BIAB nails - is this normal?

[Needtosoundoffandbreathe]

I treated myself to BIAB nails a few weeks ago as I'd had a couple of nails break and fancied it. I removed the BIAB myself recently, carefully soaking in an acetone based remover and then gently scraping it off after watching a few online tutorials.

My nails are now not in great condition and one has broken since removing the polish. It split at the side of the quick and was one of the ones that had broken shortly before I had them done. The other previously broken one is now going the same way. A couple of other nails look to have partially detached from the nail bed below the tips as though the BIAB held them rigid so there was no natural give in them, if that makes sense.

Is this normal?! I liked the way the BIAB looked but honestly this seems to have been no better than acrylic nails which I tried once and vowed never to have again.

BIAB is no better for you than acrylic. Not every manicure needs BIAB and it was originally created just to strengthen breaks and ridges in the natural nail. Unfortunately, lots of techs now make up basically lies about it and it's basically used the same way as acrylic. It's a more natural look and that's about it.

Bugger! What about gel nails then? I use my hands a lot and normal nail varnish just doesn't last on me. Or there are the stick on ones.

I had acrylics on and off for years and was ‘sold’ the benefits of Biab by my salon a few years ago. I think it was my 3rd infill and I started to notice my natural nails lifting. It was awful! Salon owner claimed it was a one off although my nail tech was mortified and went really quiet. Fast forward a few months and I bumped into her at a new salon and she admitted that it had happened to loads of people and she left as the salon owner ignored it all and told staff to keep quiet.

3 of my nails still have tendencies to lift now although it is improving. I stick to regular gel manicures now and wear my nails relatively short.

If your natural nails are lifting it could be a sign of an allergic reaction to an ingredient in the gel - usually hema. I've heard of loads of cases of this happening with The Gel Bottle brand. You would need an allergy test to be sure.

Or it could be that they are very damaged and have been over filed and gone too thin, that can also cause separation from the nail bed.

Gel/builder gel/acrylic themselves don't damage nails. It's the prep and removal that does the damage if it's not done properly.

In my opinion of having had acrylic, gel, BIAB, full nail tips with builder gel as the glue nothing you apply to your nail bed is ever going to be good for it. I have done my own for about 15 years having had it professionally done for at least 10 before that.

There are professional nail techs on youtube (Suzie from Nail Career Education and Nailcou to mention a couple) who have beautiful natural nails despite applying a lot of different products to their nails.

For salons they want you in and out and so in my opinion there are corners cut and I agree with @evilharpy it is the prep and removal that can cause problems. In fact Nailcou shows you incorrect removal to demonstrate what that does to your natural nail compared to taking the time to remove the product gently. It is seen a lot on here with people posting photos.

The deal with something like BIAB is that you keep having it done so it is not fully removed, or you have a hard gel base with infills. Gel nail polish can be applied with very little nail bed filing but again is cured so removal is with acetone and they are still filing the nail bed. There are other products on the market but as someone who has never been able to grow their own nails and resorted to nail extensions it isn't something I know a lot about.

Maybe try nail stickers, I have used these over nail tips and always top coat them for extra protection.

Can you give yourself six months of no artificial nails? Buff softly, apply nail strengthener and apply good hand cream or cuticle oil at night. Take a collagen supplement. This should get your nails back to healthy.

As usual, I recommend you check out The Salon Life on YouTube. She has loads of videos on different aspects of nail care, including post BIAB and gels etc.

Same. I was sold into it thinking it would make my natural nail longer, stronger hahahaha- lies!
I’ve had it removed, nails sensitive for a week. Still have some kind of layer on them, it’s growing out. Never again! Wondering what damage the UV will do too, since your under it repeatedly, I’ve got eczema on one hand now- 😩

Realistically I don’t think that any nail enhancements are ever good for your nail health. No matter what I’ve tried (mainly gel and BIAB) my nails look like absolute rubbish when it’s taken off - thin, brittle and discoloured. I’ve been getting Biosculpture gels done every 3 weeks for the past 4 years, considering breaking the habit soon as I’m sick of my natural nails (which pre gel were very strong, long & healthy!) being wrecked.

If you're going down the gel nails/BIAB route then, personally, I think it needs to be a long term commitment e.g having them redone every 3 weeks or so, rather than dipping in and out of having them, as once they are removed your nails won't be the same as before. The nail surface is filed a little to help the base coat adhere, so at the very least they won't be smooth after removal.
I've not had a break from gel nails in 10 years and my nails are in great condition. I go to a decent nail place with a nail tech who spends 1 hour or so doing them, removing old polish properly etc not a £20 in and out place where they use electric files.

Go to a decent salon regularly. Not one of these nail bars. I get my nails done every 3 weeks and they are in great condition. It makes me feel more put together. It takes over an hour to do my nails. Sometimes an hour and a half as I often get nail art.

You could have had an allergic reaction to the BIAB. I’ve had this, eventually all my nails dropped off! As the same chemicals in BIAB are used in gel polish I’d avoid gel too.

I had BIABs for the first time a few weeks ago and, now I've had them removed, my real nails are in an awful state!!

They tear so easily, they aren't smooth and look like they still have some substance on them. Horrible.

They're the shortest they've ever been as when they grow a bit, they just tear.

For the posters who have constant BIABs and say that their nails are in good condition, how do you know if you never see your real nails?

Can you please define/explain properly instead of using electric files? They all seem to use electric files these days

Can confirm that I don’t go to an electric file place, my appointments are usually well over an hour with what’s meant to be a kinder gel and my natural nails still get wrecked!

Electric files are ok if used carefully. My lady just files off the top and then soaks the nails after. Definitely no filing the actual nail bed, just the top layer or so of polish.

My nail tech has invested money and time in training and is really experienced so I don’t know why people think watching a quick YouTube clip is going to turn them into a professional. That’s why your nails are damaged I expect.

@Needtosoundoffandbreathe by properly I mean soaking off the gel with acetone then gently scraping it off.
The electric files are fine if only used to file off the top layer e.g for reapplying on top of BIAB but they seem to be misused quite a bit

That's not a normal reaction.

I used the nail powder kits for a bit and found they or maybe the removal soaking in acetone were damaging my nails. I have since been using these

lilyandfox.com.au/

and they last around 2-3 weeks, and the removal is regular nail varnish remover that I have found to be less harsh.

I’ve had professional gel nails for 7 years consistently. I took them off during Covid (for obvious reasons) and my nails underneath were no better or worse than they were before I started getting them done. I’ve always had nails that break easily and this was the same when I took them off.

I’ve heard lots of negative reviews of BIAB. I wouldn’t touch the stuff.

I usually have gels but have biab on my nails and toenails and it looks lovely. I mainly just wanted biab for the shade I liked. I don’t need biab. I’ve had no problems so far.

Acetone doesn’t damage your nails. It temporarily dries them but it doesn’t do anything long term.

Maybe it was the powder then, all I know if my nails were ruined and now they're back to being strong again after stopping for about 6 months

I've just had three months of BIAB nails and also find my nails in worse condition after having them removed. I found it so painful every time I got them done and the more I had them done the more sensitive my nails became. They are now left covered in marks and scratches but Im hoping my nails will go back to normal. I wont be doing it again especially if my nails keep being sensitive. I will stick to regular nail polish at home. I havent had any lifting yet thankfully so.