QuestionHi I have a friend who claims she's been wearing gel nails for three months (going in for periodic refills) and them she removed them and found that her natural nails are split down the middle. she's been putting on nail strengthener but with no results... can you tell me what caused this and how to help?
AnswerHi Rosy-
Sounds like tips were too small, or gel was applied too thinly or not cured properly.When undersized tips are applied they have to be flattened out to fit the nail bed arch.....this pressure on the tip can cause it to pop off or crack vertically down the middle as you describe.....just as most women in the world wear their shoes 1/2 to 1 full size too small....most techs undersize tips that same range or more....if you had been doing acrylics previously, the strength and non-flexible nature of the acrylic was holding the tip in line......but that does not mean acrylic is better!!! Under-sizing tips w/ acrylic leads to problems of sidewalls pulling away and nail separating from the tip and the acrylic at the free edge and on the sidewalls.
The best remedy is to keep the nail short enough so that the split doesn't start. Once it has started to split into the nail bed, a patch of some sort is called for to prevent further splitting which can be painful. I like to use U-V gel and fiberglass to repair the split. This sort of patch is very natural looking, very thin, and will last a long time.The other options, depending on the needs of the client, are an overlay enhancement of almost any type (such as fiberglass, acrylic, or gel), or an enhancement extension with a tip overlay or a formed sculpted extension with acrylic or gel. And of course prevention, client education, and home maintenance (filing snags before they get out of hand, moisturizers, etc) are always key components :)
Good Luck
amber
