QuestionWhat are the benefits of polymer, primer and monomer.
Thanks
AnswerHi Kristy. Well, you didn't really give me much to go on with this question so I'm going to try to cover as much as I can before you're bored to tears, ok?
Polymer is acrylic powder. Actually, all plastics are polymers, but in the nail industry we use the term to specifically refer to acrylic powder.
Primer is used to bond product to the natural nail. There are a LOT of different types of primers. Just like primer for painting-- it is a substance that is designed to bond two things together, in this case, natural nails and enhanement product.
"Traditional" primers are made with methacrylic acid. There's a lot of misinformation out there regarding whether acid primers "etch" the nail plate or not, but they ARE extremely acidic and can burn skin. So if you use an acid primer make sure it never ever touches the skin!
Non-acid primers are very popular right now, and I humbly admit that I don't actually know that much about the chemistry of most non-acid primers. I do know that most non-acid primers use protein as their bonding agent. The natural nail is made of protein, so protein sticks to it. Several companies have formalated non-acid primers that work very well with their systems and with the right techniques.
Monomer is acrylic liquid. There are few different types: MMA (bad,) EMA (good,) and HEMA --
MMA (Methyl Methacrylate Monomer)is dental acrylic, it gets used in industrial applications a lot. The FDA determined it was a "poisonous and deleterious substance" back in 1974 and declared it unfit for use in cosmetic applications (such as nails.) It is illegal in many states, but is still very popular because it is very cheap, and has a reputation for sticking to the nail like concrete.
EMA (Ethyl Methacrylate Monomer)is the cometic-appropriate alternative. It has been safely in use as a nail enhancement product for 40 years or more now. It has a low risk of sensitivity, but people can still develop allergic reactions to it-- so always make sure to work neatly and keep your products off the skin, yours as well as your client's!
HEMA is "hydroxy ethyl methacrylate monomer" is what most purple monomers are made of. HEMA offers better adhesion than EMA, so many companies introduced HEMA formulas several years ago. It does have a slightly higher risk of sensitivity, so it's even more important to keep it off the skin.
All the products you asked about fit together to make a full acrylic system. I personally, remain a dyed-in-the-wool acrylic fan. It is still the most versatile product on the market, with the most amount of information available.
Acrylic isn't for everyone, but it's as close to a one-size-fits-all product as the industry has to offer at this time. The aesthetic pros and cons are in the hands of the artist. You can creat thin, natural-looking enhancements, or outrageous art-nails. Acrylic can be done beautifully, or it can end up a total disaster-- it really has everything to do with the nail tech.
