How to Take care of Acrylic Nails

Here is how you would take care of your acrylic nails:
More and more women are choosing the acrylic route in their quest for longer and thicker nails. These artificial nails, made out of a gel-like combination of acrylic powder and liquid mixture, are attached to the natural finger nails with nail glue. Acrylic nails provide an immediate solution for nails that are too short or too weak to grow long. They also offer versatility with nail decorations. When professionally done, acrylic nails can last from two to three weeks (depending on how fast your natural nails grow) before needing a “fill-in”. However, improper care of acrylic nails could cause serious damage to your natural nails; leading to things like fungi growth or nail splitting. To get the best of your acrylic nail experience here are some nail care tips:

1.Treat acrylic nails like your real nails. It doesn’t matter how thick or strong they may appear to you. Don’t use them for ‘hard labour’ like opening heavily sealed packages or tins. Don’t bite them. 2. Always keep them dry. Prevent water from remaining underneath your nails by towel-drying your nails after bathing or cleaning. Water is very dangerous to acrylics and could lead to bacteria and fungi formation. Washing your hands with antibacterial soap also helps.
3. Clean underneath long acrylic nails every night. One of the best ways is to soak a cotton bud with rubbing alcohol and swab underneath the fingers and around it, to get rid of dirt build-up.

4. Visit a manicurist at the first sight of new nail growth. Not doing so often causes acrylic nails to chip or crack, this could lead to pain and discomfort. Also visit your manicurist when you experience discolouration and ‘lifting’.
5. Discontinue use of acrylic nails if allergic reactions occur. These reactions to the chemicals used to prepare the acrylic could be in the form of inflammation of the skin or dermatitis, peeling and redness on the nail’s skin.
6. Avoid DIY removal of acrylics. Yes, you can take them off at home by soaking the nails in a nail polish remover that has Acetone, but to prevent nail damage, this task is best left to the professionals at the nail salon.