Nails

Is Your Manicure Ruining Your Nails?

The answer: Unfortunately, yes. The good news: These manicure tips should solve your nail problems

by Dawn Davis

5 of 8

You're getting gel manicures During my manicure phase, I only tried a gel manicure once. While I loved the long-lasting aspect, I hated how my nails felt after I had the polish removed. They were more brittle than ever. Spielfogel is adamantly opposed to gel: "I can't see how it's a good idea at all," he says. "The polish is so tightly adhered to the nail for a long time, and it's full of chemicals. Even putting your hands under that UV light -- why would you want to expose yourself to that?"

However, Marcy Parco, spa director at Haven Spa in New York City, disagrees -- she loves gel manicures. Of course she works in a spa that offers the service (so I'm not going to pretend that her opinion isn't slightly biased), but she makes a good point: "I have naturally thin nails, and I bite them," she says. "Gel manicures have saved my nails because they don't break and I leave them alone." She says that when she removes the gel, her nails actually look better because they've been growing (without her gnawing on them) for two weeks.

If you do go for a gel mani, be sure the technician uses the proper technique to take off the polish. "There are a lot of salons where they file the polish off," says Parco. "That would be far more damaging than the manicure itself. They should use an acetone-based remover and wrap the nails in foil." If you're not sure whether the service will hurt or help your nails, try it once and carefully monitor the effects.

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Older comments

the chemical part- julep supposedly is a better type of polish lacking at least some of the chemicals. super cute colors too i am waiting for my colors to come in the mail

by brianna121791 Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 07:43AM Report as inappropriate

This is bad news for me - I am always trimming and cutting my cuticles. Never seems to give me any problems tho!

by jenna_christine Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 01:59PM Report as inappropriate

My parents always warned me of the dangers of chemicals--now I'm sensitive to the smell of polish. I love my gel manicures and hate to give them up; usually the polish just "falls off" in sheets by itself.

by GigiSD Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 06:03PM Report as inappropriate

Good info. Base coat is a must for sure, and now they have those that dry so fast! Like Orly Bonder. The biggest thing is wearing gloves while cleaning and moisturizing.

by venenumletalis Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 06:39AM Report as inappropriate

Valuable information. As I get older (I'm in my 50s) i'm realizing that just about anything connected to our bodies changes.

by JenniHusker Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at 01:48PM Report as inappropriate

This is kind of a shock to me. I kind of always wondered, but it's true. I'll have to start cutting back on when I go.

by lanereidbeauty Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 12:39PM Report as inappropriate

This is very good information. This needs to be passed on to my friends who constantly have to have acrylic nails put on. I imagine they don't have actual nail left anymore.

by darkangel81 Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 08:15AM Report as inappropriate

I'm always confused about the cuticle question - what are cuticles? How do you care for them? I don't think I have very noticable cuticles.

by schien Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at 03:23PM Report as inappropriate

great article, definitely need to moisturize better!

by venenumletalis Sunday, January 20, 2013 at 03:43PM Report as inappropriate

good things to know

by Nicole2814 Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 08:07PM Report as inappropriate