How to remove extended nails at home?

In a desire to improve their image, most of the fair sex actively use modern artificial materials. This is especially true of manicure and such popular techniques as nail extension with acrylic, gel or shellac. However, before trying these techniques on yourself, you should understand how, if necessary, you can independently remove the selected material from the nail plate with minimal damage to it.

To properly remove the built-up material from the nail plate, even before performing a manicure, you should study the issue of removing the tools used at home. Very often during the continuous use of the gel or acrylic, the natural nail plate is depleted, it becomes very fragile and brittle. Therefore, removing material without serious consequences will be much more important for the beauty of nails and improving their condition, since, as practice shows, it is careless removal that leads to more serious damage than using artificial means to simulate the shape and length of a manicure.

Of course, the correct removal without harm can be carried out by a specialist in the salon, however, it is not always possible to use his services, which requires the owners of gel or acrylic nails to understand how to remove the extended nails at home herself.This option is possible only if there is a certain list of tools and knowledge of the entire algorithm for manipulating the material.

Due to the fact that shellac, gel and acrylic are actively used today - compounds that have different composition and characteristics - there will be several options for how to remove them at home. In addition, to remove material or remove varnish, you will need a different set of auxiliary tools, the main list of which for each tool will be considered separately.

Shellac removal is carried out using the following working equipment:

• cotton pads;
• a special tool for removing gel polish from the nail plate or acetone;
• foil or professional caps made of silicone;
• file;
• orange sticks.

Correctly and quickly remove the gel from the nails will help such a set:

• tweezers or another tool for cutting long tips;
• a brush to remove residual material and dust;
• a set of files with varying degrees of abrasion;
• cotton pads and acetone-based varnish remover;
• manicure buff.

If the extension was carried out with acrylic, then the following materials will be necessary for work:

• tip cutter;
• buff and nail files for cutting acrylic;
• foil;
• cotton pads;
• orange stick
• composition for removing acrylic or an acetone-containing liquid.

Regardless of the technique for performing manicure, as well as the type of materials used, removing formulations from the nail plate requires a series of preparatory measures for nails and skin of the hands. First of all, it is worth adjusting the length of the nail itself, cutting off the overgrown part. It is necessary to trim the nail as carefully as possible so as not to damage the plate itself, in addition, too hasty actions can cause injuries resulting from contact with an acute type of artificial nail.

However, with proper handling, you can easily remove part of the material with standard scissors for manicure or with nippers.

After shortening the length, you should take care of the skin of the hands and the cuticle on each finger. For these purposes, before carrying out removal of gel polish from the nails, it is necessary to process these areas with a fat cream or petroleum jelly. It is important to use a composition that will provide traumatic areas during operation with reliable protection from exposure to various chemicals and mechanical contact with the tool, which will entail overdrying of the epidermis.

For professional or home removal of extended nails, there are basic rules for completing a task.

Unlike acrylic material, gel tips will be more difficult to remove from the nail. The main reason for this is the specificity of the material itself, because the gel is rather wearable and strong composition, so it can not be dissolved in anything or chopped off. Self-removal of tips requires not only some effort, but also time. The main work will concern the use of the nail file, and since the process itself will be very dusty, it is worth taking care of the protection of the eyes and respiratory tract in advance. Therefore, work must be carried out with a mask and glasses.

Technology work.

• First of all, you need to do the top layer if the length of the nail has already been previously removed. In order not to hurt the fingers that will hold the tool, it is recommended to put a fingertip on them or glue them temporarily with a plaster. When removing material, you should regularly remove dust from the plate to visually determine at what stage the work is: for this it is worth using a brush, as well as acetone.
• After the material is completely removed, you should polish the plate with a buff, push the cuticle away with a stick, and apply a moisturizer to your fingers.

Some experts recommend leaving a small layer of gel on the nail plate to further strengthen it, however, this is not necessary.

Acrylic is a fairly popular nail extension material. To remove it, one set of files will not be enough. As a rule, the effectiveness of the removal procedure will increase many times if you use a special composition that is able to dissolve the material. If such a tool is not available, you can resort to using the usual nail polish remover, but the product must necessarily contain acetone, otherwise the tool will be useless.

Removing acrylic requires the following:

• First you need to independently make small plates of food foil, their size should correspond to the phalanx of the finger with an extended nail. In addition to foil, you will need cotton pads in the amount of 10 pieces. This material is useful after working with a nail file.
• The rough abrasive side of the nail file should remove the acrylic layer. As a rule, the top layer is the most durable, so it can take a lot of strength and patience to remove it. But the upper composition should be removed from the nail plate completely.

• After the removal task is completed, you need to moisten the discs with acetone or other appropriate means and cover the entire nail with them, then wrap it with a piece of foil. A foil overlay will help trap volatiles that are responsible for dissolving acrylic. In this state, the nails should be held for about half an hour.
• Over time, acrylic will change its consistency and become jelly-like. It is not difficult to remove the substance in this form from the nail, however, during the implementation of this procedure it is very important to act promptly so that the material does not become solid again.
• After contact with the above substances and the final removal of acrylic, you must thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water, and also apply a softening and nourishing agent to the nail plate and skin.

Shellac is most conveniently removed separately from each hand. The material removal procedure requires the following steps.

• Ordinary cotton pads can be used as a whole or split in half. Each disk needs to be moistened in nail polish remover, then placed on the nail plate and covered with foil, as is the case with acrylic. Keep the product on the nails for 20-30 minutes.
• After contact with the product, shellac can be removed from the finger with an orange stick.
• Most often, after removing gel polish from the nail, its surface will become rough and bumpy. Therefore, the plate will need additional grinding. For these purposes, it is worth using a manicure buff.

Another way to get rid of a gel coating without foil is to use a water bath. For this method, you need to take two small plastic containers: one will need to pour hot water, and the second - pour the contents of the vial with the acetone-based varnish remover. It is important that the water tank is of a larger diameter, so that a bowl of acetone fits into it.

You should wait until the acetone is heated, and then hold the nails in the composition for about 15 minutes. When the material starts to move away from the nail plate, it can be carefully disconnected from the nail with your fingers or a stick.

Despite the fundamental differences in the materials used for manicure, as well as the implementation of different methods for their removal, a number of complex measures can be distinguished. which will strengthen and support the nail plate and skin of the hands after removal of the compositions and the use of various mechanical and chemical means of influencing the nails.

• It is important to nourish the epidermis, so the use of creams or moisturizing oils is mandatory. A moisturizing bath for nails based on heated olive and coconut oil can act as an effective remedy. You can massage vegetable, castor or almond oil into the skin and nails with massage movements.

• After using moisturizers, it is recommended to arm yourself with a small piece of natural suede, which should be polished with a nail plate. This method will help to give the nails a healthier appearance and shine, in addition, such a “massage” is a preventive measure against brittleness and exfoliation of nails.
• Cosmetic paraffin can also act as restorative baths. It is heated, after which the nails are kept in this composition. In order for the product to be absorbed, it is recommended that you put gloves on your hands or wrap your fingers in cellophane for a while after the procedure.
• At home, you can prepare useful masks for nails and cuticles. They may consist of sea salt and lemon juice or sea buckthorn oil and a composition of other ethers.
• As effective measures for the restoration of nails after removing the accumulated material, it is worth daily performing circular massage of the upper phalanx of the fingers, additionally using cream or petroleum jelly.
• As a strengthening agent for overly deformed nails, it is worth using biogel, which acts as a protective sealing layer that covers the nail.

Among a large number of recommendations of manicure specialists a number of key points can be highlighted regarding the removal of accumulated material from nails.

• Most masters do not recommend wearing artificial material for longer than three weeks, since the compositions will interfere with the natural growth of the nail plate.
• To remove gel polish as quickly as possible before using acetone or other means, it will be more correct to remove its top layer. Such manipulation will allow the softening composition to penetrate deeper into the material, which will facilitate the passage of gel polish from the surface.
• Instead of cotton pads for work, it is much more convenient to use cotton balls that are more suitable in size, in addition, they dry out at times slower.
• Less aggressive formulations with a higher content of caring components and less acetone only stretch the process of removing artificial coatings in time. And for acrylic they can be completely ineffective, which will entail even greater mechanical impact on the nail of the abrasive surface from the file, which can cause more damage to the plate and finger.

How to remove extended nails at home, see the video below.