Do gel nails damage nails?

[upanddowns]

I've been having gel nails applied every 3-4 weeks since September. Should I be taking a break? Not really sure what my nails are like underneath .. by the fourth week the gel starts to come off, occasionally a nail breaks (I don't have them long).

I was thinking of having it removed and taking a break, but I hate how my nails look without polish and it just doesn't last.

Also what's the difference between gel nails and shellac? 🫣

Have you tried nail wraps?
I found polish always chips so now I use wraps, they last ages, are cheap and I do them myself in 5-10 minutes

I haven't tried them, no. Where do you buy them? I'm really rubbish at applying varnish due to poor eyesight. I usually have plain nails, are the wraps patterned?

I had gels on for 3-4 months, and my nails are absolutely fucked - they're ridiculously soft, break right down at the nail bed, and now I seem to have a fungal infection on one of them.

I had started using nail wraps at Christmas, I don't think they stayed on very long but they were easy to do and looked good.

Yes they damage your nails but as soon as my nails grow back they are back in good condition so I don't care that the gel damages them temporarily... If that makes sense!

I'm also interested in the nails wraps.

Yes they do damage your nails. I used to have gel polish on consistently. Now I leave my nails au natural and they're so much stronger took a while to come right

They don’t seem to damage my nails and I’ve been having them for over 15 years. That said, my nail bar doesn’t use any kind of electric drill / electric buffer to remove the colour or prep the nail / cuticle. Don’t know if that makes a difference.

I used to have them done every 2 weeks with very little breaks in between. My nails became very weak and soft. It was actually painful at times to get them done but it was slightly addictive. I stopped having them done a year ago and my nails are still recovering. If I want my nails done again I will go with a normal manicure and polish.

My nails aren’t damaged. I agree with the PP who said it’s all down to how they are applied and removed.

Yes they wrecked my nails and I don’t want the risk of UV exposure.

That's useful to know, thanks everyone. Where I've been going they remove the gel with a little electric sander/drill thing and I'm sure it's not good for them. I can't find anywhere that removes them any other way though.

I've been getting biab for a while now, it's like a flexible gel build-able nail varnish and it's taken off by soaking and my nails have literally never been healthier! It's minimal filing, only quite gentle buffing really.

Just if you wanted another option 😊

Thanks, I haven't heard of biab.

The posters who stated that it's the application and removal are correct.

Your salon should not be using an electric file on your natural nails, they tend to be far too aggressive. They can to remove the bulk of product, but should ideally be moving to a non electric or using acetone.

I do my own, and my nails are beautiful underneath because I use acetone to remove them. I've been doing gel colour and extensions in varying ways for 7 years.

Thanks. Do you use the foil wraps to remove the gel? I'd like to try to remove it at home in order to avoid the electric machine they use, but reviews I've read state it takes a long time and is very messy.

Yes gel and shellac ruin your nails…temporarily. I think it’s the acetone which ruins your nails. I have had both products for 12 months straight and once removed my nails were very soft. It took one full nail length (a complete new nail from bed to tip)before the nail returned to its original state. My natural nails aren’t super strong they crack in the corners and break easily but definetly worse after gel removed. The drills aren’t great but the acetone is terrible too

What about using press on nails instead. Does anyone know if these damage nails? I'm keen to give them a go

My nails are healthy but my salon doesn’t use files, they use acetone and I do take breaks. If I wear them for three months, I usually have a month off.

My nails are wrecked after 6 weeks of BIAB, they’re bending back beyond the quick, flaking off halfway down and 5 weeks after being removed they’re not improving despite using nail oil etc.
I assume it’s the acetone that’s done it.
Never again will I have gel or BIAB nails. I’m having to wear plasters on three fingers because of the nail damage.

I hate how my nails look without polish

Can I ask why? I’ve heard people say they ‘hate’ their natural hair, or the shape of their nose, and they might change them - but how can fingernails be so offensive to their owner? (I mean in the absence of some serious health issue that would take more than a nail salon visit to fix.)

I know intensively adorned nails are seen as fashionable or as self care (on MN, at least!) but there’s nothing wrong with simply having natural nails at the end of your fingers. (Beyond that, they’re there for a purpose, and it seems extraordinary to willingly destroy an important part of your body without good reason.)

But there’s nothing wrong with much preferring a nail with polish on.
I also have BIAB no damage to nail.
To remove gel use a nail file to rough up the surface of the nail. Cover with cotton wool soaked with acetone. Leave a few minutes then scrape off. If it doesn’t come easily then soak a bit longer.

It's generally the removal of product that ruins your nails and not the product. Efiles are notorious for damaging the nail plate if the wrong bit and technique is used - someone who knows how to use an efile won't damage the nail plate. I find leaving a thin layer of product on my nail before applying new product protects my natural nail plate and also means I'm not accidentally filing onto my natural nail. Infections happen when the gel/product is put on the nail and there are air bubbles causing moisture to get in and thus an infection starts (called greenies"). Lifting happens when the nail hasn't been properly prepped. It's good to give your nails a bit of a break but the product isn't the problem, it's the nail tech you see!

I use builder gel (biab) and it's great (because I prep, fill and remove properly myself). I'd take a break from efiling and go down the route of soaking off. It's a bit messy but nothing dramatic (and one could argue its better given you won't be breathing in particles of product like when it's drilled off). You need pure acetone and I pop some into a bowl ontop of another bowl of hot water and the heat speeds up the removal process. Sit your hand in for 5 minutes and then get to scraping (gently!) the product off. Repeat until the product is removed. One final piece of advice is to use handcream and cuticle oil twice a day, every day. Does wonders to keep you natural nail healthy and strong as it grows out.

I wore Biosculpt gel for over 10 years without a break with no damage to my natural nails at all. My own nails are very strong and grow super fast and I always use nail oil when wearing gels.

I think it depends on the individual and their nails (along with how it's taken off).

Mine are like tissue paper if I ever dare do more than one set of gels back to back so I only ever have them for holidays or special occasions and use normal polish the rest of the time. I've had various different technicians, used different products, never makes any difference.

Meanwhile my SIL has gels permanently and apparently her nails underneath are fine.

Agree with this. I've had a lot of gels and my nails are in great condition.

I've been doing my own nails (just shellac) for years and years. Before then I paid to get them done. Never an issue and have long, fast growing nails. I took my mum to get hers done once (back when I was paying) and hers were absolutely trashed. They were not sanded off but she did pick them off so still could be down to poor removal. I pick mine off too.