What are the pros and cons of acrylic nails?And can someone explain how they apply them on top of your nails?

I'm not sure about the exact chemical composition, but I wear gel nails which are similar, some say shinier and more durable.





First, the nail tech will first prepare your nails by buffing them down to take the ridges off and create a smoother texture. Then they will cut them down to the length of the tips of your fingers. They will then select the nail tips (which will make them as long as you want them), either white for a french manicure or natural. They will use a tiny little dot of a super-glue like nail glue to affix the tip to your nail. Then, they will put a chemical on your nail that will make the acrylic/gel mixture adhere better. If they don't do this, the natural oils in your nail will make the acrylic lift off. Also, this typically has anti-fungal agents, in case moisture gets under the acrylic, that should help prevent infections.





Next is to apply the actual gel/acrylic. They will dip their brush in a liquid chemical, then scoop up a little bit of powder. It will immediately turn into a gel, and they will brush this from the base of your nails all the way over the fake tips they just applied. They will shape it into a nail. This is the 'acrylic' part. Really good technicians will do a good job of this while still keeping the thickness minimal. That, to me, is the sign of a good nail technician, if they can keep them reasonably thin-looking despite all the layers of acrylic.





Then they will use regular nail files and this little Dremel-like electric tool to further shape the nails. If your nail beds get too hot while they're using the electric tool, be sure to tell the technician. Good ones should know.


If you're just doing acrylics, they will then paint your choice of color and clear top coat.


For gel nails, they will then paint on two coats of a UV-activated gel that will make them very shiny. Then you put them under a UV lamp for a few minutes to set. These are great, because they look good, last long, and don't chip. You can put a color on top of the gel as well if you get tired of the french manicure.


Gels are a little more expensive, but not much, and I think it's worth it for the durability. A full set of gels can run between $25 - $40. Full set of acrylics can be just a little bit less. I don't know if it's true, but I heard that the gel chemicals let your real nail breathe a little more than the old acrylics.





Either way, the pros are the look and the strength - my nails are naturally very weak, and I travel a lot, and they are always breaking off and look bad. With gels, they don't break, and the nail polish does not chip like it does on the natural nail (again, from the oils) because it too is chemical and adheres to the acrylic/gel. Because I make my living making presentations to corporations, to me it is worth the cost and maintenance to have gels.





The cons are that the health of your real nails can be compromised. For me, mine naturally are thin and grow crooked anyway. When you do eventually take them off, your real nails will be soft and thin and it will take several months for them to get back to their previous strengh.





Another con is the maintenance and cost - depending on how fast your nails grow, you will have to get them filled about every week and a half - 2 weeks. There will be a space at the bottom of your nail where there's no acrylic and the real nail shows through. Your cuticle will pull back a bit and you'll end up with a little channel between the acrylic and your cuticle. It's really annoying and doesn't look very good, so you want to be sure to stay on top of it. Fills can be $15 - $20 avg. They can also change your polish color, shorten, or fix any problems while you're there for the fill.





One thing to note, and I file this under ';cons'; - my least favorite part - is removing a set and getting a new set. The best salons will cut down the nails short, cut any loose nails, and have you soak your nails for a good long time in a chemical to dissolve them - and I mean 15 - 20 minutes. Once softened, they will try to remove them by sliding a new nail tip between your real fingernail (which, remember, is all soft and weak now) and the exising acrylic. This can be painful. Depending on how sensitive you are, how soft your nails are, and how gentle the technician is, this can be a fairly unpleasant experience. Personally, I dread it and put it off for as long as possible. I also take a few Advil an hour before going, and warn the technician that my nail beds are sensitive. This is what they mean about suffering to be beautiful...





Also, while they are removing nails, or if you have an accident and break one, it is possible to crack your real nail underneath (which is extremely painful) and get a fungal infection under the nail. This is bad. If you suspect a nail is loose and you have moisture underneath, get thee to a salon pronto and tell them.





So I know it sounds like a nightmare, but I just wanted to give you the full 360 degrees. I personally, have not suffered any broken real nails or infections. But they are common. My sister has 2 right now. Like I said, you have to weigh your priorities. For me right now, I need my hands to look presentable at a moment's notice. I can't really do that without acrylics, and my job affords me that luxury. Decide what's important to you, and give it a try.





If you put a set on, and hate it, you can have it taken off. I would wait 2 weeks until you need your first fill, then tell them you want to soak the nails off. Your nails will be weak, but not as bad as if you've been wearing them for a year.





Good luck!What are the pros and cons of acrylic nails?And can someone explain how they apply them on top of your nails?
Pros:


They look beautiful


people compliment you


makes you feel girly


absolutely totally girly if you have them (which is ok)





Cons:


totally ruin your nails


difficult to get off


need to be redone often or else they grow on your nail





they use a liquid called acrylic and it pretty much is like super duty nail glue they paint it on like paint and bam you ahve acrylic nails if you call a salon they explain it better.What are the pros and cons of acrylic nails?And can someone explain how they apply them on top of your nails?
Pros:


1. Your nails look awesome.


2. The nail polish doesn't chip.


3. Having longer nails makes your fingers appear longer.


4. You look well-kept.


Cons:


1. If you have an itch, the fake nails are so dull that it doesn't satisfy it the way real nails do.


2. You shouldn't do dishes because the water can get stuck under the acrylic and cause an infection and the nails can start coming off.


3. It definitely takes maintenance. You have to get them done every 2 weeks at about $20 a pop that can add up.


4. It's not good for your nails.


Now, how do they get them to stick to your nails:


They first grind your real nails really thin using a tiny cylindrical shaped piece of metal that's attached to the end of some kind of tool. The tool is operated by a pedal that makes the metal file spin really fast and it shaves off a lot of nail. Then they glue to just the tips of your nails fake nails, like the kind you can buy at Walgreen's or something. Then they have the acrylic which is this white powder mixed with some other kind of chemical and they mix the two and it forms a paste and they apply it to the entire nail including the fake one and it dries quickly. They then sand it down and make it all nice and smooth and paint it and VOILA. If I had the money to maintain them I would definitely get them again. I suggest going for it.