Short nails and gel extensions - advice needed!

[AnnaEx]

Hi everyone

Ok so be done quite a few gel extensions these past months but I'm still kinda new to the scene, anyway this girl ask if I could do extensions on her nails and I've attached the pictuer of her nails for you to see.

I did try and persuade her for Gelish but she wanted extensions. Anyway I usually use forms with extensions, what's the best advise here? Tips or forms? I know you can customize forms to fit the client nails, she didn't want them long, just a natural looking set.

Any advise would be great! I don't want to feel like I've done a rubbish set for her...which in pretty worried I might!

Thanks!

 

[pure]

Although sculpting will in theory provide a stronger enhancement, and many, many techs choose that method successfully, with such a severe biter I personally prefer to use tips. In my experience clients think they are stronger and they last better. I'm sure it's simply a psychosomatic effect but it works!

I would also keep the enhancement no longer than the finger tip. A natural rounded shape to compliment her fingers. And tell her again, and again, and again, throughout the appointment, that they are NOT guaranteed as she is a biter and there is very little nail plate. She needs to return preferably in a week for maintenance as well.

 

[Anna Ljungberg]

I'd also spend a lot of time on the prep, she will have a lot of dead skin cells on the nail plate, even as far up as the free edge, and that eponychium looks awfully dry and overgrown. Be very careful when/if you use your nippers though so you are not cutting any living tissue.

I used to give my OH manicures when practising and his nails looked pretty much like this!

 

[Zan-A-Do's]

I had a client with nails exactly like this today..
I was taught for people with nails this badly bitten to file the well of the tip to fit there nail from their cuticle so the whole tip covers the nail, as blending would be quite difficult and weaken the nail even more, this made the whole nail feel abit stronger, obviously the enhancement has to be kept fairly short, but to them they look really long as they are not used to it, and look far better than what you start off with.

 

[attitude]

Strength doesn't come from the tip though. It comes from the product.

 

[Zan-A-Do's]

No it doesn't, maybe that was the wrong word then, but the whole nail plate is going to be quite weak and thin, so gives you abit more to work with.

 

[Cindy2021]

I was taught the opposite as the tip gives no strength you want little of that on the nail and mainly whichever product you're extending with.

 

[rachirv]

I had a client with nails exactly like this today..
I was taught for people with nails this badly bitten to file the well of the tip to fit there nail from their cuticle so the whole tip covers the nail, as blending would be quite difficult and weaken the nail even more, this made the whole nail feel abit stronger, obviously the enhancement has to be kept fairly short, but to them they look really long as they are not used to it, and look far better than what you start off with.

Surely that contradicts the whole point of putting l&p or gel on though? If you are sticking the tip to the whole nail, then you may aswell just put stick on nails on at the acrylic on top is pointless if it's not adhered to the skin? X

 

[Zan-A-Do's]

That was what I thought tbh, but that's what I was taught to do, whether they last or not is another story. I am newly qualified and this client is the first one I have had with quite badly short bitten nails, I didn't have to do it like this on all of the nails as some of of them weren't to bad, I obviously advised that they may not last as long as they should.. she has rebooked so I will see what happens, but I would like to try out different ways if this hasnt worked very well

 

[Beauty Tips]

I did these last night using tips - there was no way I could get a form on these nails. I used the well less tips so that I could get as much gel adhering to her actual nail as possible.
They're longer than I wanted them and I did keep explaining about the lack of nail plate and having them too long but she was having none of it.
She's going on holiday on Saturday so hopefully she'll be ok!

The before shot is after some cuticle work as I forgot which was actually a nightmare in itself!!

They do take a little longer but it's all good experience

 

[Sara-Jane]

That was what I thought tbh, but that's what I was taught to do, whether they last or not is another story. I am newly qualified and this client is the first one I have had with quite badly short bitten nails, I didn't have to do it like this on all of the nails as some of of them weren't to bad, I obviously advised that they may not last as long as they should.. she has rebooked so I will see what happens, but I would like to try out different ways if this hasnt worked very well

Who did you train with? Tips are used as just a based for extending the nails, this is where I thought sculpting on short bitten nails where possible was best as more product is adhering to the nail plate, thus giving it more strength, I'd be quite shocked if I went to a nail tech and they placed a tip covering my whole nail plate then applying L+P or Gel over it, I'd also expect it to just pop off at some point

 

[Zan-A-Do's]

Who did you train with? Tips are used as just a based for extending the nails, this is where I thought sculpting on short bitten nails where possible was best as more product is adhering to the nail plate, thus giving it more strength, I'd be quite shocked if I went to a nail tech and they placed a tip covering my whole nail plate then applying L+P or Gel over it, I'd also expect it to just pop off at some point

There was no way I was going to be able to get a form underneath the nail to sculpt otherwise I would have as I prefer it to tips.
So for the future on really short bitten nails, how would I use the tip for the best outcome?

 

[cheeka]

There's a 3 part tutorial on youtube by Young Nails Inc about applying enhancements to bitten nails - while the tutorial is about L&P sculpting, there is a handy little tip on applying forms. Here are the linkies:

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:

 

[Claireyfairey13]

I also have a question about this.... I was taught when applying tips to run the tip down the free edge (post glue application) at 45 degree angle and then rock forward and hold in place. If the nails are really short I doubt this would work.... Would you just stick straight on ensuring you are sticking on correctly based on the well etc?x

 

[AnnaEx]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I've bought myself some well less nail tips as theres no way I could get a form on them. Do you think I should blend the nail tip? It just seems impossible with no nail bed...I use Hard Gel and not l&p and I know that you should blend but I don't see how I could?! x