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43 comments:
soo...I have a question.... every time I use gel polish and UV light, it creates this crusty dryness under my natural nail that I thought was fungus...but I am not sure. can you tell me what may be causing this.
That is a very good question! When I first started using the gel polishes I noticed that a few of my clients also had dryness. If you can give me a little more info would help. When you say under your natural nail, do you mean on the top of your nail after the product is removed or is it under the tip of your nail?
Is the tip of your nail lifting from your nail bed?
The Nail Tech
HI...thank you soo much for responding....I have been dealing with this every time I do my nails and even stopped doing my own nails because of this issue. sooo it is extreme dryness, so dry that it starts to peel and it is under the tip of my nail bed under my natural nail. my natural nail in the past started to lift from the nail bed but never actually did. it happens after I put my hand in the light. it doesn't happen when I use regular nail polish, only when I use gel polish and the UV light. and the weird thing is...it only happens to me. ive done my nieces nails as well as my daughter....am I doing them too often? I even gave myself a break from doing my own because of this issue. I prefer gel...it last longer....
“My Pleasure” Glad to have you here on the site. You ask if you are doing your nails too often. All Brands are different and I think most of the gel polishes are recommended to last around two weeks, so if you are removing them with acetone it can be very drying to the natural nail. It sounds like you may be better off sticking with your gel. That is what I did with my clients when the Gel Polish didn’t work for them, I switched them back to the gel and they were fine. If you can wear the UV Gel and don’t have the same issues then I think it may be more the reaction of the product than the UV light. Another idea for you is, if you can wear the UV Gel with no problem then you could try a coat of gel polish over your gel nails and don’t forget the UV top coat. Hope all this makes sense! The Nail Tech on Have a Nail Question?
actually...I keep the gel polish on for the max two weeks...then I was soaking it off with acetone and applying new color just about every two weeks....after doing this so much, that's when the crusty dryness began. I stopped doing them for a very long time, then just sunday, I did them again and theres that crusty dryness again :( I love to do my nails.....and cant because of this issue. I will, however, try just the UV gel when I soak these off and see what type of reaction I get. I will be in touch...thanks again :)
Good luck to you! Hopefully if you can wear the regular gel and then you could polish on top of the gel with your gel polish and gel polish top coat.
Thanks for being part of the blog and feel free to come back and visit any time.
My husband has created a new product scrigit to protect pretty nails while it scrapes things instead of your nails. It works on glass, smooth top cook tops, coated pots and pans, labels,etc. Would you like us to send you one to try out and review on your blog?
I would be glad to take a look at your product anything that can save a nail is always good!
You can email me from the bottom left of any page if you would like to talk more about your product..
Thanks Kathy
I do my sisters nails with gel. after they are properly cured, wiped with alcohol, they look great! next day she says SOME of them do not have a shine! I use same gel, never a problem! also sometimes I get bubbles in the gel after curing! one last question- what is best way to clean brush after use?
Hi,
Thanks for your questions, I always enjoy hearing from my readers.
You say you are having trouble with gel and from your question I'm thinking you are asking about gel polish instead of regular gel nails. (Hope this is right!) if not please let me know.
If it is gel polish and the nails look shiny when finished and you are using the same thing on yourself with no problems then it sound like your sisters nails are getting something on them like makeup, hairspray etc. we have our hands in many things throughout the day. I have had this happen to my nails.
It could also be a small amount of the inhibitor left on the nail, always use 99% alcohol when wiping the nail because regular alcohol won't work as well and can leave behind a residual of the inhibitor which could cause some of the nails not to be as shinny.
Here is something you can try.
Have your sister try and wipe the nails again with 99% alcohol and wipe them really good around the cuticle area, then apply lots of good cuticle oil.
You also ask about cleaning the brush if it is gel polish you can try using a lint free wipe saturated with the 99% alcohol to wipe the brush. Keep in mind that if there is something on the brush then it is also more than likely in the bottle of gel so this may not help.
You ask about bubbles in the gel and I just wrote an article about bubbles in the gel polish if you would like to read it you can click below or copy and paste if the link don't work
<a href="http://www.askthenailtech.com/2014/11/trouble-with-bubbles-in-your-gel-nail.html>Trouble with bubbles in your Gel Nail Polish?
</a>
Hope this helps and please feel free to contact me if you have more questions.
And please remember to share the site with your friends,
Kathy
New Link to Bubbles in Nail Polish! www.askthenailtech.com/2014/11/trouble-with-bubbles-in-your-gel-nail.html
Hi! My name is Elizabeth.
I got an full acrylic set with gel nail art on about two weeks ago. My friend is getting married soon and so my friends and I decided to get our nails done for the event in a week. Stupidly, I filed and peeled my way through the acrylic nails and am now left with soar nails with remaining acrylic layer on top. One of my nail cracked at the tip, they are soar too. With my nails in this state, can I still get a new full set one week from now, or will it hurt too much? Will the crack make me prone to infection? Many thanks!!!!! XO
Hi Elizabeth,
Sorry to hear this about your nails especially with the events you have coming up.
You say you filed and peeled your nails but that you still have some acrylic on top of your nails and they are sore with one nail cracked.
If you had this acrylic put on two weeks ago then it is about time for a fill or removal of the acrylic.
You want to know if you should get a new full set in a week from now and will the crack make you prone to infection.
If that cracked nail has open skin under it then yes you could have a point of entry for some trouble, if it is just the nail and no open skin and the soreness is gone then you should be ok to either have the rest of the acrylic removed or a have a fill in.
However if your nails are still hurting and that crack has not grown off in a week then I would say no. :(
The best solution for you would be to find a reputable nail technician in your area to have a look at your nails.
Always remember a nail technician should only work on a healthy nail.
Hope this helps :)
Kathy
I have a question.. after you took off your gel nails, when do you think is the most appropriate time to go back to the nail salon and get your nails done again?
Hi, I am not sure if you are asking when should you go back to the salon for regular manicures or if you would like to know how long you should wait to get another set of gels so I will answer both with hope that one is the answer you are looking for, if not please let me know.
I think if you have removed your gels and would like to have your nails natural for awhile then the best thing would be to start as soon as the gels are removed and get on a good maintenance program with regular manicures weekly or at least every two weeks.
If you are wanting to have the gel nails again and your nails have not been damaged then you should be fine to have gels reapplied whenever you like.
Hope this helps, Kathy
Hi! I have an odd issue regarding my nails and couldn't find a solution anywhere, hope you can help! Basically whenever I put on a top coat ( not gel polish, normal polish), it dulls and becomes matte- looking at the tips of my nails after around 20 seconds of putting them on. So my nails become half shiny (the nail bed part) and half matte looking (the nail tips). I'm pretty sure its not a problem with the top coat as I've tried a few brands and all ended up the same way. Is it because my nails are too long or my nail tips are dehydrated, or is it because of something else? Is there any solution? Thanks!
Hi Treble Clef,
You say that your nails are half matte at the tips and that it's happening almost immediately after you apply your regular polish top coat and that you have tried a few different brands.
Sounds like you have already tried a few troubleshooting ideas that I would have tried also.
I don't think it's the length of your nails and I don't think it is dehydration that is causing it.
Here are a couple of other things you could try.
Sometimes the least little bit of oil left on the nail before you start can make a huge difference and the oil could have gotten into your products so you could try this, before you apply your base coat make sure you are wiping the nails really good on top and underneath the tips with your remover ( I like to use acetone) and Sally's Beauty usually have small bottles for you to try.
To rule out oils I would start with a fresh bottle of each acetone, base coat, nail color and top coat (I like Seche Vite top coat) just to make sure there is no oil in anything this time for a good troubleshoot.
Also if your polish color is sheer try three coats of the color to make sure the polish is not see through at the tips, you could actually try the three coats of color first before buying the extra items mentioned above.
I really hopes this helps and would love to hear your results after trying this. :-)
Kathy
Hi Kathy,
I am wondering if there is a specific nail polish just for use on dog nails or if you can use regular polish? If just regular, is there one that is better over the other? What is the best way to remove it? Do you have to keep separate from the polish you use? Is there a way to sterilize the brush and so forth? Thank you!
Hi,
I used an OPI nail polish called "Matahorn Mauve" or something like that and it had red and pink qualities. I have not been able to find it for a long time. Do they still make that color and where can I find it? Or is there one similar in their line up?
Thanks,
Cindy
Hi There, You ask about Polish for your dogs nails.
Years ago OPI made a polish for dogs called pawlish but I don't think they make it anymore.
However I do think Warren London actually has a polish pen for dogs called Pawdicure Pen or something like that and I think that a pen might be easier to use on your pet than a bottle of polish or pawlish ;0)
You ask about using regular polish. I think what ever you use defiantly needs to be non toxic and fast drying because I have heard that some dogs will chew at it.
You ask about sanitation I can only answer for nail polish that we used in the salons on humans.
Regular nail polish when used properly is formulated to take care of and kill any pathogens that could lead to infection. So cross contamination would be highly unlikely from the nail polish and again that is on humans.
I would personally not use the same polish on myself that I used on my animal because those little paws are everywhere.
You also ask about removal and I would think a non acetone remover and wash the paws really good when finished so there is no residue left on the paws.
Probably the safest thing you could do is call some groomers in your area I think some of them retail polish for dogs and they would also know the best removal process.
I hope this helps and wish your little dog a beautiful pawdicure!
Hi Cindy,
You ask about Matterhorn Mauve, I loved that nail color and used it for many years and you are right it had a sort of salmon color to it with a little red and a little pink and blended very well with what ever outfit you had on.
I am sorry to say it but I think that one is discontinued it was from a the OPI Alpine Collection in the 1990's and was so popular for many years. It always drove me nuts when they let the good nail colors go. :-(
I can think of a few colors right off that are close but I think your best bet would be to go to a Sally Beauty they have a huge selection of OPI to choose from and if you still have your bottle of Matterhorn Mauve even better to carry it along with you.
Hello,I desperately need your help!I have extra long natural nails,and I broke one off completely.I know how to fix it,I glue it back and put 2 coats of gel on the nail's inner and outer surface .I did this before and it worked.But the problem is that I filed of the broken edges and for heaven's sake it won't fit into eachother no matter what.I have no idea what to do now,please help me.
Hi Anon,
Sorry to hear you broke your nail. :(
If it were my nail I would probably use a nail form and build a new nail with the gel.
The other option would be to use a nail tip with gel applied over it until your new nail grows back.
Hope this helps.
Hi Ms. Kathy, I was wondering what brand of electric nail drill you would recommend for home use. I do my nails and my friends. I'd like something not too expensive (perhaps under $50.00) but with some power behind it. I'm not sure home many RPM's I need. There is one on Amazon that has 20000 RPM's and it is about 25.00. What are your thoughts on that?? Thanks for any help, Angie M
Hi Angie, Thanks for your question on the electric nail file.
I really don't recommend electric files for home use because they are very powerful and it is very easy to cause nail damage.
I would really need a little more information on what product you going to use the file on gel or acrylic? I would never use the electric machine on the natural nail area.
I myself would not buy a used machine unless they have some sort of warranty backing it. There are so many tiny mechanical parts on electric files that can wear out and could cost you more to replace the part than the $25 price you pay for the machine and trust me it does happen.
Ex. The hand piece is usually what will wear out first. Some of them have bushings in the hand piece that need to be replaced from time to time. This can cost you around $15 to $20 dollars to replace.
And if you need to replace the whole hand piece you can almost purchase a new machine for what a good hand piece cost.
Here are a few things I would look for when purchasing.
I would want a warranty and return policy.
I can tell you that usually the higher the RPM the smoother the machine and probably a longer life of the machine.
Also the smaller and slender hand piece is much easier to use.
I myself would want a higher rpm. (min. 25000 rpm.)
I would want a foot pedal.
Forward and reverse option.
Have you thought about looking at a Sally Beauty and see what they have so you could see the difference. I would also ask them what is their return on electrical items.
Hope this helps! :)
Kathy
Hello Kathy!! My name is Jalisa and I have a question about gel and acrylic nails. I currently have arcylic nails on my nails but I want to start getting gel nails (I have never had them before). Is there a waiting or pre soaking process that I must go through ahead of time and if so how long? Or can I just remove the acrylic from my nails and then get a gel manicure after?
Thank you so much.
P.S. Your Blog is so helpful.
Hi Jalisa,
You want to know how to change from acrylic nails to gels.
So here is what I would do.
If your nails and acrylic are in good shape. I would recommend just having the acrylic thinned down at your next nail appointment and start having gel over the acrylic.
In a few months all of that acrylic will have grown off and your nails will become all gel nails.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks for your complement and for reading the blog! :0)
Kathy
I have a scratch on acrylic nail from doing dishes is there any fixes tried buffing made it worse it covers up the color
Hi Krista, You would like to know how to fix a scratch in an acrylic nail.
I'm not sure what you mean about the color. I think you are saying that when you buffed the nail it messed up your color.
So here is what would need to be done (if the scratch is not too deep) you could file it until the scratch is gone and buff smooth, then reapply your polish.
If the scratch is really deep it may have to have more acrylic added.
Hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions.
Good luck with the nail! :0)
Kathy
Hi, I was wondering what MMA damage to a nail might look like. I have one fingernail that is peeling horribly in layers, in some parts there is only a small amount of nail left there, and pitting in a couple places. The rest of my nails are perfect which is why I don't believe that it is nail fungus. I recently read an article about the dangers of MMA and I have been to a salon that gave me a set of acrylic nails and they filed the top of my nails and used one of those motorized files on it. And the powder and liquid they used were just in unmarked little jars.. Does this sound like it could be MMA damage, or something else?
Hi, You would like to know about MMA damage to the nails.
MMA was intended for the dental industry.
Most of the time the problem with MMA on the nails are that the product is very hard and almost impossible to remove from your nails after the curing time.
So say if you hit your nail on something the nail should flex. With MMA instead of the nail flexing, it would be more likely to rip the nail or cause the nail to lift away from the nail bed. The reason for that is because the MMA is so hard it would not give in to the trauma.
You mention that the products were not labeled. I think in most states the law requires all products to be labeled. In saying that it doesn't stop a salon from doing it.
You say that all of your nails are fine except for one and that it is peeling horribly in layers, in some parts you only have a small amount of nail left and you don't believe it could be a fungus.
The condition of your nail could be for several different reasons.
It could be from things such as, over filing the nail before the product was applied or if it is MMA and you accidentally hit the nail it on something it didn't flex and instead it caused the nail to lift from the nail bed and just because it's only on one nail would not rule out a fungus.
It sounds like you should get the nail checked out by your doctor. That is the only way to truly know what is going on with your nail. The sooner the better!
I hope this helps.
Kathy
I read another article of yours about how to shape your nails, but I find that some of my fingers have a smile line but my other fingers just have a straight line. Now I'm not sure what shape my nails should be cause they all look different. I would love to know what you think. Thanks!
Hi, You would like to know more about shaping your nails and say that the smile line is different on each of your nails.
The best way to decide on shaping the free edge of your nails is more by looking at the shape around your cuticle area.
For example: If your cuticle area is square you would shape the nail more square and if the cuticle area is oval you would shape them more with the oval look and so on.
The diagram is done with the smile line painted on as a French Manicure for you to see how you would paint the free edge area to blend with the shape of nail that you choose.
So if the cuticle area on a couple of your nails are a little different and you wanted to do a French Manicure, you could paint the smile to match the shape of nail you choose.
Hope this helps!
Kathy
Is there a difference between pink and white / pink and white gel nails? I didn't think there was... I actually heard that they're both the same thing one they just add a gel coat and charge you way more. I've always gotten pink and white gel, and today I just said pink and white (which I think I've said before to a bunch of different nail techs). The powder applying process was the same, but she only put a regular top coat on them, I didn't go under the UV light, and they're almost transparent, I can see the whites of my natural nails. The white is not vivid/bright at all. Is there a difference or did she just do a shabby job?
Hi,
You ask if there is a difference in pink and whites and the answer is yes. You can have pink and whites in gel, acrylic, shellac, polish etc.
I don't know what the salon may have put on you but here is what I am guessing they did.
Many salons think of pink and whites and think acrylic because for many years that was mostly the way the pink and whites were done.
I think they may have done acrylic with a regular polish on top, I would think they would at least used a good uv top coat to finish and help the nail last longer.
As far as the color goes, most of the pink and white products on the market today have different whites and pinks for you to choose from.
So to round it up, I think it was a lack of communication and they should have given you a choice on what product you prefer and also what colors of white as well as pink you wanted.
Also the white should always be applied back beyond your natural nail line and not be visible for many days.
I would look for another nail tech and make sure they are interested in giving you the service you want and are paying for. :0)
Hope this helps, Kathy
Ask The Nail Tech
Hi! I have natural nails that are overall healthy and strong however when they get to a certain length the nail on my middle finger starts to curve under, only on one side of the nail. It's always on the same side and it makes the nail look awkward and hard to shape. Any thoughts on what the issue might be?
I understand what you are talking about as I have few nails that also tend to curl a little and it drives me nuts.
It is probably just the way your nails grow.
While there is no real fix for a curved nail there are a couple of things I noticed that help them look a little better.
1) Sometimes Soaking them in a good warmed cuticle oil and keeping the cuticles pushed back can help some.
2) Another option would be a gel applied on top of your nail to help to disguise the look.
In saying that here is what I think you should try first.
Because sometimes what is called the hyponychium ( Looks like skin attaching under the white part of your nail.) will attach to the nail beyond the free edge causing it to pull downward in some areas.
So soaking your nails in a good warm oil and gently keeping the cuticles and the hyponychium gently pushed back can help. Make sure to be very gentle and not to break the skin under your nail when doing so. (It can be very painful).
You could also try to find a reputable nail tech to assess them and do it for you for a few weeks.
Reapply a good oil throughout the day.
Solar oil by CND is a really good cuticle oil.
Hope this helps,
Kathy
How do I get my nails to stop peeling? I've tried just about everything!
Hi Anon,
You ask how do you get your nails to stop peeling and that you have tried just about everything!
I would need a little more info about your nails and the products you have tried, how long did you use the product and so on.
Here are a few things to think about that may help......
Are your nails hard and peeling or are they soft and peeling?
Are your nails flexible or do they break easily?
Do you use your hands in a way that could be causing trauma to the edges of your nails? Sometimes we don't even notice things we do with our nails that could be harming them,
especially at the edges.
The way we file our nails can also play a big part in peeling.
Do you have a job that requires a lot of hand washing?
Do your nails tend to be dry? I cannot stress enough how important hydrating the nails can be.
If using a nail product like Nail Tek a lot of times people will stay on the first product they start with and don't realize that after starting on the program and your nails are doing better you will eventually need to switch off of the product you started with and start using the maintenance product that is for normal healthy nails.
I could go on and on but I think the best thing to do is find a referral to a good licensed nail tech in your area, they should be able to assess your nails first and recommend a solution that would be best just for your nails.
It takes time, faithfulness and patience but the reward of beautiful nails is well worth the effort.
Here is a complementary link to Nail Tek if you would like to read more about the different types of nail problems and what product might work best for you.
While peeling nails can be a problem, there are things that can help most nails from peeling.
Hello,
I've been getting fills on gel nails for the past three months or so. When I first went in for a full set, my nails were short so they used glue and tips. I hold my fingers to lighting regularly to check under the polishes for any dark spots, and try to keep under my fingers clean as well.
This past week I noticed that underneath the nails, my natural nail is peeling and wavy, probably because they are dry, from the remaining glue and fake tips. My natural nail is almost long enough that by the next time I go in, all the fake tip will be a thing of the past, but i'm worried that the separation between the tip and my nail, as well as its shape being weird, is a health risk?
I don't know how else to explain it, I do have pictures! I'm unsure how to provide the picture though!
How do I hydrate my nails underneath as well?
Hi,
You ask about peeling under your nails and some separation between the tip and your nail.
As long as the separation is not your natural nail separating from the nail bed you are probably right and it probably is the last of the tips and glue growing off.
When you go for your next appointment your nail tech will probably (should) remove everything that has lifted and apply fresh product over your natural nail or give you a good manicure.
Just make sure you address your concerns of the lifting.
For the hydration, I really like the CND Solar Oil and they even have a really small bottle that you can carry with you.
Hope this helps
Hey! Tons and tons of information here. Thank you so so much! I am having an annoying dilemma and I need help. When using plastic nails to make a press on set, what can be used to make the nails harder/more durable that isn't acrylic?? I make these nice looking sets, but the nails bend if I bump into something or pick up something wrong. So annoying. I have tried Gelous nail polish but it doesn't harden it that much. Maybe gel polymer?
Hi Jess, You ask what you could use to make the nails more durable without using acrylic and the only thing I can think of would be something like a UV cured builder gel. Keep in mind that it is good for any nail product to have some flexibility because if you hit the nail on something it would have a little flex and not damage your natural nail.
Hope this helps!
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