How to restore nails after gel or nail extensions is a problem. Now every girl will definitely face after wearing a fashionable, long-term manicure. Many, having decided to cover their nails with gel polish. Do not even realize how much it will damage the natural nail plate, because the masters in the salon do not warn anyone about this, fearing to lose potential customers. The rest of the fair half have heard about how nails become after such a procedure, but weighing that there are still more advantages. Hands are always beautiful, well-groomed, spectacular, neat (as can be seen in the photo). They prefer gel polish, leaving the decision problems at the time of its occurrence. In the salons there are nail services which will care about your nail health. So don’t save money for such procedures.
Why nails after gel polish are soft, thin and weakened
Before looking for a solution to the problem, consider why nails after gel polish are soft, weakened and thin. Gel is a mixture of a construction gel and a decorative varnish that has absorbed some of the bad characteristics of each while retaining their greatest qualities. The coating is made on the basis of natural resins, is applied to the polished nail surface and dried by polymerization under a lamp (UV or LED). Considering all of the above, it is not difficult to guess what spoils the nail plate:
- Polishing (before applying the material, the master must remove the top layer of smooth nails to make the surfaces slightly rough; the more the master “overdoes it,” the thinner the plate will become and the longer it will take to restore it);
- After applying gel to the plate, the access of air, sunlight, nutrients will be blocked (useful components after masks, baths, creams, which are necessary for daily care of hands and nails, will not pass through the material);
- The stage of removing the material itself is also harmful, namely, prolonged exposure to acetone (do not forget that it will have to be kept until the dissolution reaction of a durable, polymerized coating has passed).
As a result: white spots appear on the nails, their structure changes, they become brittle, weak and soft, and until the full recovery process has passed, the nails exfoliate.
Many problems arise for those who use the coating for a long time, without taking breaks to give the nails a rest and gain strength. As a result, the plate can have a significant deformation and lose its ideally even convex shape laid down by nature. It will take a long time to recover.
Methods for restoring nails after gel
For those who remove the modelling coating in the salon, special procedures are offered that are designed to quickly restore nails after gel. The most effective and popular:
- Sealing;
- Paraffin therapy.
When “sealing,” a viscous material such as honey or beeswax is put to the nail surface, which provides extensive nutrition and protection during the recovery phase. The coated surfaces are then thoroughly polished with a special cloth and a soft file made of genuine leather, leaving only a thin layer of the mixture on the nails. At the end of the procedure, medicated oil is applied to the cuticles and nails.
Paraffin therapy (paraffin baths) is also very effective in the treatment of nails, and at the same time, it is one of the best tools designed to take care of the skin of the hands. A warm composition of heated paraffin will well nourish the skin and nails with essential trace elements. This technique will require numerous sessions, but the most intriguing aspect is that you can now purchase cosmetic paraffin and treat your nails in this manner at home.
Restoration of nails after gel polish can be carried out using a bio gel specially designed for this. The application of such a composition can be offered to you in the salon; in a wide range today, therapeutic gel for nail care is on sale. The tool covers the nail surfaces similarly to ordinary varnish, it forms a protective film – a barrier to aggressive external influences and prevents the delamination process, which will help to quickly cure the plate.
How to restore nails after gel at home
Now consider how to restore nails after gel at home. In addition to the fact that you can carry out paraffin therapy at home and apply bio gel, it is recommended that the greatest emphasis be placed on moisturizing, nourishing the nail plates and supplying vitamins (in particular, C and E).
To cure nails after gel, it is imperative to do baths:
- With sea salt;
- Iodine, with chamomile and olive oil.
Nails after removing gel polish often acquire a yellowish tint. You can whiten them if you rub a drop of lemon juice into them once a day. This is also necessary to compensate for the lack of vitamin C, and in order to replenish the nails that have grown after gel with vitamin E, you can buy special capsules and rub their contents into the plate and the surrounding skin overnight.
Nail treatment after gel polish will be most effective if, in addition to the external use of all of the listed remedies, the body is strengthened “from the inside”. Review your diet, it should be as saturated as possible with vitamins and useful trace elements (fresh vegetables, sea fish, cottage cheese, fruits – they should be on your table every day). If the problem is serious, the phalanges hurt, the nail plates have become very thin and layered, it will not be superfluous to drink a special vitamin-mineral complex bought at the pharmacy.
During the recovery period, while you treat your nails after gel, and in the future, be sure to protect your hands while doing household chores. Contact with household chemicals is very harmful, do not forget to wear rubber gloves. When leaving the house, use hand and nail cream with silicone and glycerine.
How not to ruin your nails after gel
In conclusion, we would like to note a few simple rules on how to avoid serious consequences and the need for long-term recovery of the nail plate after gel:
- No need to save on going to the salon if it’s time to remove the coating (there is a special removal procedure, and peeling off at home will harm the nail plate too much);
- You should not have gel on your nails for more than three weeks;
- Be sure to take a proper break after every two courses of using gel, giving your nails time to recover, rest and nourish.
The health and appearance of nails depend on nutrition and the state of the body as a whole. Therefore, it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle and include all the necessary trace elements in the diet.
As you can see, gel polish does not cause any harm to the nails. Problems begin due to improper removal, errors in the technique of manicure, prolonged wear of the coating, as well as the characteristics of the body. In order not to have to restore your nails, take the choice of a master seriously and take care of your health.