QuestionI had gel nails applied this afternoon, and am not impressed with the job they did. How can I remove them safely? The nails were not shaped properly before the gel was applied, and they look terrible. All I wanted was for a thin coat of gel as a protectant (almost like a nail hardener) and got a full set of nails (I can accept that). The top coat of gel can be scraped off and when I put my hand in my pocket to reach for my keys, there was lint from the inside of my pocket stuck to the sides of the nail (on some nails only). I want to take the gel off before I do any damage to the nails or get too frustrated and do something I shouldn't.
AnswerHi Maggie, did they speak your language! You seem to know what you wanted and if you had come to me and said that was what you wanted I would know, a "Gel Overlay." Simple as that. We already know you didn't get what you wanted, as far as we know you got gel nails, but this isn't sounding right to me. You shouldn't be able to scrape your gel off, you shouldn't have lint sticking to them. That in it's self could mean that they where using a pore quality product or they need to change their bulbs in the curing light.
Maggie, are you aware of non-standard salons(NSS)also known as discount salons? They often use an illegal product call Methyl-Methacrylate(MMA).MMA is an ingredient in acrylic that was band from the nail industry in most states. How much did you pay for your Gels? If you payed under $35 to maybe even $45 dollars for a full set, then you may not have even gotten gels like you expected. Some NSS salons use MMA acrylic then apply a really cheap gel over top and call them gels. These are not real Gel nails, gel nails come in a "hair gel" form which is then applied to the nail and cured under a light and acrylic comes in a combined liquid and powder form dried by air. Using MMA with their gel nails is a way for them to save money because MMA is so cheap. Another common name for these is Crystal Nails. Other names for just regular MMA nails in Porcelain Nails or Solar Nails. If you where getting gel nails, there should not have been an odor at any time during the procedure. If there was let me know.
If you could follow up with me so I can know what services may have been done. If this is an illegal product, then you are going to have to have them removed a completely different way than if they where regular gels. And you are going to have to find a technician willing to take on the challenge. If its real gel nails "or" so called crystal nails, you yourself cannot remove either of them. You could cause damage to your nails if you do so.
If this turns out being something Illegal, can I get any info or website from the salon to report them to the board of cosmetologists?
Let me know Maggie. Thank you!
Jeannie
PS Go here to learn more about MMA and NSS tell a friend: http://www.nailsbydesign.homestead.com/MMA.html
