How To Take Off Acrylic Nails At Home
Taking off fake nails on your own can seem almost impossible. When all the nail salons closed down due to the Coronavirus pandemic earlier this year, many women were seemingly trapped with no way to fill or remove their fake nails! This is because most types of fake nails need to be removed by a professional at a nail salon.
The most common way to remove fake nails is by using acetone. Acetone is a powerful chemical solvent thats quite potent and isnt exactly beneficial for your nails .
Even though acetone is the most common and effective way to remove fake nails, there are other methods that you can try that dont involve using this strong chemical.
How To Remove Acrylic Nails With Acetone
One of the most common and easiest ways when it comes to how to remove fake nails is with acetone. Also known as propanone, acetone is a powerful liquid solvent that will quickly and easily remove both gel polish and adhesive. Because of its powerful properties, acetone is used to break down the acrylic so it can be easily lifted off the nail but can be quite drying if used too heavily or frequently on natural nails.
Ready to get started? Heres our step-by-step guide on how to remove acrylic nails at home:
How To Remove Acrylic Nails Summary:
- You can absolutely do this at home but use the acetone soak off method to keep damage at a minimum.
- Never rip the nail off as this WILL cause damage.
- If youre getting this done at a salon make sure they also use the soak off option.
- Look for salons use hand filing techniques when buffing and filing your natural nail. They are far less abrasive than nail drills.
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Wash Your Hands And Follow With Cuticle Oil
On top of that, add a nail strengthening product. Obviously, it’s best to use the services of a qualified nail stylist as experience and knowledge can guarantee a safe and proper treatment, but if you treat your nails gently enough you can remove the acrylic nails yourself at home, says Bryzek. Just keep in mind that your natural nails are delicate and their purpose is to secure very sensitive nail beds so you dont want any damage as it may cause pain and discomfort for a long time.
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Why Is Acetone Getting A Bad Rap And Is It Warranted
Acetone is harsh on nails, theres no denying that.
As taking off acrylics requires you to soak your fingertips in acetone for 15-20 minutes, it can dehydrate the nail plate, cuticles, and the surrounding skin. It makesa the nails dry and brittle, and the cuticles dry, flaky, red and irritated.
Prolonged exposure to acetone has also been associated with nail splitting and white discoloration of the nails.
It can also cause overall thinning and severe brittleness of the nails if used too often in this manner.
So its no wonder that people are in search of acetone-free methods to remove acrylic nails!
Youd probably be surprised to hear that acetone is an organic compound that occurs naturally in the human body as a byproduct of metabolism, and is normally present in both the blood and the urine.
Acetone is definitely not good for your nails. But the real question is are acrylic nail removal methods without acetone better for your nails?
The real question is:are acrylic nail removal methods without acetone better for your nails?
As it turns out, they really arent.
Acetone-free methods are much less effective. They require a longer soak time and they make acrylics harder to remove. This can cause those who are overzealous and impatient to try to remove them before theyre ready to come off, resulting in nail damage.
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How To Take Off Acrylic Nails Fast Without Damage
Removing acrylics forcefully means removing some of the many layers of your natural nail plate, too, according to Savannah Walker, a professional nail artist and owner of Manifest Nail in New York City. “Usually this results in thin, flimsy, damaged nails, which last for months until they grow out,” she says. And that’s the best possible scenario! So, if you opt for acrylics, we suggest keeping this handy tool kit at home for a damage-free removal:
Keep in mind, even if you follow these steps, you may be left with somewhat compromised natural nails, depending on how the technician applied them the acrylics in the first place and how carefully you execute the removal. However, “if the acrylic process is done patiently, it can be virtually damage-free,” Walker says. Now, follow these simple steps from nail pros to easily take acrylic nails off at home fast without damage:
Why Would You Use Dental Floss In The First Place
Without digging too deep into the science behind acrylic nails, they’re created with a mix of powder and liquid monomer that makes a moldable “paste.” The paste hardens, bonding to your natural nails to create any shape or length that your heart desires. While this process results in a long-lasting manicure, it also means that removal can be painstaking.
The most common way to remove acrylic nails is to soak them in pure acetone . This “breaks down the chemical bond between the acrylic and the keratin-rich surface of your nail, allowing you to gently separate the two from each other,” according to Anna Parvatova, nail pro and creative director of the brand SNS Nails.If you’ve ever had an acrylic nail set, you know how time-consuming removing the acrylic nails with acetone can be it’s typically a 20- to 30-minute endeavor. You may have to repeat the process of soaking your nails and filing off softened residue multiple times to completely remove them. With the dental floss acrylic nail removal hack, TikTok users report removing their nails in just a fraction of that time. Not to mention, acetone, which is essential for helping to break down acrylic, is super drying to your nails and skin, according to Parvatova.With both factors in mind, the appeal of sliding your nails right off without acetone is pretty obvious.
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Dont Try To Substitute Ingredients
Just a final caution if you are removing acrylics at home:
With all the DIY hacks around, sometimes it can feel like you can make a homemade version of almost anything. But this is where you should NOT get creative and start trying things on your own, especially when it comes to making homemade cleaning or removing products.
If you dont have lemon juice or alcohol around, go out and buy some or maybe just use regular nail polish remover. Dont be thinking you can just look through your cabinets and decide you can substitute one of these ingredients with another cleaning product.
You may think that of all the things you have in your house, bleach might work. After all, its great at cleaning and disinfecting and its super strong. And if youre cleaning with bleach its highly recommended to use gloves so the bleach doesnt ruin your acrylic manicure because it can cause the nails to lift or pop off.
So, no harm in trying it, right?
WRONG! Never use bleach or any other household cleaning product to try and remove acrylics either on their own or mixing them together, or with other things.
Mixing bleach with vinegar or lemon juice produces potentially lethal chlorine gas.
Mixing alcohol and bleach produces chloroform, which can knock you out and damage your organs while youre lying there on the floor, unconscious, inhaling the fumes.
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Follow Up With Supplements*
“The best thing to do is support faster and stronger nail growth,” says Marshall. “People can supplement with collagen peptides, B vitamins, and silicahorsetail is a great botanical that has high levels of silica, naturallywhich all support nail health, helping them to grow out stronger and quicker.”* Collagen, in particular, has been shown to support nail strength.* One study found that when patients took collagen daily for 24 weeks, it helped support their nail health, including better growth rates, reduced breakage, and improved appearance.*
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Can I Put Clear Nail Polish Over Acrylic Paint
Applying clear polish and a coat of acrylic paint seals the nail. To seal acrylic paint on fingernails, apply a layer of clear polish. Its not hard to say that acrylic paint bonds to a clear coat when the painting has dried like dry nail polish. This protects the colors and designs that are under attack.
Laminated Business Card Can Remove Acrylic Nails
This acrylic removal method is shockingly a lot easier than the first one. First, you need to have a card that is strong enough for this removing process. Luckily nowadays we are stocked with these in our wallets.
Here are the steps:
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Removal Of Acrylic Nails Using Acetone
It will take a little time, but if you plan to avoid acetone, your regular nail polish can also help you get acrylics off.
Things You Will Need
Quick Tip: Normal acetone-free nail polish remover tends to evaporate after some time. Hence,keep adding nail polish remover from time to time.
Using A Business Card
You should not use any business card but a laminated one. You can use your laminated business card to remove your acrylic nails away from using them for just business purposes. Although it may seem awkward, it can be used to do that work too.
This approach is easier than you would think. Laminated cards tend to be more sturdy than regular cards. They can be more effective in removing acrylic nails without having to spend much. You will just need to take your wallet and check if you have a laminated business card. A business card that has expired or is unworkable will be the most appropriate.
You will need the following to complete the process:
- Cuticle stick
- Moisturiser and cuticle cream
Follow the steps below to get rid of acrylic nails:
- Using the cuticle stick, remove the bottom of the nail gently. Ensure you do this slowly to prevent hurting your natural nails.
- Slide the laminated card corner around the acrylic nail in a slide-to slide motion. Take the laminated card in slow motion to prevent your nails below the acrylic nails from ripping off.
- Slide the card forward and backwards to remove acrylic nails repeat this process until you finish removing all nails.
- Using a nail buffer, clean your nails to ensure you remain with polished natural nails.
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Precautions To Take While Removing Acrylic Nails
The following are safety measures you should take while getting rid of your acrylic nails:
- Never try to forcefully remove your acrylic nails because you might end up pulling up the actual nail bed, resulting in excruciating pain or even infection.
- If you want to use acetone, ensure the place around you does not have a fire, as acetone chemical is highly flammable and can cause accidents.
- Most of the time, the side effects of using acetone may be dehydration or skin wrinkling because of its powerful chemical compounds. If you are using acetone methods to remove acrylic nails and you notice a severe redness or a sharp burning sensation, you should not hesitate to seek professional assistance immediately.
- Cover the surface or the table on which you are carrying this procedure to protect it from acetone damage or stain.
- The process requires a lot of patience, so you should be ready to wait until all adhesive is gone. So, when removing your acrylic nails, get a comfortable place to sit as you wait.
- If you decide to use a specific method, stick to it until all the nail is removed to avoid accidents or to hurt your nails.
How Do You Precisely Remove Acrylic Paint
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How Long Does It Take For Nails To Recover After Acrylics
Your natural nails will grow about 1/8 inch per month. Depending on how long your nail beds are, the new nails will grow back and recover in 4 to 6 months.
During this time, you can use some other less damaging nail strengthening products like gel base coat and topcoat to keep them from worsening by breaking or peeling.
If you use the above repair process, it will take about 4 to 6 months how long does it take for nails to heal from acrylics.
If you do not use any nail strengtheners to protect your thin nails, some of them might break, peel, or slit and you will need some kind of nail repair. This might lead you back to the acrylic nail cycle which you might not want for now.
Do You Need Pure Acetone To Remove Acrylic Nails
If you want to remove acrylic off your nails, soak them in pure acetone to prevent excessive peeling and scraping. This method helps to melt off the gel/acrylic to prevent excessive flaking and peeling of the nail. In addition to a manicure bowl, cotton balls, foil paper, nail file, and wooden stick, Logan suggests investing in these items.
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Option #: Acetone Soak
One of the most common and foolproof ways to remove acrylic nails is to do an acetone soak. This is typically the same process thats used at salons. As for what it entails, exactly, simply follow the steps below.
What youll need: Nail clippers, nail file, acetone nail polish remover, petroleum jelly, cotton balls and aluminum foil.
How to execute: Use a nail clipper to cut your acrylics as short as possible. The less nail you’re left to work with, the better! Then file and buff the tops of your nails to remove any nail polish that was applied on top of your acrylics. Prep your cuticles for your acetone soak by applying some petroleum jelly to the base of your nail beds and your fingers. Next, saturate a cotton ball with acetone nail polish remover and place it on top of and around your nail. Then wrap the nail with a piece of aluminum foil and let the soaking begin. Repeat for each nail.
Let your foil-wrapped nails sit for about 20 minutes or so . Once time is up, gently lift the aluminum foil on one of your nails. If the acrylic doesn’t start to come off easily, leave your nails to soak for an additional five to ten minutes or until the acrylic flakes off without force.
How Do Salons Remove Acrylic Nails
Everyone loves acrylic nails. The color, the length, the perfection. Its an easy way to make yourself feel beautiful. That is until its time for them to come off. But how do the professionals do this? Here is what you need to know.
So, how do salons remove acrylic nails? Most salons will use a combination of acetone soaking and filing to remove acrylic nails. Some salons may opt for one or the other. Either way, the process generally takes between 25-45 minutes.
Its all too tempting to pull off a nail once it begins to come loose, or if its broken.
But just pulling them off can damage your natural nails, causing layers of your own keratin to be stripped away.
Thats why it is imperative that acrylics be removed properly.
And the technicians at the salon know best. At least they should!
We will now look at exactly how a salon does this, how long it takes, how long it costs, and other considerations!
So, be sure to keep on reading!
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