Acrylic nails. Ok or damaging?

[mckenzie]

I've never had them. DD is asking to have them for the summer. She can't normally grown her nails much because of netball and she is saying she'd like some length 'for a change'.

I'm not in favour but said I'd do some research.

The good old internet is telling me that as long as you use a fully qualified technician and have them professionally removed, they won't damage the nail.

What's the Mumsnet view please?

TIA

My Dd gets them every summer. Like your dd, she plays netball so usually has to have short nails. Her nails aren't damaged, but like I said she only gets them once a year. All the nail shops around here were heaving on the last day of term!

Acrylic nails are very damaging to the nails

They are also very "labelling" in the sense of - well, labelling. Not a good thing to do IMHO. Plus it costs a bucket to get your nails ruined in order to look chavvy.

Mind you I haven't yet succeeded in getting DD out of the habit of ironing her hair. That's massively bad for hair and her hair has a lovely natural curl which looks piles better than this ironed-flat-to-the-skull look she is currently cultivating. She has however thankfully grown out of acrylic nails.

Well, none of the ‘high end’ beauty places in my small city do acrylics. You have to go to the nail bars. I know this because my teenage DD wanted them and we did a tour of the nice nail and beauty places. They all said that they didn’t do it because it wasn’t great for the original nails.

Acrylics are terrible for your natural nails. Gel extensions or bio sculpture are a much better option.

Thanks for all the replies.
It would be a one off for the summer but I like the idea of getting her to ring the reputable, decent looking beauty salons that we have around here to see if any of them do acrylics.
I know that they don't; she'd have to go to the Chinese place on the 'other side of town'. I wonder if that might be enough to dissuade her rather than me actually saying 'no'
Worth a try huh?

All acrylics damage nails but please don't go to a Chinese shop, they use stuff that really does damage the nails.

All acrylics/gels/overlays damage the natural nail. The nail needs to be buffed for anything to adhere to it. BUT if it's a one off I don't see the problem because the damage will grow out.

I used to get them done when I was a teen. They left my nails so paper thin. I haven't had them done in a minimum of 5 years and my natural nails are still a lot thinner than other peoples.