I am considering fake nails, but know nothing about them. What is the difference between acrylic, silk or gell set? Do they damage real nails? Which is the least damaging? I want a french manicure and understand that certain types of artificial nails have the polish in/on them and do not chip. Can someone please give me the skinny on all of these?

Thanks,

:confused:

Unfortunately can't give you the skinny on all of them, I only had acrylic nails. While I did love the look they provided as well as the strength, I had to have them filled about every two weeks and this became expensive to me.

I wanted them until my natural nails grew out, but when they did and I had the acrylics removed, I found that my natural nails were not nearly as strong.

For me, I have found using several coats of clear polish while growing my nails out, and then several coats of colored polish worked better than anything else.

As I said, I only had acrylic, but in asking my sister-in-law who does nails, she said that there is a slight amount of damage to your natural nails for each kind. A Dremel is used to rough up your nail so that the "fake" nail will adhere to your natural nail. This removes and/or softens your natural nail, there is more damage done when and if the nail "pops" off.

Acrylic Nails

Artificial or Acrylic nails are basically made by mixing a particular powder and liquid. Acrylic nails are best for those who are unable to grow their natural nails for varied reasons.


Silk Wraps

Wraps are pieces of silk, linen or fibreglass that have been cut to a desired shape and glued to the nail plate. This adds strength, and sometimes length, to the nail. Also though applied on top of natural nails, wraps are most commonly used to strengthen tips. Silk is the most natural-looking wrap and provides a lot of flexibility, but it is often too delicate for those with an active lifestyle. Linen is stronger, but not transparent and appears quite thick. Fibreglass provides the best of both worlds since it gives the natural look of silk and the strength of linen.


Gel Nails

Gel acrylic is a one-part system consisting of the application of a thick viscosity gel acrylic. Gel is normally 'cured' under a UV light. Do not confuse gel with traditional acrylic. Even though the two products are actually acrylic, they apply and wear differently.


Some people who wear artificial or acrylic nails may notice a slight discoloration or even infection. It's best to let a licensed nail technician do the procedure.

I know the question was from a long time ago but maybe this can help someone else who comes upon it.

I have recently been experimenting with different kinds of nails and nail salons and what I found was that the silk nails are the best for your natural nail. What damages your natural nails the most are the techniques the salon employees use to prepare the nail.

I HIGHLY recommend finding a place that does not use the electric sanders. Although you may end up paying more to have someone hand file your nails, the benefits to your natural nails are worth the extra cost.

When it came time to fill my silk I ended up doing gel because the technician said there would be no lifting. I was in a hurry and went to a cheap place where they used the electric sanders so I set myself up for disaster. I could have done the gel myself and done a better job. It's as easy as putting nail polish on, and because I went to a cheap place I not only have lifting but I spent over an hour filing off the hardened gel that had gotten on my cuticles and reshaping the tips, plus I have noticed dark spots on the backs of my nails which means there were gaps and bacteria has gotten between the natural nail and the gel.

Silk is the most expensive, gel is 2nd and acrylic is the cheapest. My aunt only does acrylic because that's all she's ever done and it works for her, although one of the places she always goes to puts it on so thick you would need a jackhammer to remove it, so I am working on trying to get her to switch to gel and to go to a different salon. I always have a lot of lifting with acrylic so I usually end up ripping them off before it's time for a fill.

If cost is an issue and you have time, patience and attention to detail then I would go to a beauty supply store and invest in the tools needed to do gel. That's what I'm going to do now that I have the length to work with.

If cost is not an issue then shop for a salon by asking friends, families and strangers where they go, what they like most and what they like least about the salon. I've asked women at fast food drive thrus, check out girls at the grocery store, etc. And if you're able to look at the thickness of their nails, thinner is better. If the only complaint they have is that it takes a long time then that is a good salon. And remember to ask about the tools they use, whether they use sanders or files.

I hope all of this helps and always remember, if it doesn't seem perfect to you then go somewhere else. Where I live there's more nail salons than there are Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks combined, so there's always another salon and another nail technician.

Before reading this answer, I had not even considered gel. Now, I will definitely inquire about this process before going forward with a decision.

I love having my nails done, I can do acrylic nails and I know that they don't suit me personally. I haven't had gells as my opinion is that they look too fake. And also to remove gells they have to use a drill.

My nail plate is oily which means the nails lift very easy. But I recently began having silk wraps done. I would 100% advise you to have these done as they look more real and feel so much nicer on you natural nails.

Wearing the nails helps you grow your natural nails, and once you get to a good length you can have thhe silk wraps with out tips on tou your nails to strengthen them and then have a french manicure etc.

:)

This statement is not entirely factual although I realize it is the poster's opinion. I am a professional nail technician. I do not work in one of the discount nail storefronts. In my professional opinion, your nails can be just as damaged using a hand file as a Dremel or an e-file which is what I use. The difference is whether the technician has received any formal training to use the device. Dremels are woodworking tools and should never be used on nails.

I commonly see 'rings of fire' on the nails of clients who come to me for the first time and have product from another salon on their nails. These are the drill marks on the nail bed and indicate a user who does not know how to operate the machine properly. With skill and practice, a nail technician can use an efile in such a way that the client doesn't even feel it, much less dig painful holes in someone's nail bed.

There are plenty of good nail technicians out there. You just need to look hard to find them; they will not be in your corner discount salon. You get what you pay for.

I've been getting my nails done for about seven years. Out of the three, silk is going to be the best for your natural nail but regardless of which you choose, you will definitely see some kind of damage when the artificial nail is removed.


I've found that ENAMEL nails are actually the best for you. Silk, gel, and acrylic nails do not allow your nails to breathe but enamel does. Enamel does cost a lot more so it's extremely hard to find a salon willing to do it. For a full set, it costs $200 and for a fill, $80. Personally, I drive from Manhattan to New Jersey to get this done.


I hope this was helpful!

I've never heard of Enamel Nails before - I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about how this service is done and what products are used, if you remember? Maybe then I can figure out if it's called something different in your neck of the woods? Thanks :)