Help with Nail gel for real nails

MS. ICANDOIT · Nov 6, 2008

there are a couple of products that come to mind..one is a traditional gel that can be sculpted and "built" just like a traditional powder/monomer acrylic powder. This poses the same risks from an infection control standpoint. The other is a product from a company called Creative that is like a gel polish, thinner than acrylic and only slightly thicker than traditional nail polish. this can chip like a polish and I've used it on many clients who report no problems from work (two are MD's and one is an RN). I cannot speak to the infection control piece from the gel polish but it seems to be no different from polish except it makes your nails a little "harder" until it chips.

newstudentofnursing · Nov 6, 2008

Thanks so much for your information. Can anyone buy this product? My nail guy says he can do a gel overlay on my "nubs" until they grow out. Do you think this is similar? I don't start class until Jan, but, I figured I should get started. I have had acrylic for about 10 years and my nails are so thin and weak I don't thonk I can stand it without help. I tried to Google this name and couldn't find it.

MS. ICANDOIT · Nov 7, 2008

No only licensed professionals can buy the creative product it's called Brisa. I feel your plight on the growing out phase. I was an acrylic addict for 15 years. Try a product by Nailtek called hydration therapy. It's a clear polish start with two coats and apply a coat everyday or every other day for 7 then remove and start over. This worked for me and I have nails that shred when they get wet. I've seen this work with OPI Nail Envy too. Be patient and find beauty in your well manicured fresh looking nails and don't forget the cuticle oil daily as well.

alyx · Nov 7, 2008

Nail Tech of 25 years, now into nursing. Having said that...acrylic and gels nails should be banned from health careand the food industry. If you knew what I have seen and smelled working on artificial nails, you would agree with me wholeheartedly. Ya...they look great but...SO UNSANITARY!!! Gross actually. I know many nurses get away with it because I've seen them in clinics etc, but if I were in charge they'd be banned.

kharing · Nov 7, 2008

When I was a slave to acrylic nails and decided to take them off I used Nailtiques. It's a nail polish - kind of pricey (over ten dollars) but strengthened my real nails.

DoeRN · Nov 8, 2008

I cried when I took my nails off for school. I had been wearing them since I was 16 years old. I did something similar to what Ms. ICANDOIT said. I forgot what the product was but it was in an amber colored bottle and I would apply it every day to build up a barrier so my extremely sore nails could get healthy again. It took about 6 months for them to harden up and for all of the ridges to grow out.