Is it ok to keep getting gel manicures?

[TheMarbleFaun]

I love the way my nails look after a gel manicure and I'm wondering if it's ok to keep getting them repeatedly or is it bad for your own nails?
Also what are infills?

I’m worried about this, I like dark colours and worried about no air or sunlight getting to my nails based on no actual scientific knowledge so I’m just having them done every couple of months. The chiselling it off must be weakening them too surely?

As long as you are having it removed and applied properly then yes it's absolutely fine. (If you are having them professionally done & an overlay rather than a extension.) Also make sure to keep using a cuticle oil.

It's the UV setting that is the big issue. It's like a mini sunbed for your nails, and comes with all the same risks of cancer. Once in a while is ok but it does damage the nail bed, thin the nails and weaken them.

That’s what I’m worried about too Magmatic!

I'm not a nail expert (only had them done once) but I agree the UV treatment + the constant filing down, removal process does seem like it could be damaging. Do you ever get them removed then leave them to air for a few days? How do your natural nails feel if you were to do that?

I’ve never done that siesta but I imagine professional removal would be a much better job than my own efforts lol

It's perfectly safe. Nails don't breathe and they don't need sunlight or air, they are made up of dead cells. You would need to have hundreds of treatments to get the equivalent UV exposure of a few hours in normal daylight. Same for LED light.

Untrue. Arch Dermatol. 2009;145(4):447-449. doi:10.1001/archdermatol.2008.622 D MacFarlane et al for an example. LED is a totally different, non-ionising radiation so has no place in this discussion. Before I get jumped on, I have a PhD in this stuff so I know whereof I speak.

I e been wondering about this too. So LED lamp curing is better than UV curing?

I never knew that about the UV lamps they use. I was getting acrylics done for a couple of years, had gels done a few times and much prefer them, acrylics have really damaged my already weak nails. Am never having acrylics again, will stick with gel extensions. Just can’t stand the sight of my own natural nails, even with taking the Perfectil supplements

OK, looking further into the wavelengths of light emitted by the LED curing lamps, they also emit ultraviolet in the UVA region. So still not good. However, they do cure a lot faster. Not sure if that's because of wavelength and chemical matching or because of higher intensity (this is bad).

I’m confused!

I’ve had mine done every two weeks or so for years. Never a problem but I do keep my nails short and use a nail oil.

The strength of the uv is the same as sitting by a window. It’s just focused.

Nails don’t need to breathe, th oxygen is inside of you or you’d be dead.

Doug Schoon is the man for this subject. He has written many articles on this.

I've been getting gels nails for longer than I can remember. There are no chemicals involved in the infill process they just file it back a bit the reapply the gel then paint them. My mails always look lovely and I get a full three weeks out of them before I need to have them infilled.

Done this for 4/5 years. My nails are fine

Been doing regular 2 week gels for about 10 years , on holiday now and manicurist complimented what good condition my nails are in so I don’t think you need worry

So are infills just new gel paint over the old gel? (Clueless sorry!)

Yes. They file off the colour and clip any loose bits then reapply gel so it fills in the gap that's grown. They then smooth it all and reapply colour.

Here is mine today which is about 10 days after I last had them done.

They look great Apollo