Why Acrylic Nails Are Out and Press-On Nails Are In
Acrylic nails have been around for decades, but that doesn’t mean they’re the best option for those looking to beautify their hands and feet. Acrylic nails are rigid and can chip, making them more susceptible to damage than press-on nails, which are flexible, reusable, safe to your nail beds and come in a variety of designs allowing you to still personalize your look — without sacrificing strength or durability.
Even though acrylic nails were the most popular nail service in the 90’s and early 2000’s, press-on nails have recently surpassed them in popularity. If you’re considering switching from acrylic nails to press-on nails for your own nails, read on to find out why it may be time to say goodbye to acrylic nails once and for all and make the switch!
What Exactly Are Acrylic Nails?
Acrylic nails are artificial nails that are molded onto a person’s natural nail. The acrylic is made of acrylic acid, which is dissolved in water or acetone, according to the material’s thickness. Once the liquid becomes viscous, it is applied over the natural nail with a brush or thin rod. The acrylics harden from exposure to air. The material is transparent and a nail polish is applied after.
The acrylics will gradually grow out with your nails, and you will need to return to the salon or a nail professional in order to “fill” in the space. Keep in mind, this usually requires soaking your nails in acetone for 10–15 minutes in order to fully remove.
The Dangers Associated with Acrylic Nails
The chemicals in acrylics can cause brittle, peeling, splitting nails that may result in infection if left unchecked. They can also cause nail fungus or infections like paronychia. Allergies to chemicals (resins and formaldehydes) in the product can cause nail separation, burning, pain or swelling. Not to mention, you may inhale significant and potentially harmful fumes if the salon isn’t well-ventilated. Acrylic nails are also traditionally stiff, without any give. Nails are meant to have flexibility. If the nail hits a hard object, it can more easily separate from the nail bed (onycholysis).
Onycholysis is when your nail separates from its nail bed. It often appears after an injury to your nail, but it may have other causes, including fungi. Treatment may only involve cutting away the separated nail as it grows out, or you may need to take antifungal medications or stop using certain nail products such as acrylic nails.
What Causes Acrylic to Damage your Natural Nails?
Constant use of acrylics can affect can your nail growth over time weakening and damaging your nails, making them susceptible to breakage. In addition, they dry out the natural oils on your nails making them even more prone to splitting. This is much worse if MMA (methyl methacrylate, a type of chemical used in the creation of acrylic nails) is used because it makes your nails more sensitive to trauma.
The chemicals used to apply acrylic nails are unhealthy, they may contain resins and formaldehyde that have been linked to cancer, as stated in this article. In addition, long term exposure to these chemicals can lead to the destruction of the nail matrix.
Methyl methacrylate (MMA) in liquid form is a substance regarded by FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors as “a poisonous and deleterious substance,” which is why it was made illegal for use in the end of the 90’s. When used during a nail service, it can cause yellowing of the natural nails, air blockages, and irritation and numbness of the cuticles and the skin around the nail. Guidance published by the Health and Safety Authority says nail products including acrylic nail liquids can cause dermatitis and allergic reactions.
It also requires an excessive roughing up of the nail bed because it does not adhere so well without grooves and texture that can only be created by thinning out the nail plate. Nails made with MMA are rock hard and usually shrink slightly when they set, which is why sometimes your nail beds will feel very tight and swollen when you get acrylics. MMA liquid is commonly used as dental acrylic for crowns and bridges, and is made to be as hard as bone — this is why most sets made with MMA last somewhere between two to six weeks.
Why Press-On Nails are Better than Acrylics
Press-on nails are all the rage right now, people are taking notice to the damages of acrylic nails and realizing the how the cons outweigh the pros when it comes to acrylics. That’s not the case with press-ons, whose pros greatly surpass their cons. To start, pressons are made with gelatin — the same substance that makes up your fingernails! Press-on nails are also easier to remove than acrylics because they come off in layers versus the whole nail being pulled off, which can break your own nail beds in the process. It’s easy to keep a fresh, dope manicure while also nurturing your natural nails with pressons.
The biggest benefit of a press-on is that you are in charge of your nail health. Press-ons and the nail glue that comes with them don’t damage your nails the same way gel polish or acrylics do when they come off. With pressons, you can simply ease them off with warm, soapy water and nail oil if you’ve been wearing them for five or more days.
To be frank, acrylic nails just feel fake. The whole procedure of getting them done is different from your normal manicure. Your fingers are submerged in liquid, so you can’t use your hands for hours afterwards, and it’s uncomfortable for your nails to be wet and being pressed down on. It takes a long time for acrylics to dry too, so it usually takes at least an hour or two in salon before you’re able to leave with freshly painted nails.
My personal favorite thing about press-ons is that they’re reusable if you take proper care of them. That means switching up your look or playing into multiple personalities every week, if you so desire. Another global favorite is the price point. Even if you wanted to try a completely different nail look every couple of days, you still wouldn’t spend nearly as much time or money as you would in a nail salon. If you’re like me and you love crazy designs and intricate nail art, you’ve been spotted at the checkout counter of a nail salon before baffled over the $100+ price tag of your acrylic set. With pressons, you could build a whole mini collection of cute designs and different colored sets before you reached the price point of an acrylic set.
I could go on and on about the pros of press-on nails, so if you’re interested in learning more please check out my previous blog post “Why You Should Join the Press-On Nails Trend”. If this wasn’t enough to convince you, maybe the fact that celebrities and celebrity nail artists have recently taken up a sure fire adoration for Gel-X nails, which I cover in the previous blog post.
Other Alternatives to Acrylic Nails That You Need to Know About
Acrylic nails are outdated, acrylic nails are damaging. They don’t last as long as gel nails, they are more expensive than press on nails, they damage your natural nails, and they’re not safe to use, we got that much. Here’s what you need to know about the alternatives to acrylic nails.
GEL-X
Gel-X extensions have the malleability of a soft gel polish and the length of a press-on or glue-on nail. The extension is made out of gel polish which is applied directly on top of your full natural nail and can be cut and shaped to your preference. Apres gel-x nails come in a wide variety of shapes and styles with just as many design options as acrylics! Unlike acrylic or hard-gel extensions, Gel-X tips don’t just sit at the tip of the nails. Instead, they cover the entire nail bed from cuticle to free edge. Gel-X is a safe method for lengthening your nails as well. While we haven’t seen any damage from our own Gel-X nails, gel is gel, and if you pick off your extensions you could cause damage to your natural nails. It’s why removal is, hands down, one of the most critical parts of the process of any type of nail extension.
POLYGEL
Developed by nail care product specialists Gelish, PolyGel was designed to combine the positive aspects of both acrylic and gel nails. This revolutionary product uses a mix of acrylic powder in a gel base. The treatment is applied like gel, starting with a base layer, followed by polish and then a top layer. PolyGel nails are both strong and flexible while still being light and comfortable to wear. They cure fast under a harmless LED light and, the best part, they can simply be filed off with a nail file and buffer.
PRESS-ON GEL NAIL TIPS
Press-on nails bring the spa home to you with a range of lengths, colors, and styles that are easy to apply, wear, and remove. Celebrities like Blake Lively are even pairing press-on nails with Gala couture, and Jennifer Lopez sported a presson set to the Golden Globes — so you know their versatility is undeniable. Press-ons last literally however long you take good care of them for, they don’t damage your nails, no, not even the glue, and can be reused multiple times unlike that acrylic set you paid a pretty penny for only to get to enjoy once for around two weeks! “Pressies” have made a splash in the headlines lately and are totally coming back to make their mark on being an important, healthy, staple of nail care.
DIP POWDER
Dip powder nails are a good option if you’re looking for something more than a gel manicure, but aren’t ready to commit to fake nails yet. You’ll start with a base coat and buff as usual. Then, like the name suggests, you’ll actually dip your nails into a powder in the color of your choice. Your manicurist will shake off the excess powder and apply a sealant and topcoat. Unlike gel, there’s no need to dry under a UV light. They might last longer too. Expect two to four weeks of flawless nails. When you get acrylic or dip nails, you’ll see some similarities. They’re both very durable, making your nails feel far stronger than your natural nails do. They’re smooth and shiny (unless, of course, you go for a matte option). Dip powders come in an infinite number of colors, and designs or trends of all kinds can be applied. Essentially, on an aesthetic level dip and acrylic have a lot in common but with minimal amounts of damage to the natural nail. To the untrained eye, nails with dip versus nails with acrylics can be tough to tell apart.
Nail Care Tips for Continuous Use of Acrylics
OK, fine. If you’re seriously dead set on sticking with acrylics, at least practice some good nail health tips to keep your natural nails happy. You’re not gonna like this, but you should take at least a 2–3 month break every few months or year so that your natural nails can recover. You can use press-ons or one of the methods described above within that time to keep your mani fresh ’til death! You should also skip trimming your cuticle because they protect your nails and the surrounding skin from infection, so tell your nail technician to cut that shit out for a while at your next appointment. Taking natural supplements such as Biotin supplements, Silica, L-Cysteine, and B-Complex vitamins which can also help make your nails stronger.
Fall in Love with Press-On Nails
With so many choices available these days for getting your nails done — from high-end acrylics, to sticker wraps, nail jewelry, decals, and more — it can be hard to know what’s best. Not to mention all of the other factors involved. Price, convenience, safety, and efficacy should all be considerations when it comes to narrowing down the possibilities.
Amidst all this, one often overlooked option for keeping your nails fresh and on-point 24/7 is, you got it, press-on nails. What many beauty lovers don’t realize is just how versatile, sustainable, flexible, and customizable press-ons can be, they are truly glamorous! We hope that you’ll at least try them out once, we know you’ll fall in love.
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