The gel polish merry go round

I have had gel polish for 17 years, never had the polish drilled off, always soaked off.

My nails were fine when I had it removed and not replaced in the two Covid lockdowns.

I imagine it is your choice of salon that is the problem here, not the varnish.

Lots of cuticle oil, several times a day and nail strengthening products should help.

Eat a good diet, keep nails short until they recover, look at it as at least 6 months, massage oil into the cuticles. Nothing looks as good as your own healthy nails. I can’t stand the look of those false ones, the long ones look like claws, up there with trout pouts and bottoms you can rest a cup of tea on.

I only have my toenails done twice over the sandal season, the lady just buffs the old varnish off gently with a fine board, then oils the nail. Over winter the nails are bare.

I think that's very bad practice Mazgg and sounds as if they don't know what they're doing.

Gel nails and nail extensions should be gently soaked off in pure acetone so there's no risk of damage to the nail bed.

GrannyGravy13

Lots of cuticle oil, several times a day and nail strengthening products should help.

This has made a huge difference to my nails.

Unfortunately most nail bars use a drill to remove the old polish as it’s quicker than soaking in acetone . I rarely get my nails done as it takes about 3 months for the nails to get strong again . I do get my toes done regularly though .

A good, reputable nail technician won't use the drill-type tool, especially if you ask them not to. The cheaper ones do though, as it's a lot quicker.

ViceVersa

A good, reputable nail technician won't use the drill-type tool, especially if you ask them not to. The cheaper ones do though, as it's a lot quicker.

I don’t think it’s necessarily that the nail technicians are not reputable, but more that most customers don’t want to spend hours in the salon.

I have gel nail polish (my own nails underneath) and more often than not have carefully drilled.

During lockdown they couldn’t be done so I used acetate to soak them off and used cuticle oil every day until I could have them done again.

Ditto toenails. I keep my nails reasonably short and am very happy to continue to keep them painted with gel polish.

I think it’s about 12 years I’ve been having them both.

Done!

Cossy

ViceVersa

A good, reputable nail technician won't use the drill-type tool, especially if you ask them not to. The cheaper ones do though, as it's a lot quicker.

I don’t think it’s necessarily that the nail technicians are not reputable, but more that most customers don’t want to spend hours in the salon.

I have gel nail polish (my own nails underneath) and more often than not have carefully drilled.

During lockdown they couldn’t be done so I used acetate to soak them off and used cuticle oil every day until I could have them done again.

Ditto toenails. I keep my nails reasonably short and am very happy to continue to keep them painted with gel polish.

I think it’s about 12 years I’ve been having them both.

On the occasions I've had my nails done - by my local regular beautician - she's just used a normal nail file and I certainly haven't spent anything like hours in the salon. I wouldn't let anyone near my nails with a drill tool.