How to Strengthen and Heal Your Nails After a Gel Manicure: Tips to strengthen weak nails, straight from the experts

What is a gel manicure?

Let’s be clear about this: There are two types of “hard gel”: “Shellac.” It becomes confused when salons refer to Shellac as gels while, in fact, CND, the first nail firm to create and file for this form of polish, just uses the name Shellac as a trademark. It’s frequently available in salons and is comparable to hard gels in that it also uses a UV laser to cure and harden onto your nails. It varies from gel in that it is softer and soaks off with acetone.

You can apply gel or “hard gel” over real or artificial nails. The key distinction between this product and Shellac (or soak-off gel) is that you can lengthen the nail, which can also be molded and shaped like an acrylic nail.

 

How long does it take for your nails to heal after gel?

Gels shouldn’t harm your nails if applied and removed properly, ideally by a trained expert. If you don’t take the required precautions and take too long to remove them, the majority of damage happens during the removal process. Our best advice is to avoid picking or peeled off your gels. It never turns out nicely.

It can take between three and six months for white spots, lines, or an unevenness on your natural nails to go gone because that is normally how long it takes for your nails to grow out entirely. Use a ridge filler to make your nails look smoother while you wait (sort of like how a makeup primer would help fill in pores or fine lines before your foundation).

If you only have minor peeling or flaking following removal, don’t worry. Here’s a step-by-step manual for regaining their strength and health.

 

How To Look After Your Nails Post-Manicure

Cuticle Oil will be your best friend

Vegetable oils, citric acid, and other vitamins can be used to make cuticle oil. Flaxseed oil and jojoba oil are also possible inclusions. Cuticle oil has a thin viscosity that makes it simple for the skin to absorb.

Your nails may grow brittle, dull, and chapped without it. Using cuticle oil will help keep your nails moisturized and nourished. It enhances the circulation around your nails to encourage healthy nail development and stimulation, as well as the appearance of your nails. Additionally, cuticle oil can help extend the life of any nail paint or gel by protecting it.

Avoid picking

Picking our nails can be a dangerous habit for some of us, whether we are aware of it or not. When your mind wanders or you are feeling worried, it can be tempting to start picking or peeling polish off. However, we suggest against picking because doing so could make your manicure look unprofessional.

Additionally, if the polish is not removed properly, it could harm your natural nail. It may be left flimsy, fragile, and thin.

Wear gloves for household chores

Wearing gloves while doing more hands-on tasks like gardening and cleaning up is not necessary, but it can help you keep your manicure looking good for as long as possible. This will safeguard the manicure.

Avoid solvent products

Liquids with the ability to dissolve things are called solvents. Naturally, if exposed to this, your manicure will vanish. Solvents can be found in a few cosmetics, tanning, and insect repellant products. Examples include Deet insect repellent and Clinique Rinse-off Eye Makeup Remover.

Try not to cut or file your manicure

It can be challenging to break the habit of trimming and filing your nails if you’re new to gel or shellac manicures. It appears to be such a crucial, natural step in nail maintenance. However, trimming and filing your nails might be much more harmful than beneficial. Cutting the nail will disrupt the top-of-nail seal, making your gel manicure much more susceptible to chipping and peeling.

Similar to filing your nails, this seal can also be harmed. Make sure to file your nail gently and downwardly if it needs to be filed because it has a snag or a jagged tip. Buffing shouldn’t be done at all because it will alter the polish’s texture.

 

Don’t use your nails in place of tools

Some of us may be guilty of using our longer, manicured nails to scratch something or to try to pry open a lid. While this may accomplish the task, there are many alternatives you can utilize that won’t harm your perfectly manicured nails. There is a significant chance that this will snag, chip, or possibly break. We don’t want you to be wounded while doing this!

Try not to tap directly with your nails 

We are constantly tethered to our laptops and phones because we live in a digital world. Typing on a keyboard all day might get pretty monotonous. Try tapping with the tip of your finger rather than the manicured nail to prevent damaging your nails, especially if you have long nails.

Don’t overuse antibacterial gel

Antibacterial gel is renowned for drying out skin and cuticles because alcohol is one of its key ingredients. Overwashing might cause skin to become dry and diminish the appearance of the manicure top coat.