Recommendations for natural looking false nails

[SewingBees]

Side effect of chemo - my nails are peeling off. They'll grow back but in the meantime they're very ugly and I'd like to get false ones. But I've never had any kind of false nail before and I have no idea why to go for. I'd like them to be shortish and natural looking as I never wear nail polish. Recommendations please.

I should say I'll be going to a salon to get them done - there's no way I'd attempt false nails myself!

Hi

I'm
Sorry to hear you are having this side effect from your chemo. My lovely mother in law has the same.

I suggested she come with me to get acrylic nails done.

Unfortunately when she asked her chemo team they said she wasn't to do it due to risk of infection.

If you are finished with chemo you could ask a nail salon for manicure and ask if they could use builder gel rather than acrylic (this is kinder to natural nails).

Most only use acrylic though, and it is very rough on nails. You might be better off getting a good manicure and using oils to promote healthy growth.

Please do ask about this if you are still having chemo x

I personally think that if you are going to the effort of false nails you should go the whole hog and get a beautiful colour.

I have a ridiculously sensible job, but have kick arse nails. Not long nails but always bold colours - navy / bugandy/ grey/ blood red/ anything really other than pink.

It gives me a wee moment of joy looking at them when having a rubbish day.

Hope the chemo goes well. Be kind to yourself and do whatever you can to give yourself a smile.

If you go to a salon, ask for
natural looking acrylics. Or you could get some stick on ones from Superdrug/Boots which would last a week and would allow your nails
To grow.

I get acrylic over my own nails, which allows my own nail to grow underneath not sure if this will work for you

Thanks for the replies. Chemo is over (thank goodness) so no infection risk to worry about.

Manicure is not an option as my nails have peeled off right to the quick - they look like they're really badly bitten. I'm sensitive to their appearance because I bit my nails badly as a teenager. Funnily enough the lack of hair/eyebrows/eyelashes doesn't bother me as much.

So it sounds like acrylic is the way to go. Will my nails grow back ok underneath?

And I may go with the suggestion of a colour - why not!

I feel your pain, OP. I finished chemo last year and my nails have all of a sudden become very weak (having been totally fine throughout treatment!).
I'm going to try builder gel as it's been recommended to help nails in bad condition.
Hope treatment and recovery are going well x

I went from acrylic to builder gel it looks more natural (to me) I keep them short and have a natural pink. Much prefer it to acrylic and takes less time to do them.

@wildflowerbees does builder gel work where the nail is right down to the quick?

[quote SewingBees]@wildflowerbees does builder gel work where the nail is right down to the quick?[/quote]
They can use forms to make the nail longer but you can have tips applied and builder gel on top. Mine last a month before I get them re done. I have a horse and I'm not careful so far they've lasted really well.

@SewingBees have a look on Instagram at the gel bottle inc. lots of lovely ideas on there

[quote WildFlowerBees]@SewingBees have a look on Instagram at the gel bottle inc. lots of lovely ideas on there [/quote]
Thank you, I will.

My nails grow fast but never attain length because they peel, I use ‘bluesky’ hard gel on them and find it great.

Goes on exactly like polish, 1 coat of base, 1 coat of hard gel, 1 coat of topcoat.

Very, very natural looking and easy to do yourself with a nail lamp.

You can’t add length like you can with builder gel or acrylic but I find it protects them so well they grow with no problems.