Key Takeaways
- According to TikTok, making use of gel polish beneath press-on nails and curing them with UV gentle can lengthen their put on considerably.
- Gel-curing press-on nails entails dangers comparable to an infection, allergy symptoms, nail injury, and potential UV publicity.
- Using sunscreen or fingertip-less UV gloves may help shield pores and skin from UV publicity when gel-curing nails at dwelling.
Press-on nails have made a serious comeback and TikTok has one thing to say about it. Namely, extending the lifecycle of the common-or-garden press-on to match salon-worthy outcomes. There’s a variety of buzz about gel-curing press-on nails proper now, hyping up the method as (allegedly) being a simple technique to preserve them from popping off at any second. But is gel curing press-on nails really efficient? And are there any dangers? Here’s what that you must know, in line with skilled nail artists Aaliyah Smith and Elle, together with dermatologist Dana Stern, MD.
Meet the Experts
- Aaliyah Smith is a Las Vegas-based movie star nail artist with over 15 years of expertise.
- Elle is a star nail designer primarily based in New York.
- Dana SternMD, is a board-certified dermatologist and nail specialist with twenty years of expertise.
What Does It Mean to Gel Cure Your Press-On Nails?
If you get your nails achieved typically, you are in all probability aware of the idea of “curing” gel polish underneath a UV lamp once you’re on the salon. This units and dries the gel for a long-lasting manicure. According to TikTok, the identical act of curing with a UV lamp could make press-ons last more. Here’s how it’s speculated to work: Apply a layer of soppy gel polish beneath your press-on nail proper earlier than you apply it to your pure nail. Once adhered to your nail, treatment the manicure underneath an ordinary gel UV lamp to make it better-adhere to your nail, leading to a longer-lasting press-on manicure.
Does Gel Curing Your Press-Ons Work?
The largest query on everybody’s thoughts is a straightforward one: Does this viral TikTok pattern really work? The jury, it seems, remains to be out—even amongst the professionals. According to Smith, gel-curing press-on nails can lengthen their lifecycle by just a few weeks. Elle, nevertheless, disagrees. “Press-on nails are never used with gel to apply,” she explains. “Gel X nails and gel form nails are—they look like press ons but they aren’t press ons. Don’t confuse them as they are complete different products—one is plastic and one is gel. The reason we don’t put gel on press-ons is because they are too opaque and the gel won’t cure so it can lead to burning, infections, and more.”
Benefits of Gel Curing Your Press-Ons
Gel-curing press-on nails supplies higher adhesion, in order that they’ll usually final for much longer than press-on nails utilized with glue or adhesive stickers. “Gel-cured press-on nails can last up to three weeks,” Smith says. “However, I don’t suggest [keeping them on] past two weeks without a new application.”
The Drawbacks of Gel Curing Your Press-Ons
Gel-cured press-on nails take a bit extra work to use and take away. There are additionally some pretty vital security issues with gel-cured press-on nails. Here are 4 dangers to bear in mind:
Infection
Infection is a chance when gel curing press-on nails. “If gaps exist where the press-on is not entirely in contact with the nail, moisture can enter and lead to infections,” Dr. Stern says. “Even if the nail is properly prepped with alcohol before application of the press-on, if there is an opening or entry point, infections can occur.”
Allergies
If the gel is not cured appropriately or fully, there’s a danger of creating an allergic response like contact dermatitis when the gel is involved with the pores and skin. You might expertise swelling, ache, irritation, and separation with this contact allergy.
Dr. Stern explains that the UV gentle should penetrate the press-on to treatment the gel. But if the nails are a darkish or opaque coloration, the UV gentle won’t have the ability to penetrate and treatment the gel, which might contribute to a possible contact allergy. When the gel is absolutely cured, that is now not a danger. “Once the gel is cured, it can no longer cause allergy or potential irritation to the nail and surrounding skin,” Dr. Stern says.
Nail Damage
When press-on nails are gel cured, you may’t simply pop them off. Instead, you may must soak your press-ons in pure acetone. “Popping them off or forcefully removing them can cause damage to the nail plate and nail bed,” Smith says.
Most nail injury from enhancements takes place through the removing course of, Dr. Stern tells us. “Prolonged acetone soaks can dry the nail and surrounding skin and lead to nail brittleness,” she says. Additionally, aggressively scraping to take away the press-ons can injury the nail, cuticle, and nail matrix, which is the nail’s development heart.
UV Exposure
The UV publicity concerned in gel curing press-on nails is doubtlessly damaging to well being, though the analysis on this matter is restricted. “Over time, UV radiation can cause damage to the skin,” Smith says. “Like skin wrinkling, age spots, and skin cancer with prolonged use.” She factors out that gel-curing press-on nails with LED gentle is safer than UV gentle.
Dr. Stern says there is a want for extra analysis on the potential dangers of gel manicures. “In addition to the potential risks for skin cancer, we also know that UVA rays greatly contribute to photo-aging,” she says. “UVA rays penetrate the skin to a deeper depth than UVB rays, and as a result are responsible for many of the changes in the skin known as photo-aging: thinning and wrinkling of the skin, visible blood vessels, uneven skin tone, skin laxity, volume loss, hyperpigmentation (brown spots) and hypopigmentation (light spots).”
How to Gel Cure Press-On Nails
Some gel-cured press-on nails ought to solely be utilized by a licensed nail technician, Smith says. But others can safely be utilized at dwelling. Here’s what that may appear to be, in line with Dr. Stern:
- Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen to your palms thirty minutes earlier than exposing them to the UV. “You can also wear a fingertip-less UV glove to protect the skin at your hands and fingers,” Dr. Stern says.
- Prep your nails similar to you’d for a manicure, together with submitting, pushing again the cuticle, and moisturizing the cuticle.
- Some manicurists advocate “roughing up the nail” and the underside of the enhancement to create extra floor space for adhesion. “This can damage the nail, so I prefer to skip this step,” Dr. Stern notes.
- Apply the gel to the underside of the press-on and apply the nail bonder or glue to the nail plate.
- Apply the press-on to the nail, urgent it down, guaranteeing there are no apparent gaps or bubbles.
- UV treatment the nails for 30-60 seconds.
The Final Takeaway
Gel curing could also be a trending technique for guaranteeing press-on nails last more however the jury’s nonetheless out on how efficient the method could also be. There are a number of potential dangers to bear in mind, like potential nail injury, UV publicity, allergy symptoms, and an infection. If you attempt gel-curing press-on nails at dwelling, comply with Smith and Dr. Stern’s suggestions rigorously to make sure the most effective outcomes.