is in a pre-semi-polymerized state and the final cure is done under a UV (usually) lamp.

If the nails you do are weak after months of wear using a L&P system they will be just as weak when you use a gel or a wrap or anything else. Look at how much you are etching and filing the nailplate or to how you remove the enhancements and you will find the answer as to why you see weak and damaged nail plates.

There is no need whatever for nails to be damaged by wearing enhancements of any kind.

 

[easypeasy]

Goodness me, dont know what to say to that Geeg,
Sounds like my fault my clients nails are weak Did not realise gel was also an acrylic.I shall definately be more careful with my filing now.DO NOT WANT TO LET YOU GUYS DOWN!!!!!!!
thanks for that Geeg.
easypeasy.

 

[geeg]

Sorry EasyPeasy!! You took it very well. Fraid that is the case though. There is not a nail technician alive that has not at one time or another caused damage to a clients nails.

You live and learn!! It doesn't have to be so. Just make that plate squeaky clean during prep and think of removing the surface shine as exfoliating the nail plate (ahhh!) instead of etching the nail plate (ouch!) It doesn't take much to 'blot' or remove the shine from the plate. One light stroke down the nailplate with a soft abrasive is all it takes ... twice is too much. No back and forth business. Gentle strokes in the direction of growth (no side to side) will do the trick.

 

[Mandini]

Hi there!

Geeg is absolutely right! But good on you for taking the time to notice these things - now you can do something about it.

I just wanted to add something: you say you give your clients' nails "a rest" occasionally? We really don't need to - do we take the colour out of our hair to give it a rest? NO! Don't forget that zone 3 is brand new nail everytime it grows out and says hello. Nail plate under zones 1 and 2 has only ever seen gentle "exfoliation" (as Geeg puts it so beautifully). The nail plate is protected. Under an enhancement it's completely full of lovely oils and moisture that now can't evaporate - it's like an armour.

So, NO system can "eat" into nails - it just sits on the top of your clean and dried nail plate, bonded brilliantly by you, protecting. Just think of zone 3 as doing the roots of your hair!!! My god, I need to go to the hairdressers on that note!!

Hope this helps

 

[easypeasy]

Hello Mandini.
I think there is some confusion here, i did not say i give my clients a "rest" I know that they dont need to "rest". Sometimes one or two of my clients want to have them removed every so often,for what reason i dont know, cost maybe?!!
If they were not happy i would not have seen them again after first visit but these are my regulars. I picked up a rumour about acrylics being harsher than gel (I now know different thanks to Geeg) and because i noticed thin weak nails i wondered if the rumour was true. I never thought it could be anything to do with my work, but i am sure as hell going to make sure this does not happen to my clients again.
Maybe i got taught badly who knows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT HAVE I STARTED HERE!
Thankyou for your comment though, I hope this does not sound rude.
easypeasy

 

[Mandini]

You're right! On reading back, I see it's your clients that ask for a break, not you suggesting it! Sorrrrrry!

But I think it's a good point - maybe they have they're own misconceptions - like the good old "I need to take them off to let them breathe"??!! Obviously they are entitled to take them off for whatever reason, but if they have been misinformed we need to re-educate them.

 

[ella]

looking for a technical answer to this one -

Might it be that Gel is presumed to be less harmful because the way it adheres to the nailplate would result in less damage if the product is picked off?

i.e that it holds on by "suction" for want of a better description. I wonder if it may be less damaging if it is picked off by naughty clients than l&p which has bonded with the keratin.

Have I got my chemistry right here? Just a theory to throw into the pot for discussion. Would welcome some technical response.

 

[geeg]

Any product that is picked off or mechanically removed in any way (even common old nail polish) will take some of the nail surface with it, no matter which way it has bonded with the surface. Thinning will result.

AND if the plate has been heavily etched into (not saying this was the case here) it would cause even more damage.

I see what you are getting at but to what degree the systems differ is probably very slight. In any case enhancements shouldn't be picked off or removed in any other way than that which the manufacturer recommends as we all know.

What I do think happens a lot is that client's perceive the plates to be thinner even when they are not, because after being protected for a long time, they feel more sensitive when enhancements are removed. A few days of TLC with SolarOil until the plate regains its protective 'shell', shall we say, and they will feel normal again.

 

[ella]

In any case enhancements shouldn't be picked off or removed in any other way than that which the manufacturer recommends as we all know.

If only the world were that perfect!!

 

[geeg]

I know ... I know... but this is self inflicted damage and the clients are warned against it (I hope).
On their own head be it.
Can't blame the product for that kind of damage.

That's like blaming the lake when someone falls in and drowns.