gel manicure, good or bad idea??

[happenedagain]

Just wondering how long it really lasts? And will my nails be ruined when I remove the gel if I use it for a long time?

Years ago I had acrylic nails and my nails were so weak after!

Also how much do u pay for the gel manicure? I've found a local place that does it for £27.

Would be glad to hear ideas on this, or if there is another way of making my nails look better...

i really liked it when i had it done, but you do need to use the special remover solution, otherwise it ruins your nails. Lasted a good couple of weeks, maybe more?

happened again I just had my first gelac manicure a week ago and I love it. Beautiful high shine finish. Think I paid £20 but that was on special offer. Will find out how much regular price is for you.

Yes you need to have it removed properly but it doesn't ruin the nail beneath from what i understand as long as it is removed correctly. A pad soaked in the solution is applied to your nail and then wrapped up for 10 mins.

It's sounding promising, but have heard somewhere that it last around 2 weeks and read elsewhere that it can last 4weeks!

I don't think I could afford 2 have them done every 2 weeks!

Mine can last up to 6 weeks.

Wow that sounds good, I'm going to have to try it... [Smile]

I got my first gel manicure before Christmas . I loved it. It lasted for 2-21/2 weeks.
I thought I will get these gel manicures all the time. When I wanted to remove the polish I was very surprised when I had to go the nail salon and have it removed. I had no idea. Since the polish was removed, my nails have been paper thin catching on everything. I guess my nails will have to grow out completely before This will stop. I doubt I will get another gm. So sad.

Suzie - I have had the exact same issue. I loved the manicure (as I said earlier in the thread :) ). However, when the polish was removed my nails were in a terrible state - brittle and dry :(

Nail tech seems to think it is because of my thyroxine meds but I am not so sure

I have to echo what Suzie and Tulpe said, I had two of these back to back over Christmas and new years they both lasted nearly 3 weeks my nails looked fantastic but once it was taken off my nails were dreadful, pealing, splitting etc, almost as bad as the one time in my life I had the aftermath of acrylics....

That said I might consider getting one of these again for a special occasion, they do look fab and last and the plus side is it dries immediately unlike a normal manicure which takes 2/3 hours to be properly dry.

It is a hassle though having to go and get it soaked off and they charged me £10 for the privilege....

my mum got hers done at xmas,they were gorgeous,she got the re-growth done after 3 weeks,but it was too long,she should really have had it done at 2 weeks,as you could see where the re-growth was,
cost her about £35 (she got french polish with gems),then another £17 for the re-growth.then they told her it would be another £15 to get them soaked off!!needless to say she took them off herself.her nails all broke afterwards and were awful,butthat could have been because she didnt get them soaked off 'properly'

I have had them done 3 times: twice gel nails and once the Jessica gel nails. My nails were always brittle afterwards and it took months to sort them out. I won't do it again.

I would never, ever, ever have anything like this done again! I had gel nails done last January at a local nail bar and paid about £30. They looked beautiful to stat with and I really thought I would maintain them and have permanently perfect-looking nails! That was until I went to have them re-done and saw the state of the nails underneath! MY nails were totally ruined, paper-thin and with digs and tears in the part over the actual nail-bed. It took 8 months of keeping my nails super short and using Nailtiques Formula 2 before the ruined nails had grown out. Whether it's gel, acrylic, expensive, cheap....it will not do your real nails any good!!