Artificial Nail Products, Application, and Maintenance
Product families
Acrylic: liquid monomer plus powder polymer; the industry-safe monomer is EMA (ethyl methacrylate). MMA (methyl methacrylate) is banned by many boards and damages the natural plate - if a question mentions MMA, the answer is “do not use.” Gel: UV/LED-cured, hard or soft, with bonder and base. Wraps: fabric plus resin. Tips and forms build length. Dehydrator removes surface oils; primer improves adhesion; a properly mixed bead is workable, never drippy.
Application and maintenance
Prep and gently remove shine, dehydrate, fit the tip or form, blend the seam, apply product in thin controlled layers, cure as the label requires, then file, buff, and polish. Rebalance every 2–3 weeks. Never fill over lifting, moisture, or discoloration - remove, assess, and if anything looks infectious, refer.
Removal
Soak in the product-appropriate solvent (acetone for acrylics and many gels), file down the bulk first, and never pry or force product off; that tears plate layers.
Safety
Monomers and primers are volatile and sensitizing: ventilate, keep containers closed, avoid skin contact, and never decant into unlabeled bottles. Dispose of liquids and dust per label and local rules. Overfiling the natural plate leaves a “ring of fire.”
Traps
MMA described as acceptable, filling over a green spot, ripping off product, skip-curing gel, or using an aggressive bit on the natural nail.
Rule of thumb
Two weeks is the rebalance window; lifting means remove, treat, and redo - never cover. Worked example: a client arrives with one lifted acrylic and a dark spot beneath it. Remove that nail's product, do not apply anything over the spot, explain what you see, refer if it looks infectious, and service the other nails only after the client understands the plan.