Is it OK for kids to "get their nails done"???

[LostTheCoat]

Teenage DD just called to ask if she could (she's out and asked me on the hop). I don't even know what it means tbh (I've never even painted mine!).
Help?!

I would imagine that is at least gel nails if not having acrylics put on. It's about £40 where I am to have a set of acrylics with gel nail polish so has she got that kind of money on her?

How old is she and who is paying for it?

A teenager in the summer holidays - yes, absolutely fine.

But I would suggest only from a reputable place (there are a lot of nail bars staffed with victims of human trafficking and use substandard materials which are best avoided).

Thank you all. Very helpful. So expensive!! She will have to discuss and work for that money....

So WIBU to say I need to find out about the place first? That she can't just borrow the money and go ahead??

That’s totally reasonable. She hasn’t got the money and you haven’t had a chance to help her check it’s a good place to go. So it’s not a ‘no’ it’s a ‘not today’.

Yes. Some use really toxic chemicals or file the nails to absolute bits first and wreck them.

Not to generalise at all - but in my area there are a few Vietnamese nail salons that are very cheap but do the above, and there has also been mentions that some staff are working there illegally. Definitely go to a reputable salon or person and check reviews first. You can get infections etc with gel nails if they aren't applied properly too.

@KiwiJane504
What do you mean about filing the nails too much please, do you mean on the actual nail or file it down in length. How can you get infection with gel nails?

Op I don't know about gels but longer nails stuck on can cause a lot of problems.

How old is she? I think a lot of salons say minimum age 16 for gel/acrylic. Or at least the salons i've been to do.

Depends what she means. I've taken my 4yo to "get her nails done" - they just wash and file them and put on a coloured nail polish like the kind you can buy to use at home.

They last somewhere between two and three weeks. What is she intending to do at that point? They will need to be properly removed or replaced (more expense).

How old is she? I finally gave in to 13 yo Dts to get acrylics but they had to pay for them. I had to go into the salon and sign waivers. They went to a proper salon not a people trafficking nail bar.

Oh, I think I misunderstood your thread! If it was my DD I'd say she could get her nails done ie shaped and painted but no gels or acrylics.

Is it for an occasion OP? You can buy good polish OPI. I've had gel done for my hands it's £15/£20 also.

Filing them too much happens when inexperienced or overzealous nail technicians use the electric file thing, and they take the nail down to paper thin. It wrecks your nails and can be very painful. However if you go to a reputable person they'll either not use this, or know how to use it properly and won't file your nail down too much. I was referring particularly to the cheaper salons where I have experienced this.

The infection can happen because some gel nail varnishes have toxic chemicals in them, you can Google all about it but essentially can cause nails to get damaged, fall off and all sorts if someone applies this incorrectly. Can also happen with DIY kits using those cheaper polishes from Amazon etc.

I'm not a nail tech though I do my own nails now, but I only buy the polishes without those chemicals in and make sure to clean any polish that does get on my skin immediately.

If it's just regular manicure and polish obviously there is no risk of any of this happening though 😊

A waiver has no legal standing but indicates that they know there are health risks associated with the procedure. So, not a good salon, in my view. Plus their insurance cover will be void if they’re using waivers, so they’re not insured either!

Of all the things to do with your child, this seems ridiculous. When they get to teenagers they are influenced by others but they aren’t at 4. Rod and back…..

I wouldn’t risk it for a teenager as allergies to gels and acrylics are on the increase according to my consultant dermatologist.

I was getting my gel nails done regularly but developed an allergy which initially was itchy finger tips. It got worse and I started having asthmatic symptoms.

I have since been allergy tested (patch tests on your back) and I’m allergic to methacrylates amongst other things, which are used in teeth and bone surgery so it’s actually pretty serious. Methacrylates or versions of them, are the main ingredient in acrylic and gel nails.

@KiwiJane504 thanks.

I think methacrylates was one of the chemicals I was referring to. BTW there are brands that don't have these chemicals in. Most of the salon brands do though, which is why it's important to go to a respectable place. And why I don't tend to use them on myself or do anyone else's nails - then the risk is minimal to just me and using the safest products.

HEMA is the word I was looking for, this is what the chemicals are commonly referred to as.

You can research which brands contain this or not as they have to state this legally I believe.

Dd is 14 and her and most of her friends just get polish and shape, often biyab which is just a builder gel on top of own nails. I'd not automatically assume it's acrylics etc

@PotNoodleNancy sorry 'parental consent form', not a waiver.

It’s normal for kids of 8+ here to get their nails done for holidays etc, same time as their DM etc.

My DC picks it off immediately, so it’s a waste of money so we don’t, but I’d have no issue with it if she didn’t.

Ridiculous? Why? It's no different to taking her to the hairdresser or to get henna or her face painted. It's hardly a "rod for my back" if it's something we both enjoy is it?