Nail lifting from bed after mani!!

[LesserBohemian]

I’m in slight shock here. I had a manicure and polish last week, which I never normally do but had an event to go to.

I’ve just removed the nail varnish and my nails are lifting up from the nail bed about 1/3 down the nail.

Research tells me it’s onycholysis and can happen after an allergy to manicure products, along with fungal infection or vitamin deficiency but I’m pretty sure it’s the former.

Has anyone else had this experience? What can I do to help them heal?

I keep them short but I’m terrified they’re going to lift up and off with any pressure!

Anybody?

One of them is now pretty tender and red. I guess that means I could be entering infection territory and presume it’s possible to lose the whole nail if an infection gets bad.

I get this, in fact I have it now after having a gel manicure for a special occasion. It's shit and as far as I can tell nothing works other than cutting the nails as short as possible and stopping using any polish. I usually just buff with an electric machine and keep them looking nice with solar oil, but sometimes I really want to wear pretty colours

@ChristineBaskets I’m sorry to hear you suffer with the same issue. So it happens after you have a manicure, you just let it grow out and everything is fine until you have polish on again? How far do they lift?

I will be pleased if it is only short-term, even if it means no more nail polish ever. I’m just terrified right now that they will get worse or infected or drop off!

I sometimes paint them in pinky clear Sally Hansen stuff at home and I’ve had them manicured at the same salon once before (different beautician) with no issue. But I’m never ever doing it again.

I just popped in to the chemist and he said he’s never seen the nail lifting with no other symptoms like thickening/discolouration but fungal nail infections from salons are really common. I feel sick!

Probably caught an infection from dirty nail equipment. I'd call the salon to make them aware that they're not cleaning their equipment properly. Sorry this has happened. Hope it will get sorted soon!

Here’s some photos.

The white line used to be just a couple of mm.

When I first took the varnish off it looked fine but I cleaned under my nail with the edge of a file and the nail separated from the bed and created those enlarged white areas. I feel it would have easily lifted further than that had I not realised quickly and stopped.

I looked at the others, which all looked fine but I tentatively tried the same on the other one (second photo) which also lifted easily and widened the white. I’ve now got 5 like this.

Is this how a nail infection looks/starts?

Don' t panic.
Can you say what service you had? Was a hand file or electric file used? Did you have gel polish or traditional polish? Did they do anything unusual (did anything hurt?)?
You're right this is onycholysis - that just means lifting of the nail plate and yes it can be caused by an allergic reaction to a product or by trauma to the nail plate if they were rough with them.
You've had it looked at and it doesnt look sinister so I would say keep them trimmed short, keep filing to a minimum so as not to agitate them and keep them as clean and dry as possible. It will grow out but avoid all nail products until it's fine then patch test one by one to reintroduce.

You need to know what was used on you though and tell the salon.

They look exactly like mine do after I've had nail polish on. Mine have grown out about two weeks now, after I cut them very short.

I don't know if an infection would look different, but if you're worried you could go to the dr and they will send off clippings to be tested, I did that once (nothing came back from it).

This is what mine looked like when I first had the polish removed (gel). They were sore too, but felt better when I cut them as short as I could.

I had this after a manicure a few months ago.

I cut my nails short and soaked them every night in water with tea tree oil in it and it stopped it getting any worse. Can't tell now there was ever anything wrong with them.

@Shitonthebloodything Thank you so much for the info. I had a file, cuticle push and normal polish applied. She used both a hand and electric file so perhaps it could have been that. She also messed up two and had to wipe it all off and start again. I will definitely note what products were used to avoid in the future.

@ChristineBaskets Thank you for your photos, which are very reassuring that this is not some weird OTT reaction and give me hope that they will return to normal!

@MistressWeatherwax1 I will do the same and pray they recover as quickly as yours!

CRAP!

Today I knocked my nail on the table and this happened. It wasn’t hard, just an everyday kind of thing.

The nail has split and come away down the length of the nail almost to the bottom.

I hate this! I really hope it isn’t going to get worse.

I can’t believe all this was cause by a regular file and polish. I’m absolutely kicking myself.

I’d be worried you are going to get a fungal infection after that. Have you spoke to the manicurist for their opinion? I’m a mani veteran and never had this, although I only go to salons where I know hygiene and sterilisation of tools is good.
A fungal infection is hard to clear so if I was you I’d want some kind of diagnosis on what this is.

I had a gel pedi last year just before my holiday last year and had something similar on my toenails. I removed the polish very gently after 2 weeks but my nails underneath were just wrecked. In the end I just had to keep cutting them really short and grow them out. I wouldn't have a salon pedi again and have even stopped using Seche Vite - love the look but it is so harsh on your nails.

Can you use a really good nail oil if they're brittle, in combination with a rich hand/nail cream. I would be concerned about fungal infection too.

Ooh that looks sore! Poor you. I find solar oil very good to nourish nails.

I have had nail bed separation on my toenails too after polish, it's rotten isn't it.

Ouch! That looks so painful.

I recommend using a good nail oil (or coconut / sweet almond oil in a pinch) every night, then adding a thick coat of Vaseline on top. I use cotton gloves to help the moisture sink in, and so I don't leave greasy smears everywhere. Keep your nails cut short to try to avoid them catching on anything.

If this does develop into a fungal infection, Boots have a fantastic fungal nail kit that cleared up the fungal toenail I'd had since childhood. It's in a box with a nail polish style chemical and a few nail files (you have to file the surface of your nail so the chemical penetrates).

Good luck!

@Queenioqueenio It was at the poshest salon in town with the best reputation. The tools were in a jar of blue disinfectant and mine was the first appointment of the day.

They said they had never experienced this happening before and suggested it might be a rare allergic reaction and to see a chemist if it gets worse.

The chemist said to wait and see if any definite signs of fungal infection set in but he thought that it wouldn’t show up like this in only a few days.

@Popuppippa She did use seche vite - I wonder if it’s that.

@ChristineBaskets and @PippiDeLena Thanks for the oil and tips - I’m trying to keep them away from anything harsh. They feel quite sensitive when I wash my hands. I’ll look out for the solar oil.

Please please please let it not be fungus! (not envy). If it is, I WILL be going back to the salon and making a complaint!

lesserBohemian blue liquid sounds like barbicide - which is a disinfectant (fine).
If you do get fungal nail infection don’t faff about with painting stuff on or buying chemist stuff, get prescription strength stuff from a Gp. If it takes hold it’s hard to get rid of (speaking from bitter experience).

Will do @Queenioqueenio, thank you.

I'm surprised the nail tech used an electric file/buffer for a normal manicure, surely they are only needed on acrylic or gel nails, and when I say gel I don't mean gel polish I mean false nails built out of gel. Electric is far too harsh for natural nails, and really not necessary.

@Ukelou That’s what I thought it was used for. She used it on the skin on the long edge of my nails? I’ve never had that done before.

Three nails have now lifted/separated/delaminated slightly on the long edge. Perhaps it was that.

Just a thought when nails have all recovered orly do a range of varnishes called orly breathable they are free from 13 chemicals commonly found in nail varnish : Toluene, Formaldehyde, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor, Ethyl Tosylamide, Xylene, Triphenyl Phosphate (TPP), MEHQ/HQ, MIT, Parabens, Animal Derived Ingredients, Gluten, and cruelty free they don't need a top or bottom coat and also have oils and vitamins to nourish nails. I have used and like them they give good coverage and last. So if it is an allergy and not just rough treatment this might help.

Yes I've looked into these sort of nail polishes. Only thing is you still need to use nail varnish remover to get it off and that contains the same sort of ingredients I'm trying to avoid, plus I would imagine it wouldn't be as long lasting as regular polish so I would end up using remover even more often. I'd be happy to be corrected on this though!

That is true about the varnish remover but that would be on the nails much less time I suppose. I would use then wash hands thoroughly. I wonder if there is a kinder type of varnish remover that could be used? I have found it to be just as long lasting.

The varnish just as long lasting as traditional varnish I mean.

Found this haven't tried it but if it works?

DIY nail polish remover: Lemon Juice and Vinegar Mix –
Replace your acetone-filled, damaging polish remover with a simple, easy and completely safe home remedy. Take 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to it. Blend them well together. Soak your fingers for 5-10 minutes in warm water. Now, dip a cotton ball into this mixture and rub your painted nails with it gently. Spending 10 to 20 seconds for each nail will eliminate all the traces of your old polish efficiently.