Which is Safest for my Nails- Acrylic, Gel or Dip?

Let's clear up a common misconception among nail clients - and it's not their fault. It's due to clever marketing and/or poor technique from their nail techs. Acrylic, gel, dip (some know it more commonly by a brand name, SNS) - one is not "healthier" than the other. They all come from the acrylic family, they've just taken a slightly different form with a few varying properties.

Acrylic nails are from a monomer liquid and a polymer powder being combined. Gel is an oligomer which is a pre-polymer. This is then polymerized by the curing light. Dip powders are just finely milled acrylic powder (technically polymer powder) mixed with pigment and applied to the nail with a resin made of cyanoacrylate, a colorless liquid acrylate monomer. Ever wonder why you can smell glue when getting dip nails? Yes, that's right! It's nail glue! The viscosity just varies.

What does make for healthier nails? A knowledgeable nail tech who is committed to giving you the correct information, not marketing jargon, so that you are impowered to make correct choices when choosing your enhancements. A skilled nail tech who will properly prep and maintain your nails without overuse of solvents or improper filing techniques that leave you with rings of fire and weakened nails.

Now, let's clear up how some of these myths got started. Back in the day, you really had to rough up the natural nail to get acrylic to stick so when gel came out, it was considered "healthier" because it didn't need such an aggressive prep. Now, both are prepped in the same manner - push back the cuticle & remove the shine. Nothing crazy. But as we know, old stories can be hard to remedy, so a lot of people still believe this outdated information because that's all they've been told.

And then dip powders came out and were (and still are) all the rage because again they have been marketed as "healthier" with vitamins & fairy dust included in their formulas. Well, maybe not the fairy dust, but you know what I mean. Thing is, that doesn't matter. The product goes on your nail. The dead protein structure of a nail. It's already been created in the matrix so by the time you see it, it is what it is. Nothing can change that. Proper moisture does help though because it's like a sponge. So if you've noticed your nails getting weaker from dip services, it could be the solvents used during the service or the drying acetone if you're constantly getting them put on and then soaked off.

With any of these services sometimes clients will notice their nails becoming weaker or thinner and instantly blame the enhancement when it very well could be the nail tech. You want a knowledgeable nail tech who puts down a thin layer of clear or natural color before building a full set of colored acrylic or fun inlay design of gel. This way, whenever you may need to start fresh, your tech files down to this thin base layer. No soaking in acetone. No additional scratching of your nail plate. The tech also needs to be skilled with filing. Improper filing technique can lead to painful burns, unsightly dips, separation of the nail plate from the nail bed, and of course thinning and weakening of the natural nail. And no, hand filing is no "healthier" than electric filing. You can do serious damage with both, but only the e-file will actually help the nail technician from stressing their body from repetitive movements.

For a quick reference when deciding which to choose:

Acrylics are great for those with thin or weak nails or those wanting really long enhancements. They are not great for those who have their hands in water or chemicals a lot because they are slightly porous, and you'll get lifting.

Hard gel is great for people with their hands in water a lot. It's non-porous so that water isn't an issue like it is with acrylic. Another great aspect of gel is the glass-like clarity you can get when doing inlays. However, gel tends to not do great for really long extensions, especially if your nails are on the weak side, since gel is more flexible than acrylic. Fiber gels can be added to help with this though.

So who is that dip powder for? Dip (also referred to by some as SNS) is great for those who temporarily want to add color & a little bit of strength to their nails. You can even add short extensions with tips, but remember, don't get too greedy. It's just powder, pigment & glue after all. But this does make for a quick and easy removal, even at home. Just don't over do it. Your nails will recover just fine from the occasional acetone soak and the solvents in the resin. It's when it is habitually repeated when you will begin to have issues.

So, what does all this mean exactly? Simply, enjoy your enhancements and make sure you are booking with a knowledgeable tech concerned about your long-term nail health, not a quick commission, so you can feel confident that proper care and maintenance is being performed for the health of your nails.