To lament the loss of my nails *lighthearted*

[Travis1]

I have spent the last 12/18 months growing my nails and strengthening them with the help of my lovely nail tech. I now have pretty nails every 3 weeks - the only remotely feminine thing about it - but now she has to close.

AIBU to be absolutely devastated for what will surely be the loss of my nails and return to butchered hands?

What's eveyone else's first world problems at the moment?

My sister lives in NJ USA. they were on lock down before us. Nail salons and hair dressers were some of first businesses ordered to close.

My sister advised me to have my nails removed because as you know, if you don’t get infills done, you’re open to infection from water etc going under/between the acrylics and your nail bed. So I had them soaked off last week, cut very short and clear polish.

If you cut them down short, file into nice shape, they’ll soon grow back nice and strong. Keep moisturising your hands after washing and massage a little hand cream into your nails. They’ll look fabulous after this three week lock down.

I had my acrylics taken off for the first time in 7years last week. Virtually nobody even knew I had them because I had them very short and natural (as in best case scenario natural, not my actual natural ).

They feel pretty awful, very thin and fragile. I’m putting on a hard topcoat and wearing gloves as much as possible. It’s the most unimportant thing in the world but was quite a big deal for me.

I must add that the dirty bastards in the nail bar were moving between clients without washing their hands so I’m super glad they are closed and I will be going elsewhere in the future.

Yes, I did insist on her washing her hands but nobody else did.

These are my (natural) nails, my next appointment is mid-april, so screwed by the lockdown! They’ll be talons by the time my replacement appointment rolls round, my beautician is always fully booked - not surprising, she’s amazing! At least I’ll have to do my own nails, it’ll keep me amused...

Don’t make me think about what my brows will look like! I now have none of my “normal” left, I can’t go to work, I can’t socialise with my friends, now my nails, I know these are first world problems but I feel like life just ground to a halt overnight, scary times.
Thanks for this thread OP, a little light-heartedness is always needed!

Let’s look at the positives here, big supermarket type shops that sell food and chemists are still open. They sell razors, wax, false nails and lashes, nail varnish, hair dye, nail files.

So we have the option to do things ourselves. It’s a great opportunity to give our nails a chance to grow without extensions on them, and to save a fortune doing our own polish etc. And if we are isolating or working from home, and fuck up our beauty treatments only those at home will ever know...

I'm sad about my nails too. I have long acrylics and I can't do them myself.

Also annoyed that the supermarket had no Covent Garden soups which I like to have for lunch. And that I won't be able to get my weekly Costa coffee.

First world problems of course!

Never mind nails, I was due to have a lip wax today!

I work in the NHS, everyone will still see me! Luckily I have a bleach kit but it's ironic that all my male colleagues are having to shave for PPE and is women are getting hairier!

We are all going to sit in sweats all day with greasy hair and bitten nails.

When we are all allowed out again, we will look like the Walking Dead!

I’ve just taken off my nail polish using that bubbling remover. It worked fine on my left hand but fucked up the nails on my right - they were curling in at the sides, digging into the flesh!!!

I shave my chin beard as other hair removal methods gives me cysts, so I’m very thankful that I’ve got a few razors left!!

I have eyebrows that are black and grow like weeds....I’m going to look like Alastair Darling without my threading lady!

@Likethebattle you and me both!!!

At least we can all be bun loving, hairy messes together

@travis1 at least I never need to draw mine in lol. That would just look crazy, thanks dad for giving me your hairiness, my mum is blonde and doesn’t even need to shave her legs, could I not have inherited her genes!

I have given up wearing make up as staying at home, and was hoping my skin would become clear and lovely. Instead I have spots like a teenager! Seems my skin prefers being clogged with foundation

I'm fairly low maintenance, I cut my own fringe and my usual style is a messy bun/ponytail.
But oh my I love my gel nails, it's the only high maintenance thing about me

Thanks for the lighthearted thread OP, I was pondering this (in between worrying about the apocalypse of course) and wondering which of my colleagues will be sporting roots when we all go back.....
I recently took the plunge and started henna-ing my hair myself to cover greys and very happy with the results so at least can still do that, but it will end up very long. Ordered some acetone online and DIY took off my gel polish - that worked fine actually - just soaked cotton wool in it and put foil over top for 10 mins then scraped off, buffed etc - they're in better nick than when get it taken off at the salon!
Pluck my eyebrows myself so suppose all in all am fairly low maintenance BUT am not planning to attempt a DIY Brazilian......oh dear.....that is going to get out of hand. And will have to do a pedicure myself as well.

Why would you lose your nails? Just soak off whatever overlay you have on and then do a home manicure. Mine look exactly the same as when I have them done in a salon, never any breaks.

Lily193, some people have thinner nails than others. Mine are very thin and without some sort of overlay to strengthen them they will break below the free edge. I'm very jealous of your lovely strong nails.

(Yes, I have tried biotin, eating jelly, Nail Envy, Mavala, Solar Oil, jojoba, moisturising, Nailtiques... my nails just have fewer layers than most people's.)