Fiberglass Nails: What You Need to Know (vs. Gel Nails)

Question
Hello Maggie,
is there a another name for glass fibre?
is it the same as gel nails?
many thx

Answer
Well, I'm more familiar with the term "Fiberglass" but either way, it's a fabric mesh made from very very fine "threads" made from glass.

It is absolutely not the same as the products that are accepted as gel by the majority of the professional nail industry, although it can be used in conjunction with gel products as a means of adding a little extra strength to the nail.

As a nail enhancement service, fiberglass is usually used in "wraps" in conjunction with cyanoacrylate resins (nail glue) to essentially glue the mesh to the nail. Using mulitple coats of the resin and layers of fiberglass. Silk wraps are also popular and the technique is the same, only using silk fabric instead of the fiberglass.

Gel products are usually used alone, applied one coat at a time and cured under ultra violet light in between each coat. Many nail techs use fiberglass, silk mesh, or even a little acrylic powder to add extra strength across the arch of the nail, but it is important to know that gel products are called gel because they are gels. Gels can range in viscosity from very thin and watery, to very thick like Jell-O, but are usually honey-like in their consistency. They are brushed on to the nail and cured under a UV lamp. Gel is never a powder, and gels are purchased in their gel form, they do not have to be mixed up by the nail tech to create the gel.