Myth:
Artificial Nails will cause my natural nails to become thin and weak.
Reality:
Wearing artificial nails, whether they be acrylic, gel,
silk or fiberglass, will not cause your natural nails to
become thin, weak or brittle. Removal of the artificial
nails by the client and/or nail technician incorrectly generally
causes this problem. Acrylic nails must be soaked off in a
solution containing acetone. Gels must be gently buffed off,
unless they are soakable gels.
If you pick or tear at the artificial nails to remove them, layers of
your own nails are removed as well. This is why your nails
appear to be weak and damaged. Please, please, please, if you are
going to remove your nails yourself, talk to your nail technician about
the proper way to go about it.
Myth:
My nails have turned green and I have a fungus!
Reality:
What you are seeing is not a fungus. It is commonly known in the
industry as a “greenie” and is the by-product of bacteria trapped
between your nail enhancement and your natural nail. This may be
caused by moisture getting trapped under the enhancement, or unsanitary
practices by the client. Occasionally it is caused by the use of unsanitary
implements in the salon, or improper prep of the natural nail
BY YOUR NAIL TECHNICIAN.
This discolouration will do no harm to
your nail, however you should remove the
enhancement on the affected nail and
have the nail tech buff out the discolouration. You may then have
another enhancement
applied.
Myth:
I hear it hurts to
get your nails done. I have friends who say the drill burns them and
leaves big red ugly marks on their nails.
Reality: It
should never hurt to have artificial nail enhancements applied to your
nails. At no time during the entire process should you feel any
pain. That includes cutting and/or bleeding of your cuticles, or
heat and pain from a file or electric drill which leaves those big red
marks. If you are experiencing any of this please ask the
person to stop immediately. They are not using safe practices to
apply your nails. Find another technician and ask them if they
offer a pain-free service.
Myth:
I don’t want to wear artificial nails because if one breaks it could
take my whole nail off with it!
Reality:
This can happen if the acrylic liquid (monomer) being used contains MMA,
which is a substance banned for use in artificial nail products in
Canada. MMA acrylic is commonly known as "dental acrylic"
and it is so strong that when it is
applied to the nail, it bonds like cement. This acrylic is
meant to be used in your teeth, not on your nails! If you accidentally
catch your nail, there is no “give” to it, and the nail can be torn
right off the nail bed. Not only is this painful, it is entirely
unnecessary. How to prevent this? Besides being careful how
you treat your nails the number one thing you need to be aware of is the
use of this product in discount nail salons. As with anything in
life, “you get what you pay for” and nail services are no different.
Ask your nail technician to explain this to you in detail or visit some
of the links on my site to read more about it.
Myth:
My
nails need to “breathe” so I need to give them a rest from artificial
enhancements.
Reality:
Your nails are made of keratin, the same substance that produces your
hair. Your hair doesn’t need to breathe either, because, like your
nails, it’s all dead. If you choose to remove your enhancements,
that’s fine, but not because your nails “need that time to breathe.”
Also, it’s important to have a manicure if you remove the enhancements,
so it’s best to let your nail technician remove them and perform a
manicure service right after. Again, please do not pick off the
enhancements. You will be picking off layers of your natural nail
right along with them, making your nails thin, sore, weak and prone to
breakage and infection.
Myth:
I can’t wear nail enhancements. They won’t stay on.
Reality:
There are very few people who can lay claim to this statement.
Such people may be on medications that interfere with the adherence of
the products on the nail plate. Or they may have such oily nails
that nothing will stick, regardless of the prep. For everyone
else, the number one reason you think you can’t wear nail enhancements
is due to improper prep and application by your nail technician!
Your nail technician should be removing surface debris and natural nail
oils, cleansing and dehydrating the nail plate before the product is
applied. Another thing to watch for – product should never be
applied on the skin. If the product gets on the cuticles or the
side walls, it WILL cause lifting, it is only a matter of time.
Myth:
I have gel nails and/or Solar Nails.
Reality:
It all depends on where you have
gone to get them. Discount salons are notorious for applying
acrylic nails, and then one coat of gel and telling you you have gel
nails. They also advertise Solar nails as something better than
their regular service. “Solar Nail” is a trademark acrylic product
of Creative Nail Design. There is no such thing as “Solar Nails,”
it is just promoted by discount salons as a special product or service
so that they can charge more to unsuspecting customers.
More important, they may not even be
using this product on you. Chances are very good that they are
refilling the product container with MMA monomer and telling you they
are using Creative’s Solar Nail monomer. Unfortunately, you will have
no way of knowing whether this is true, but I would warn you to stay
away from any salon that advertises “Solar Nails”. And to make sure
that when you are getting gel nails, that every single layer that has
been applied to your nails is gel. Don’t know what gel should look
like? Think of honey. It should be in a small pot or tube. Every time the
nail tech applies a layer of “gel” your nails need to be “cured” under a
UV lamp. If this is what you’re familiar with, then you are getting
what you’re paying for.
Myth:
I can get my nails done in under an hour and pay $25 for a full set at a
discount salon. Why should I spend more of my time and money
with you?
Reality:
Quite simply,
you get what you pay for. Discount salons are just that, discount. You
don’t know what product they are using, it could contain MMA. MMA
monomer is approximately one-quarter the price of professional
EMA monomer. That could explain the discount. Also, disinfection and
sanitation procedures may be somewhat lacking in a discount salon and
should be causing alarm bells to go off with both the consumer and the
local board of health.
Please take a look at
the following video links for examples of what is NOT acceptable in a
nail salon. If you have ever experienced this, please consider
following up with a complaint to the local board of health. These
are examples of dirty nail salons exposed in April, 2007. While
these examples are in Texas, keep in mind they could easily be right
around the corner from you.
Part 1
Part 2
Part
3
If you like the sense of being rushed
throughout your service, and end up with questionable product on your
nails, please visit a discount salon. However if you
value the health of your nails, hands and feet, are concerned with proper
sanitation and disinfection procedures, want to wear beautiful, unique
nails and like to feel that your presence
is welcomed and that I value you as a client, please come to Scratch My
Back Nail Studio. I look forward to meeting and exceeding every expectation you may
have!
Laura
