QuestionRecently, I had two clients complain that two days after having acrylic nail enhancements, they experienced lifting. One client came for a refill to correct the lifting and ended up with a fungus. I'm very frustrated with my nail technician who normally does good work. What is the most likely reason for these poor results?
AnswerAh, lifting is the bane of the nail tech's existence! I can see why you, and your tech, would be so frustrated. But before do anything else, the first thing you want to determine is if the lifting is due to tech error, or client error.
In general, the main cause of lifting is improper prep of the nail plate. If cuticle, oils, or dust is left behind, lifting will likely result. Other causes are incorrect mix ratio of liquid to powder, and having the product seep into the sidewall and cuticle area, touching the skin. And lifting itself creates the risk of developing a bacterial infection (the greenies, or what is incorrectly termed "fungus").
Most of the time, these are mistakes made by new nail techs without developed product application skills. When it happens with a tech who has been doing excellent work previously, with no problems, it can be a bit more complicated to "diagnose". And your nail tech is probably as frustrated with the situation as you are. But because lifting after just a few days is uncommon after a skilled service, you should have your tech double check her prep practices.
1. Is she completely removing the visible cuticle from the nail plate? Use of a good cuticle remover can take care of this quickly and efficiently. Use a curette to gently scrape away the cuticle that is dissolved by the remover. Try CND Cuticle Remover for this step. It will need to be rinsed off thoroughly under running water.
2.Be sure to gently remove the shine from the nail plate with no more than a 180 grit abrasive. "Roughing up" is old school nail technology, and tends to damage the nail plate, which can also cause lifting later.
3.Use a good nail plate cleanser/dehydrator to finish the prep. The nail plate must be free of surface oils and contaminates in order for the product to adhere properly. CND ScrubFresh is an excellent product for this step, as it not only dehydrates, but leaves pathogen fighters behind, to help prevent bacterial growth underneath the enhancement.
4.Depending on your product, the mix ratio can be the trickiest part. If the bead is too wet, the enhancement will shrink too much as it cures, and will pull away from the nail plate (it also tends to run into the sidewalls, causing lifting). If it's too dry, it won't bond correctly to the nail plate, and will pull away. Perfect mix ratio will ensure proper bonding of the product to the nail plate. (if your tech is using a gel system, you can disregard this step.).
ALL THAT SAID: Often, when the tech has been doing a great job, and has had no problems in the past, it's a good idea to look at what the client is doing when she goes home. Some clients are simply too hard on their nails, and don't take proper care of them at home. They might be using their nails as tools, or not using their cuticle oil regularly, or not wearing gloves when cleaning, etc. And as I mentioned above, any time lifting occurs, it's an automatic opening for bacteria to get in and cause "greenies."
Please let me know if this is helpful, and feel free to ask follow-up questions!
Take care,
Elyse Perry
Elysium Nail Studio
http://elysiumnailstudio.electric-chi.com
