How to remove gel or acrylic nails

or acrylic, then before performing the procedure, be sure to read the information about how to properly remove extended nails so as not to harm natural nail plates. As you know, nails can quickly become brittle and flaky after numerous modeling procedures to artificially increase their length. Nevertheless, according to recent studies, the structure of dense horny plates is actively destroyed not so much by the extension procedure, but by incorrect methods of removing hardened gel or acrylic from them.

Of course, if you have enough free time to regularly visit a beauty salon, you can entrust the beauty and health of your fingers to a professional master, who will perfectly model artificial nails and clean the natural plates of gel or acrylic correctly when required. But if you plan to always do gel or acrylic nails at home, then carefully read the step-by-step master classes with photos and visual video tutorials on how to remove extended nails yourself.

Immediately, we note that the methods for removing acrylic and gel are noticeably different. Nails extended with gel are somewhat more difficult to remove than acrylic ones and it will not be possible to simply make them soft and pliable with a special liquid. Therefore, you will have to spend enough time to properly file the file. But hardened acrylic can be easily soaked in nail polish remover and get rid of acrylic nails as quickly as possible. By the way, many women still remove acrylic nails with acetone. But this method can lead to dryness, peeling and cracks on the skin of your fingers.

It is not advisable to lengthen your nails with extensions too often. Be sure to take 2-3 week breaks between procedures so that the natural nail plate has time to recover. If you notice that the nails become brittle, exfoliate and turn yellow, then to restore their health, do paraffin baths, masks with vegetable and essential oils, regularly perform a special massage (at the end of the article we will talk about these procedures in more detail).

♦ HOW TO REMOVE GEL NAILS AT HOME

► Spread on the manicure table the following tools and materials for the procedure :

▪ Manicure tweezers or tips cutter;

▪ Soft brush or brush for cleaning nails from gel dust;

▪ File with abrasiveness 80/100 grit;

▪ File with abrasiveness 150/180 grit;

▪ Buff for polishing nail plates;

▪ Acetone and cotton pads.

► Step by step procedure:

❶ It is advisable to start by wearing protective goggles so that fragments of gel nails do not get into your eyes. Now, with a tips cutter (or tweezers), piece by piece, we bite off the extended free edge. Be careful, as you can accidentally bite off a piece of the natural nail plate;

❷ Before we start filing nails, let's better show the border between the extended and natural plates. To do this, slightly moisten a cotton pad with acetone and gently draw over the surface of the nail, trying not to touch the periungual skin;


❸ Take a nail file with a coarse abrasive (80/100 grit) and start sawing off a thick layer of gel, moving the tool in one direction. Periodically clean the dust from the nail with a brush, tracking the gradual decrease in the thickness of the gel coating. By the way, if you have a hardware manicure and pedicure kit, then you can remove the main layer of the extended nail with a machine by choosing a suitable cutter. During the procedure, dust rises, so it is advisable to put on a gauze mask on your face;


❹ As soon as the thick layer of hardened gel is removed, we take a nail file with a fine abrasive and very carefully continue to file the surface of the nail, reducing the pressure;

❺ As soon as the natural plate appears noticeably, we change the nail file for a buff and start polishing the “native” nail;


❻ To ensure that all gel is removed from the nail, apply a thin layer of degreaser to the surface of the plate with a brush. Any residue of the gel coat will show up immediately;


❼ At the end of the procedure, we treat the nails and the periungual area with a nourishing cream, and apply emollient oil to the cuticle.

♦ HOW TO REMOVE ACRYLIC NAILS AT HOME

► For the procedure, we need the following tools and materials:

▪ Manicure nail clippers;

▪ A nail file with an abrasiveness of 80/100 grit (laser, but metal is also quite suitable);

▪ Buff for polishing nails;

▪ Ten cut pieces of aluminum foil 12x7 mm;

▪ Pack of cotton pads;

▪ Orange sticks;

▪ Special Acrylic Remover or nail polish remover.

► Step by step procedure:

❶ With nippers we bite off the extended free edge of each nail. Each time, grab a small piece with the tool, trying not to damage the natural nail plate. At this point, keep your hands away from your face so that small pieces of acrylic do not get into your eyes or put on safety glasses;


❷ Now we take a nail file with a large abrasive and, moving the tool in one direction, we cut down the protective finish coating in order to “get” to the acrylic;


❸ Now we need to thoroughly soften the acrylic layer of the extended nail in order to quickly remove it and not damage the natural plate. To do this, dip a cotton pad in Acrylic Remover, put it on the nail and tightly wrap the upper phalanx of the finger with a piece of foil, twisting the upper corners so that the product does not evaporate. We do the same procedure with each finger;


❹ After about half an hour, you can remove the "cases" from all fingers and making sure that all the acrylic has turned into soft jelly, quickly remove it with orange sticks or a pusher;


❺ Now you can moisten a cotton pad with nail polish remover and carefully wipe each nail plate;


❻ Then you can polish all nails with a buff and wash your hands thoroughly with soap;


❼ It remains to rub a moisturizing, nourishing cream into the nails and periungual skin, and then treat the cuticles with emollient oil.

♦ HOME CARE OF FINGERS AFTER REMOVAL OF EXTENDED NAILS

☛ Paraffin baths.
We highly recommend doing such restorative baths immediately after removing extended nails and regularly once every few weeks. Before the procedure, we lubricate the fingers with a special cream and lower them into a wide container with heated cosmetic paraffin. After the procedure, you need to wrap the handles with cling film and put on warm gloves on top. After 30 minutes, remove the film, wash off the paraffin and rub the nourishing cream into the skin;

☛ Hot manicure.
A very useful procedure for strengthening brittle, damaged nails. The composition of the product includes useful components, minerals, vitamins that easily penetrate the nail plate and restore it. It is advisable to include a hot manicure in your list of regular home spa treatments to improve the condition of your nails;

☛ Masks for nail plates.
After removing the extended nails, it is useful to rub masks into the nails and the periungual area, which are easy to prepare at home. The composition of such masks includes sea salt, lemon juice, sea buckthorn oil and one of the essential oils (bergamot, rosemary, ylang-ylang, eucalyptus, geranium). This procedure helps to strengthen weak nails, restore their structure and eliminate yellowness;

☛ Massage.
During the period of restoration of the nail plates after extension, daily massage the upper phalanx of each finger in a circular motion, rubbing a nourishing cream into the skin and nails;

☛ Biogel.
If frequent extension procedures have led to delamination of the nail plates, then it is useful to seal them with biogel to restore the structure. To do this, apply a thin layer of biogel on each nail and seal the end of the free edge, protecting weak nail plates from damage.