Acrylic nails- what to do???

[Elouera]

Very 1st world problem I know. Acrylic with shellac on top. Do I let them grow out and try picking them off? Does acetone remove both acrylic AND shellac? Any other suggestions now that all the nail bars have closed.

I can't advise for sure, but I follow a lot of nail YouTubers and there are videos that will show you how to remove them safely.

Oh and nail care is very important @Elouera

Ooh, don't pick them off! Acrylic bonds to your nails and it will peel layers off and weaken them. Acetone will remove the shellac (file/buff the top first to break the seal) and I think the acrylic - but it will take a good while soaking to do and your hands will be dry afterwards so put some hand cream/cuticle oil on! If you really want them off it will be quicker to file the acrylic down to a thin layer before soaking in acetone. Putting a small dish of acetone in a bowl of hot water warms it and can speed it up.

I second Forever's suggestion of trying Youtube, there's lots and lots of nail techs out there with good advice. That's where I got most of mine from!

Can you get into nail salon tomorrow and soak off?

Mine were due to be infilled last Saturday , I went in an got taken off as I could sense would be nightmare to sort, 3 or 4 women in there thought I was crazy due to this worry over the virus shutting nail salons .if you can get in tomorrow if not, clip them right down and soak the rest off in acetone nail varnish .

Good suggestion @bogoblin, put mini bowl of nail polish remover inside bigger bowl of warm water, cover with flannel , soak 5 mins each hand alternating and file and clip slowly

@Gohackyourself- No where is open to get them soaked off! I'm in London, and walked past 3 places today that all had signs saying they were closed indefinitely.

Argh !
Could it be Sunday trade in London as it’s quiet they are closed.
Tomorrow could be open

I'm so glad I got mine removed last week.

I'm a mental health nurse so get away with them at normal times but this is an extraordinary time and I got them removed for infection control reasons. Having to do a lot of barrier nursing these days!

Order acetone and some nail wrap things online and give it a go.

The nail bar I used to go to has closed now for the foreseeable future.

You can remove them with acetone but it's likely that your natural nails will have been damaged by drilling and buffing and will feel sensitive and tear easily. You might find it more comfortable, as long as they're not lifting, to buff them down with a nail file to get them thin, so there's no ridge near the cuticle, then paint them with regular polish. They won't be as strong without the arch so it's important to shorten them too.

If they're lifting, though, remove them. You can get an infection if moisture gets between the artificial nail and the real nail, and you really don't want that.

@Gohackyourself- All 3 shops are normally packed on a Sunday, so its not just that they are closed on Sundays. They also had written notes on their doors indicating that they had closed indefinitely!

Will hunt my cupboard for acetone and a nail file.

You tumble has videos like one.

Grrrr you tube not tumble. Feckin’ autocarrot.

I had mine removed last week before my state closed all hair and nail salons. My nail tech wrapped each nail in foil with a cotton ball soaked in acetone. It took a good half hour to get the gel dissolved. She them cut my nails down. My hands were very dry so I have been moisterising them after each hand wash.

Ive been soaking my acrylics off for about 5 years. You need high acetone content nail varnish remover, cotton wool and tinfoil

1. Gently file the surface
2. Use acetone on cottonwool and secure on fingertips with tin foil
3. Soak for as long as you can bear (i do 20mins at least)
4. Take foil off and gently try to prod your acrylic nail off. If still too securely attached then resoak

Do one hand at a time.

My preference is just to have infills done, because I know I will pick at whatever is underneath! but unless I buy the stuff and do a crash course in applying acrylics myself, soaking off seems the only option.

Just to add coat your hands in olive oil/baby oil to stop the acetone completely drying them out.
I've removed my own before it's time consuming but my nails held up ok.

Yep, acetone soaked cotton wool with foil on top. Give them a while! Then cut your nails v short and pop some polish on.