Letting gel extensions fall off

[shynailartist]

Hi all!
I'm only newly qualified (so excuse any assumptions).

During my training we were told by the educator that gel extensions were always to be removed by a file or refilled after a couple of weeks, however I'm seeing a trend of nail techs, both locally and online, telling their clients that their nails "will just fall off" and that they don't need to get them removed.
When nails get to, for example, 6 weeks grow out, many comments I've seen are: "they should have fallen off weeks ago!!" and then the commenters (some who are nail techs) criticise the nail tech who created the nails.
But isn't the point really for the nails to stay on until removal / refill?
Or am I wrong and the should the nails fall off after 6 weeks without damage?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, I've just been seeing it everywhere lately and can't find an answer elsewhere

 

[EllenHyuga]

Where have you seen this? I can’t say I’ve seen it recently.
No you shouldn’t wait til they ‘fall off’. Where on earth did they get that from? [emoji848]

 

[shynailartist]

Thank you for replying
I've seen it a lot of Facebook groups (I suppose that says a lot though)
I was just shocked when a couple of my friends told me that their nail techs had said the same thing! I thought I was missing something!

 

[SarahNails25]

Yes any skill of technician come from having nail last and it should be refill or removed after you get growth too much. If you let it “fall off” before they fall off alone they will be tugged and pulled around and unbalanced at this point and if they get pulled off or fall off it because it weaken so much and this has possible to damage natural nail by pulling up some layer of natural nail with it when it come off.
Very bad practice and no nail technician should suggest this.
This is same reason we file down nail at refill time to give new balance so it has good structure. If you leave it for 5 week and growth happen it is not good structure anymore and can be disaster if some trauma happen because it can damage badly.
If nail tech told me this or I see this said by “nail tech” I would think this person is not licensed.

 

[Alison Pilkington-Child]

After two or three weeks (depending on how fast the nails grow) the extensions will be ‘tip heavy’ ie the apex that protected the stress area will have moved up toward the free edge. What’s left behind will be thinner as it goes back toward the cuticle and will be far less effective at protecting the natural nail underneath.
Often, if left without an infill and rebalance, the natural nail will get stress damage running across the nail from side to side as the bulky length adds to the level of wear and tear they experience.
Great way to ruin natural nails!