Gel nails

[Bethalize]

I've had UV nails (gel nails) and "Geleration" nail polish, both of which are supposed to last two weeks. For me, nails pop off after three days and the "permanent" nail polish that was supposed to need soaking off peeled off. Does anyone have any idea why I can't keep these things on?

I had a beautiful French manicure with UV gel on Friday and lost one nail on Monday and the rest today. What is it about me?!

I'm asking here because of the wide range of knowledge and experience. My friends don't go in for manicures.

[alkira6]

It could be several things, but the most common is having naturally oily nails/nail beds.  The natural oils kind of "push" the polish out of the little crevices of the nail so that the nail kind of floats on top. 

If you want to try the nails again, my suggestion is to have the manicurist wipe your nails thoroughly with polish remover and skip the moisturizing oil/lotion before the nails are put on.  This helps them last, but none of my friends with oily nails have been able to go over a week.

[AdakAK]

I'm glad you posted this, I have the problem that Alkira6 mentioned and wondered if gel polish would last on me. I can't get false nails to stay on more than a few days, and I do suspect it's the oil as my skin tends towards oily in general.  I had hoped that maybe since it didn't take the stress that nails would that the polish might last longer. 

[Bethalize]

It could be several things, but the most common is having naturally oily nails/nail beds.  The natural oils kind of "push" the polish out of the little crevices of the nail so that the nail kind of floats on top. 

If you want to try the nails again, my suggestion is to have the manicurist wipe your nails thoroughly with polish remover and skip the moisturizing oil/lotion before the nails are put on.  This helps them last, but none of my friends with oily nails have been able to go over a week.

Thanks. This is very useful. I I guess nail oiliness is not related to skin dryness.

I do like gel nails. I can have them long enough to flatter my fingers. I can't grow my real nails that long.

[alkira6]

Not a problem. I have a weird random pinky nail that I can't keep polish or gel nails on.

[Venus193]

If you have trouble growing real nails to a desired length, I have the following suggestions:

• Take 5,000 micrograms of biotin daily
• For two weeks, use Nailtique #2 or #3 formula (read the package to determine which you need)
• Use only acetone-free nail polish remover
• Continue to use Nailtique as a base coat

This is what works for me.

[Avi]

I have gel nails. I used to have a huge problem keeping them on, but that was because I bit them

I agree that it is probably the oil on your nail beds. Get them to ski the moisturizer, and ask for another coat of the primer to help dry out your nail bed as well as make sure they 'cut in' on your natural nail with a nail file to help make it rough. this will give the acrylic something to stick to.

Avoid using hand cream or moisturizer for at least 24 hours after they are put on.

Maybe try acrylics rather than gel, they can take a bit more of a beating.

[mbbored]

I've never had them last more than a few days and they start to peel off.

[Bethalize]

I have gel nails. I used to have a huge problem keeping them on, but that was because I bit them

I agree that it is probably the oil on your nail beds. Get them to ski the moisturizer, and ask for another coat of the primer to help dry out your nail bed as well as make sure they 'cut in' on your natural nail with a nail file to help make it rough. this will give the acrylic something to stick to.

Avoid using hand cream or moisturizer for at least 24 hours after they are put on.

Maybe try acrylics rather than gel, they can take a bit more of a beating.

Thanks, that's good to know.

[Virg]

OK, I'm showing my guy-ness, but I saw this thread and thought, "aren't gel nails awfully hard to drive?"

Virg

[andi]

Are you doing them yourself or having them done?   A friend of mine changed  salons because hers were lasting less than a week and they weren't doing the process correctly.  New place they stay fine

[Donovan]

For gel nails, my salon does a completely dry manicure.  So there is no soaking, no oils, no hand cream.  After it is complete, she puts some oil around my cuticles.

I can't keep regular nailpolish on my nails longer than 2 days, but a Shellac dry manicure keeps them on for 2 weeks.

[m2kbug]

I've been able to keep fake nails on longer, but they seem to start to peel and lift up sooner than I think they should and do pop off.  Unfortunately, I can't afford to maintain fakes, but that's what I would do if I could.  I had better success with sculpted nails over gluing tips on, but nobody does that anymore. 

My nails must be oily too.  Any polish just peels off in sheets.  People say to use certain base coats, etc., but that's useless because it just peels off.  An extra layer won't change a thing, I've tried.  I thought of trying that home gel kit thinking I could get better results, but now I'm rethinking that if you didn't have any success. 

I wish there was a solution.  I've tried using alcohol and polish remover to really dry up the nail bed to no avail and doing several thin, thin coats which seems to help, but time consuming, and the next thing you know, half the polish strips off. 

I'm going to follow this post for a miracle! 

[Bijou]

OK, I'm showing my guy-ness, but I saw this thread and thought, "aren't gel nails awfully hard to drive?"

Virg

Never mind...I'll start a new thread about my experience. 

[Bethalize]

Are you doing them yourself or having them done?   A friend of mine changed  salons because hers were lasting less than a week and they weren't doing the process correctly.  New place they stay fine

Over the years I've had them done all sorts of places. The very first set were great for two weeks. The next set, same person, didn't last 24 hours. The woman who did them didn't answer her phone for more than two weeks so I spent the whole of Christmas and new year with horrible unkempt looking hands. She didn't offer to give me a replacement set either, which got right up my nose. I've been to four different places since then. All seem good, the nails just don't last. The geleration polish was my latest but one adventure. That didn't last a day before damage and was peeling off by day three. It's meant to last two weeks and need a special process to get it off. Mine peeled off incredibly quickly.

I like the temporaryness of gel nails. I want to look like I have long nails that are the right size to flatter my hands with a neat French manicure. My real nails would have to be awfully long to do that as my nails are very wide. I also have no patience with long nails and don't want to accommodate them apart from special occasions.