Help! disaster after having a gel polish

[VixxFace]

Can anyone help with advice.

Had a gel polish (crap started Chipping after a few days) so had it taken off and didn't realise they use acetone. My nails were filed down and did hurt for a few days.

My nails are really weak and thin and keep breaking. One nail in particular is so thin and bendy and I feel it is going to tear off

I bought solar oil and I am taking hair nails and skin tablets but is there anything I can do to repair?!

will order that now thanks! I went back to remove it as I thought it was a waste of money. It was gelish not shellac
How long to go back to normal or is that a silly question?

My best advice would be to go and get another one done somewhere really good like nails inc. They will cover the nails until they have grown out, which can take a few months. Bad luck op

Your nails should not have been filed down after a gel polish. All that's required is to break the seal of the top coat with a hand file and then soaked in acetone, after cuticle oil has been applied to your cuticles and surrounding skin.

The best way is to soak a cotton pad in acetone and then apply to the nail, wrapping the finger in foil to keep it in place.

I'm sorry that you've had this horrible experience. I wouldn't recommend Nails Inc necessarily as their nail bars are extremely expensive (I'm talking £55 for a simple gel polish several years ago).

You're better off going to an independent nail salon, not one of the franchises, and asking about their procedures. Nail enhancements should NOT hurt, be it gel polish or acrylics or UV gel. If it does, the nail tech is doing it wrong.

I would advise you to get some kind of overlay on your natural nail (fibreglass/silk or UV gel maybe) which will help with the pain until your weakened nail plates thicken up again.

PS As a pp has referred to gel polish as shellac, can I just make the point that Shellac is a brand of gel polish, as is Gelish - it is not the generic term for all gel polishes. There are many fantastic brands which definitely last for several weeks. If yours started lifting after a few days, I can only assume that it was not applied correctly.

I guess that's why I recommended nails inc. I paid that too, but it was a sterling job.

Fair enough :)

My clientele would want me to do their housework for a month too for that kind of money :)

It matters to nail technicians :)

E-files should never be used on the natural nail - they can cause permanent damage in the wrong hands.

Awfuldaughter that doesn't sound right at all. I'm sure it isn't good to have your nails filed down like that.....

X post catelyn....

Soft gels like Shellac etc don't need filling off they will soak off with acetone (and time). Nail techs who file Shellac of are not doing it properly.

All you can do now is baby your nails. Wear clothes when doing any housework, oil regularly and use a treatment coat like the OPI Nail Envy (i use duri rejuvacote)

OPI Nail Envy is expensive but really great for weak nails. It has done wonders for mine. I think you would feel a difference in a couple of weeks. I also apply Flexitol Cuticle & Nail Cream every night. Make sure you wear gloves for cleaning/washing up as that will also help.

For future I would recommend having OPI Gel as it does not need to be removed with acetone. They are soaked in warm water and then buffed to remove the gel. Much better than Shellac IMHO.

Thanks for the advice everyone.
If I go to a salon and ask for an over lay will they just put something on top, but not buff or file my nails?

I use nail care cuticle care oil from boots and it's amazing. Also had crap gel experience - selfridges and lasted about five days before a couple of chips. I've given up with anything except French manicures now, as none of the exciting stuff seems to work on my nails.