Should I or shouldn't I get acrylic nails done???

[Movingforward123]

My nails are rubbish anyway, I always think I wont get them done as they ruin your nails etc, but mine are rubbish anyway!

I think I can get them done for around £10-£15 so doing that every 3 weeks would be manageable!

So do you think I should do it or not? Also im going to a wedding this weekend and they are all broken at the moment

[carrie74]

I had acrylics done once. Never again. Rimed my nails, and it takes a LONG TIME for them to recover. OTOH, I've been having Gelish nail varnish done approx every 3 weeks. My nails grow fast and strong underneath, and no damage. Plus gorgeous shiny nails that last 3 weeks. Hurrah!

[monkeysmama]

I have mine done. I take them off about twice a year (obviously I have different sets in that time) but if you're going to have them for long term why does it matter what your normal nails are like?

[miggy]

Another no, had mine done for a special holiday and though they were lovely, they ruined my nails for about six months, it was horrible

[Movingforward123]

I had the gel nails done before but it cost £30 and after a week and a half started to chip but they were lovely while they were on!

[Branleuse]

i had them last year and they looked fabulous.

I stopped getting them as my nails are very fast growing and after 7-10 days there was quite a visible gap, so the upkeep was becoming quite expensive.

However, for some reason, my nails seem to be growing a lot better and have stopped flaking and chipping, even without the acrylic.

[Littleturkish]

Oh good lord no! Try strengthening solutions and supplements instead. Do you drink a lot of water?

[Movingforward123]

Yes I drink a lot of water, I have used a really good nail strenghtner before which was quite good, but my nails have always been weak and it never really gets them to a strong enough level!

[ceramicunicorn]

No don't do it, I've never seen acrylics that look nice. Another vote for gel manicures.

[Binfullofmaggotsonth45]

Get the gel ones but avoid any kind of false nails that involve using a drill to file down your nail surface. These can damage the nail bed and cause permanent ridges.

Short square nails look better with strong nail polish colours anyway. As long as they are an even length.

[freddiefrog]

I had acrylics with gel over the top about a year ago and my nails were absolutely fine.

I still get them gelled every 3 weeks, but the acrylics grew out after a couple of months. The gel keeps my nails quite strong so they don't break, I can't bite them and never had it chip.

[Piemother]

A drill??? I've had loads of acrylic nails over the years in various salons and never seen a drill!
I have acrylics in now and I love them but gelish and it shellac is amazing! The acrylic nails done in a square shape with a dark gel polish look lovely IMO and look nicer because you can't see the nails lifting up around the edge when they have been in a cour of weeks. I have them done about every 2.5 weeks

[Littleturkish]

Bio sculpture is a good strengthening nail system. But it is trial and error, I find, with shellac/gellish etc

[Binfullofmaggotsonth45]

By drill I mean the electric machine a lot of the cheaper salons use to take down the nail surface to a thin level. So they are almost drilling down the surface of the nail.

My SIL is a nail technician and tells me that some of these practices and chemicals are being banned in the US but still being used in the UK in cheaper salons. They can permanently damage the nail bed if overused.

Most reputable salons will just buff the surface of your nail smooth for adhesion, not grind half of it off.

[Binfullofmaggotsonth45]

www.alibaba.com/showroom/professional-nail-salon-drill.html

[scarlet76]

Agree with others. It was a faff getting my nails back into decent condition after acrylics.
My nails also grow fast and I really didn't like the look of them as the started to grow out. I would probably have needed to get them done every 10 days to be completely happy.
I would honestly try getting your own nails into better condition. spend the money on a good manicure and aim for a short 'sqoval' shape. I regularly have a file and paint at my local salon for around £10. Strong colours like blood reds look good as do paler nudes / pinks. My nails always look neat and there's no damage.

[Fanjounchained]

Had them done about 8yrs ago for a year or so and never again. My nails aren't the strongest anyways but the acrylic completely and utterly ruined them and they were like tissue paper.

I now use Nail Magic from Sally's. Think it's about a tenner for a relatively small bottle but it lasts ok. Also use a Leighton Denny crystal nail file which is great. My nails are short and kind of square and in the best condition they've ever been in now. For the first time ever I've had compliments on them.

[womblingalong]

Definitely no.

[ifancyashandy]

No. They never ever look natural. Horrid look. Very Kat Slater...

Grow your nails short and square. Get Bio-sculpture as a colour and your nails grow stronger. Not a fan of Shellac, think it weakens nails.

[Piemother]

What's nail magic?

[countrykitten]

NOOOOO!!! They look really.....nasty. And very cheap. Be classy and avoid at all costs.

[Fanjounchained]

Piemother - it's a nail hardener type thingy...It's the best I've tried.

[lesmisfan]

I have had them for years as gels don't stay on my nails. I have them very short, as short as they can go and dark and they look lovely, not cheap and nasty at all. They last 3 weeks and I would highly recommend especially if your natural nails are not good.

[jackstini]

I think gel polish is better - have done my own for past few months and it only works out at about £3 a go now every 10 days or so

Really easy to do and I am careful taking it off - no salon drills!

[thefarmerhasawife]

Gel all the way! I had acrylics done once and it took me

12 months to get my nails back to normal once I'd had them taken off. Never again! My nails were in an atrocious state after. Had gels done after and it's so much kinder to your nails. No drilling and filing!

[Me23]

Sorry if I'm being ignorant here (have had false nails once over 10 years ago) but is gel a false nail? Or is it just a type of polish they use over the nail? I want to get my nails done I want them to look natural so quite short. Also how to you get them off? As after a month I will need to remove them due to area of work I will be in.