Nails Gel Vs Gel Vs Dip Vs Acrylic. HELP! (Sally, washing, resistant)

[CAKD]

Originally Posted by fly_me

I understand you have ridges on real nails. I learned I did too when I said to salon let's try no tips. My nails looked bad beneath the polish. But I don't know if that was her not buffing enough because she didn't want to lose a larger paying customer.
I never do my own nails, so I'll never know. I understand you want to look good for work, but if your hair and make up is salon fresh (you can hire a pro for make up for as little as $50) I think you can get away with real nails a nude polish color as to not draw attention. I have noticed many of the real "Hollywood" stars having no nails, short like a boy with an Oscar in hand. If you don't care that you are making real nails worse beneath (I don't care, life is short) then I don't see much of a difference in any of the fake nails. Fill in better than pull off. That is weird.

I don't know why they call the powder acrylic. LA and NYC are very different w this.

One thing my gfs do is buy fake nails at the store and use for the one day a week you may have a meeting like you do. I tried and am too bad at buffing and placement because they fall off, but others rave about them. That is healthy because you can take off right after work.

I am not concerned with my nail length. I don't wear my nails overly long when I have them done. I am going for just being able to keep my nails from splitting and chipping and looking well maintained which seems to only happen if I have some type of gel or acrylic manicure which in turn ruins my nails. When I get these they don't put fake tips on my nails. My natural nails will not maintain a regular manicure due to the cracking and splitting. I don't need my makeup professionally done. Also I don't think we can judge real life by looking at Hollywood stars nails. Menopause causes low estrogen levels and low estrogen levels can produce the issues I am having with my nails. Its real, its a factor and something my doctor didn't make up. Acrylic is different than a powder dip.

[CAKD]

Originally Posted by rfomd129

I love sns too! I haven't had them done since before Covid closed down my salon but now that you mentioned it, I think it's time for me to get back on schedule. I had gel and acrylic for years before dips became available and I wouldn't go back to either of them.

I have had good success doing my nails at home with ILNP polishes - they really last a long time - but I've also had to keep them quite short. I think it's time to go full on glamour again!

SNS (powder dip) was great for me for a bit but the taking them off every 3 weeks to get the new just tore my nails up. This is the main reason I am thinking about going the other route. They would just do fills instead of removing them each time.

[TMSRetired]

Originally Posted by CAKD

I am not concerned with my nail length. I don't wear my nails overly long when I have them done. I am going for just being able to keep my nails from splitting and chipping and looking well maintained which seems to only happen if I have some type of gel or acrylic manicure which in turn ruins my nails. When I get these they don't put fake tips on my nails. My natural nails will not maintain a regular manicure due to the cracking and splitting. I don't need my makeup professionally done. Also I don't think we can judge real life by looking at Hollywood stars nails. Menopause causes low estrogen levels and low estrogen levels can produce the issues I am having with my nails. Its real, its a factor and something my doctor didn't make up. Acrylic is different than a powder dip.

Has your hair and skin also been affected ? Usually all three (nails, hair, skin) reflect changes in our bodies.

[bande1102]

I don't know if this would be an option for you or not, but I use fake nails with the stickers (not the glue). I find that I can take them on and off very easily and it doesn't damage my nail.

Of course, they can fall off, but I just carry extra stickers and nails with me.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by CAKD

I need some information on manicures. I will start by saying I have always had great strong finger nails but horrible cuticles. However that changed about a year ago when Menopause came into the picture. My nails grow but they break easily and have become brittle and split and peel. When I first complained about it to my doctor she said it is very typical of pre-menopause through menopause. I started taking a Bioten supplement and it has Made my nails and hair grow faster but hasn't changed the issue of them being brittle etc. On my next annual appointment I complained again and My doctor recommended I cut sugars out of my diet. Since January I have been eating a 95 +% sugar free diet. No improvement. I eat very well, rarely any processed foods except for the rice cakes I eat with some peanut butter. I eat organic 85% of the time. Fruits and Veggies and lean proteins. I am allergic to nuts and shell fish so I can't eat that. Basically what I am saying is diet has done nothing to remedy this issue.

Because I work in a professional position where I use my hands when I work with clients I make sure my nails are well maintained. A regular manicure would need to be done every other day to keep it pristine for me so thats out. The nail place recommended I do gel manicures, using the gel polish and then the light. I did this for some months and it totally trashed my nails. I stopped and let my nails recover for three months and then they swore up and down that the Dip would not do that to my nails. So I started using that but again it completely wreaked havoc on my nails. I think because both of these have to be taken completely off each time you get them down then the nail sanded down to prime for next round that is why. My nails became paper thin making the nail beds under my fingernails sore. I have been not doing anything for four months. I need to do something. I am wondering if doing straight old fashioned acrylic would be better because they would just need a fill every 2-3 weeks instead of pulling the whole manicure off again? Or is a Gel tip better?

I need something I hit my finger a couple weeks ago and it split my thumb nail up the center of the nail causing it to bleed and it was very painful for over a week. I have grown most of that nail out and am ready to start a new regime. I have a huge presentation next week for a very large project where I am going to be working closely with my clients the architect and the builders and my hands will be on display.

Whats the solution? I searched out manicure types and everything said it was the best......which wasn't helpful.

You need a specific nail moisturizer. Barielle is one that I’ve used in the past, there is something called hard as hoof that gets great reviews. I have an issue with topical soy, but soy is a great ingredient for cellular turnover. It’s just I’m allergic. I am right now using a product from Deborah Lipman. Too new to tell.

My nails have been trashed mainly because I never used to do the dishes and now my hands are in water every single blessed day (no dishwasher) plus all the handwashing, plus I had covid and that can wreck your nails too.

Stop buffing. Buffing thins your nails. The only thing you should be doing right now while your nails are healing and you’re using this cream is a simple basic nail cutting, filing and keep them short. They need to heal. No polishes, no buffing, nothing like that. Buffing is terrible for your nails regardless of what everybody thinks. My nails are genetically thin. I have crap nails, thanks Daddy.

[CarnivalGal]

I do gel. I did the dipp once, and I didn't like it. It was too thick and I think it's much worse than gel for your nails. If they are sanding down your nails after soaking off the gel polish, then you need to find another salon. The dip polish needs to be sanded, but gel should not. They should just soak it off. I think the sanding youor nails down may be the problem.

[Charlotteborn]

I have never been able to have painted nails last except when I had gel polish or acrylics. The problem is what that does to your nails. Also, it looks fake.

I prefer to keep my nails short and natural - its so much better for your nails.

[fly_me]

Originally Posted by CAKD

I am not concerned with my nail length. I don't wear my nails overly long when I have them done. I am going for just being able to keep my nails from splitting and chipping and looking well maintained which seems to only happen if I have some type of gel or acrylic manicure which in turn ruins my nails. When I get these they don't put fake tips on my nails. My natural nails will not maintain a regular manicure due to the cracking and splitting. I don't need my makeup professionally done. Also I don't think we can judge real life by looking at Hollywood stars nails. Menopause causes low estrogen levels and low estrogen levels can produce the issues I am having with my nails. Its real, its a factor and something my doctor didn't make up. Acrylic is different than a powder dip.

You are intense.
Glad you have so much faith in your DR. Sounds like a blessed life.

[chiluvr1228]

Originally Posted by bande1102

I don't know if this would be an option for you or not, but I use fake nails with the stickers (not the glue). I find that I can take them on and off very easily and it doesn't damage my nail.

Of course, they can fall off, but I just carry extra stickers and nails with me.

I tried them and didn't like them for two reasons: 1) The underneath part that extended over my natural nail (which was quite short) picked up all sorts of lint, etc. because of the sticky stuff that makes them adhere to the nail and (2) I have tiny nail beds and I could never find a size that worked for me. They were always too wide.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by chiluvr1228

I tried them and didn't like them for two reasons: 1) The underneath part that extended over my natural nail (which was quite short) picked up all sorts of lint, etc. because of the sticky stuff that makes them adhere to the nail and (2) I have tiny nail beds and I could never find a size that worked for me. They were always too wide.

My nails are flat and broad. While they do make nail forms for that, a number of places don’t have those forms on hand. So the time I had acrylics put on for an occasion, she used regular nail forms, and my fingers burned. They were on fire because the glue on the nail form and my nail were stuck tight together (as they should be) and the nail form was trying to revert back to its normal shape which was not my normal shape and there was a lot of stress. Good news is those things started popping off in like 24 hours. Nature wins.

As weird as that is, I have one weirder. I was a cuticle picker and chewer. For years. It was my natural stress release. Well, due to unchecked tooth grinding, I wore out the dentin in my front teeth. And my dentist had to fix them. In fixing them he made it impossible for me to chew my cuticles, because he “fixed” my teeth.

So now my cuticles look great. I am a nervous wreck but OK.