To not accept an invitation to dinner because of what's growing underneath my friend's acrylics?

[BucksFrizz]

I cannot bear the sight of natural nails underneath false ones. They're brown, look dirty and must be harbouring all sorts of germs.

Can anyone explain why people spend £££s on acrylics, when they look completely foul from the palm side up.

Is it because she doesn't have them 'done' often enough?

If you have the acrylic built directly onto the nail there is nowhere for the dirt to collect, but if they have put a plastic tip on first, the curvature of the top causes it to lift away from your natural nail if it is flatter, and that is where the dirt lives.

I was once an acrylic addict, but the grossness off the hidden dirt helped me to break my habit.

I had mine done for my wedding, and taken off soon afterwards. I don't actually think it's dirt- mine looked yellowish rather than brownish, and continued to look like that when taken off. It's discolouration from the glue, I think- I had washed my hands and I certainly gave them a good wash when the nail was removed but they still looked a bit nicotine-stained for a while, so I covered them with polish.

Anyway- if someone is cooking you something that will ultimately be baked or boiled, I wouldn't worry too much. Short of kneading bread, I can't think of a form of food prep where food comes into contact with the underside of nails.

YANBU, they're grim and I've never seen a set that don't look cheap and tacky. Acrylics are so out dated, let alone minging with all the grime. Nice, neat, natural painted nails look so much nicer though I don't know anyone who gets acrylics any more.

I used to have acrylics and never had dirty fingernails. Some people are obviously just skanks. But then they'd be skanks with or without acrylics.

I believe that people who wash up by hand, so have their nails frequently in warm water with detergent, will have less fingernail grime. It certainly helps your jewellery to sparkle.

Yoko me too! I can't even bear clear polish.

How weird

I have long acrylic nails. They're super clean and hygienic. Nothing dirty or disgusting or yellowing at all.

Maybe you just have some dirty friends?

Just don't google it

Yanbu OP - it’s up to you.

But please send the invite to me as I am not terrified of a few “germs”

Ugh ugh ugh
I cannot for the life of me understand fake nails. Why????

I seriously dislike nail polish let alone fake nails....it creeps me out. My problem entirely!

I don't think you are in danger from fake nail germs though OP....at least not in more danger than just generally moving about in public coming into contact with people.

Don't like the look as it just screams false nails but talking about hygiene, I won't even have a cup of tea comfortably in a friend's house as she has dogs and while I enjoy her company I shudder to put it mildly at the hygiene in her home, kids are often ill too! However, we all take risks, people who don't wash their hands after using the loo or wash but don't dry make me horrified too!

Long nails give me the quease. I don't like to be sexist but they're worse on men. (Not that many men are in the habit of having long false nails; just long natural nails are rank).

Landed, what is it about washing but not drying that could pose a problem?

waterlego it is really important to dry your hands thoroughly after washing them but I can't remember why. Hopefully a microbiologist will come on the thread soon and remind us .

Falsies creep me out too. I was just at the gym and there was a false nail on the floor in front of me in the toilet. I nearly projectile vomited.

If you have acrylic layered directly onto your natural nail, there is no gap for dirt to get in to. Acrylics that are yellowing need re-doing, many people leave it too long before infills.
If you get the plastic tipped extensions, small gaps appear and dirt can gather there, otherwise acrylics are no harder to keep clean than natural nails.

Short nails are always best for hygiene - not that they can't get dirty, but they don't pick up nearly as much crud.

xeneth88 how rude are you? i dont know anyone that gets acrylics anymore....cheap and tacky...

Ok then...

It looks grim even when they aren't dirty

Some people do have nasty looking under nails. Others manage to keep it looking squeaky clean in there. It's a dilemma about the dinner. Suggest you go out somewhere instead?

A few bloggers have acrylics and when they swatch products you can see the discolouration/ grubbiness, turns my stomach and puts me off the product itself

I dislike long nails altogether but the fake ones are another level of grim. Far too many knooks and crannies for dirt to live.

SOunds like poor general hygiene - ive had them in the past and never had a dirty nail underneath

This is even worse than the "stuff I don't like in other people's houses as they are common and I am full of the tastefulness gene".