Lifting at sidewalls

SalonGeek

Help Support SalonGeek:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Charlie276

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2019
Messages
59
Reaction score
35
Location
West Sussex
Please can I get some advice, I’m still a newbie and seem to get lifting in the same place and I’m not sure why!

So I feel like I’m extra through with prep, I do sidewalls as well as cuticles and make sure I get out all dust etc. I use a cuticle pusher, flat end tool and a efile.

The lifting is once the nail has grown out a bit. It’s always at the side, close to where the hyponichium is but not at the free edge end of that makes sense! It’s a couple of mm above the hyponichium line and down a few mm below it. No lifting at free edge. Never get any lifting at the cuticle either.

I am thinking that perhaps I am filing my gel to thin at the sides so as it grows it doesn’t have proper support or this has something to do with when the nail grows out somewhat and the natural nail is exposed at the side (tapered square shape). My sister in law who’s nails I was doing prior to lockdown usually has this issue but she has admitted to having her fingers in her mouth and nibbling her natural nail as it grows down on the side so I put it down to that but I am thinking this is a me issue as it’s always in the same place and has also happened on my MIL. Strangely this happens more on infills than a new set.

If anyone can offer any advice and pointers why this might be happening I would really appreciate it.

I also think maybe my tapered square is too tapered and so the nail grows out and you can see little bits of natural nail either side at the free edge (not tip) That probably makes no sense 🤦‍♀️, however MILs nails are always round shape and she had this lifting a few times, mils nails have such a tight c curve I assumed it was that.
 
I think you've answered your own question and are exactly on track working it out 👍

Too thin at the side walls will compromise the structure and strength. They are buckling at the side stress point, if you were to press down on the free edge it's where they would buckle under stress.

Tapering too far down is a common mistake and probably contributing to the problem above. The tapering should start a millimetre or so after the hyponychium on the white, not past it on the nail bed pink - does that make sense? It's easier to show than explain 🤣

With a tight natural C curve you need to turn the finger to ensure you get proper product adhesion all the way down the side wall, replicate that turning when buffing so you don't over file but maintain your correct structure.

Well done for working it out, you're clearly 'seeing' the structure and realising something is 'off' and experienced enough to work it out. Your next hurdle is leaving enough product in place without it looking fat and bloated 🤪😖🤔🤓,
 
Thanks so much Trinity, yes that is going to be a struggle!!! Yes that makes perfect sense, I will be more aware about where I taper from now. I will pay extra attention to sidewall prep but I really think it is more of a case of not enough gel or too much filing on the side as you say making it weak in the stress area as it grows out. Do you have any idea why my fresh sets always do better than my infills? I get rid of any lifting I can see, re prep, dehydrate and prime etc but they never seem to last as well. Is this common with newbies?

Now we are able to do nails again I will get some photos when issues occur to see how I can improve.

Thanks again xx
 
Do you have any idea why my fresh sets always do better than my infills? I get rid of any lifting I can see, re prep, dehydrate and prime etc but they never seem to last as well. Is this common with newbies?

Now we are able to do nails again I will get some photos when issues occur to see how I can improve.

Thanks again xx

Even experienced techs find new sets better than infills, that's why many force their clients into removals and fresh sets rather than rebalanced.

My tip would be to make sure you add enough product, the instinct is to add only a little but it's not enough. I rarely 'infill' (as in 'fill in' the cuticle growth area) I always Rebalance, that way I ensure I restructure correctly and rebalanced the stress area, debulk free edge, etc.

If you only infill the balance will be off as the stress area and apex are too far forward, this will cause zone 3 lifting as the weight of the free edge will see-saw the back up. Plus all the strength is in the wrong places.

Does that help?

My advice would be to invest in some 1-2-1 advance training, you're are the perfect knowledge places to learn so much. You now know what you don't know 🤓 it can seem expensive but you are investing in yourself and your career/business. The knowledge you gain at this point is probably the most valuable, it's the skills that will turn you from a good tech into an extremely skilled tech 👍
 
Thanks Trinity, I do actually remove quite a lot before rebuilding the nail on an infill. I basically file the nail flat again with a thinish layer and rebuild from there. Unfortunately for the hard gel I use soaking off for a fresh set is not an option. I did do 1-2-1 training when qualifying and have also since done another 1-2-1 day with an excellent tech however I do want to do more and more training. I was just looking at a nail boot camp with Katie Barnes academy which is a 5 day course and I thought that might be good. The sporadic nature of being able to do nails on real hands this last year really means I’m not much further forward than I was just when I qualified and although I spend a lot of time reading or rewatching videos it’s not the same as real hands, real problems etc so I thought 5 days of repetitive information and practising whilst having a pro eyeballing my work might be a great opportunity but not sure when or if that will be running this year xx
 
Thanks Trinity, I do actually remove quite a lot before rebuilding the nail on an infill. I basically file the nail flat again with a thinish layer and rebuild from there. Unfortunately for the hard gel I use soaking off for a fresh set is not an option. I did do 1-2-1 training when qualifying and have also since done another 1-2-1 day with an excellent tech however I do want to do more and more training. I was just looking at a nail boot camp with Katie Barnes academy which is a 5 day course and I thought that might be good. The sporadic nature of being able to do nails on real hands this last year really means I’m not much further forward than I was just when I qualified and although I spend a lot of time reading or rewatching videos it’s not the same as real hands, real problems etc so I thought 5 days of repetitive information and practising whilst having a pro eyeballing my work might be a great opportunity but not sure when or if that will be running this year xx

Sounds perfect, get on and contact her for dates. Let us know how you get on.

I didn't realise you were using Gel, make sure you are definitely not touching skin down those side walls, self levelling gel loves to run into side walls. A 10 second flash cure will help keep each one in place until you fully cure the whole hand. It may be running on the first nails whilst you do the others, or the thumb as you turn the hand
 
Last edited:
Thanks Trinity, unfortunately they said they are not doing face to face training for some time.

I only ever do 1-2 finger at a time with the gel depending on how runny the gel is. I flash cure that finger whilst doing the finger on the other hand so constantly switching between the 2. I have had the odd accident where the gel has touched but mainly I manage to avoid any skin contact however I will be paying extra attention to that. Thanks again for all your help x
 

Latest posts

Back
Top