Obsessed with acrylic nails? Here’s how to take care of your nails after

Stepping out of the salon with a set of freshly manicured acrylic nails can be a confidence boost, adding a touch of glamour to your fingertips. But that high can deflate just as fast when those acrylics come off and you see the condition of your natural nails.

As with any beauty treatment, proper care post-acrylics is crucial to maintaining nail health. But to do that first you need to understand how acrylics can harm your nails, in the first place.

The acrylic nails themselves don’t cause the damage, said dermatologist Dr Rinky Kapoor, The Esthetic Clinics, but there are some issues because of the prep, application and removal of nails.

Kiran Bhatt, cosmetologist and the vice president of Junoesque Clinic, explained the ways this can weaken your natural nails:

• Filing: It thins your nails, making them brittle.
• Chemicals: Adhesives and removers contain harsh chemicals that irritate and dry out your nail beds.
• Moisture Trapping: Artificial nails can trap moisture, leading to fungal infections.
• Trauma: Repeated application/removal can damage the nail matrix, affecting nail growth.

Dr Kapoor added that the gap between the nails and acrylics can be a breeding ground for bacterial and fungal growth, which can be contagious. “The nail infections can even cause pus formation and discolouration of nails,” she said.

Additionally, she said the paste that is used to makes the nails stick contains ingredients like resin and formaldehyde which can sometimes irritate the skin and even cause contact dermatitis. “And the UV rays from the curing lamps can cause permanent ageing of the fingers and lead to wrinkles and age spots.”

How can you combat their effect?

Bhatt suggested some ways you can combat the bad effect of acrylics.

Limit acrylic use: Give your nails breaks between sets to rebuild strength.

Choose reputable salons: Ask about sterilisation and product quality.

Moisturise & protect: Use hand cream and cuticle oil daily.

What should aftercare look like?

According to Dr Kapoor, aftercare should have these steps.

• Keep up with good water intake, which improves circulation and helps maintain the growth and strength of the nails.
• Take a diet with right omega 3 fatty acids, folic acid, zinc, vitamins and minerals.
• Never attempt to remove nails by yourself
• Give 2-3 months break between the manicures to give your nails some time to recover
• Make sure you don’t leave the nails on for more than four weeks.
• Use a clear and strengthening polish treatment and cuticle oil on the nails after removal.
• Removal of acrylic nails has to be done with acetone removal and file only. Anything else is completely no-no. Take good care of your nails even if you are using press on nails or other acrylic nails.

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