All you need to know about Gel Nail Extensions

Longer than your natural nails. More durable look than nail polish. More natural and flexible than acrylic extensions. The gentlest nail extension option in the market. Yes, you guessed it – we’re talking about gel nail extensions!

There are several good reasons why gel manicure has been the most popular nail treatment across several decades, and now all those benefits are also enjoyed in the gel extensions as well. Unlike other options available on the market, gel nail extensions are rather flexible and lightweight, which is important not only because it allows a more natural feeling but also because it makes the extensions less prone to damage, chipping and breakage.

Gel extensions are also a valuable time saver since the treatment takes around an hour and a half and lasts for up to four weeks. In the meantime, they don’t require any maintenance but simply allow you to enjoy the neat, well-kept look and feel of your nails without giving it a second thought.

Whereas gel manicure implies treating the nail plate, whether in single color or enjoying some nail art, gel extensions go beyond. They add a long, durable tip to each nail and extend the surface of the natural nail while still maintaining a natural look. Other than that, the treatment procedure is rather similar and mostly consists of adding layers of polymer gel and curing it by UV or LED light. However, extensions do include some additional steps to create the added length and, precisely for that reason, slightly more time.

Acrylic extensions have their place in history of the nail extension techniques and were quite a popular choice prior to the invention of gel extensions. Nowadays, they are largely replaced by the gel extensions, which both look and feel more natural, are thinner and more comfortable, are less prone to damage, take less time to apply and are easier and gentler to remove.

During the application, acrylic extensions may be rather thick and slightly uneven across the nail plate, which is in a later stage corrected by filing. However, not only does this extend the time of the treatment but is also messier and less healthy since it sends the material fragments flying around to be inhaled. In contrast to this, the gel polymer evens out on itself and requires no special shaping or treating, which allows for a faster and neater application.

Moreover, gel extensions also require a gentler and shorter removal process than the acrylic ones which implies less natural nail damage and more free time for you.

Last but not the least, gel extensions are far less odorous than acrylic, making them available for more people and more enjoyable by all.

The first part of the gel extension application treatment is preparing the nails. That implies removing the previous nail polish or gel if there are any, filing and buffing the nails and then finally cleaning them.

The next step is the one that separates the extensions from the gel manicure and is the additional one. Similar as with the acrylic extensions, the extended length is created by placing a form – a temporary template or a sticker that is fitted right under the tip of the natural nail. This is why the only prerequisite for getting the extensions is that there has to be some length to the natural nail so that there is enough place to fit the template.

Next the nail technician will apply a gel primer, a gel builder and a gel top coat from the base of the nail all the way to the form to create the extension, while letting each layer dry under the LED light. The number of layers depends on the length of extensions and can vary between two and seven.

As an alternative, some salons also carry already shaped full soft gel nail tips that are secured to the natural nail with gel instead of being built on a template. These nail tips come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes to ensure that they fit every nail type and preference. This option further shortens the application time since it requires fewer layers of the gel to secure them in place.

Like with any other extensions or even gel manicure, it is recommended to allow a nail professional to remove your manicure, and preferably the same one which applied it in the first place. That will minimize the amount of potential damage to the nail since they will know what product they used and how to best remove them.

The removal is done by mechanically filing down all of the extensions. After that, the nail professional will wipe them away and slightly buff your natural nail to remove any potential residues and give you the finishing touches. The removal procedure is fairly shorter than the application and usually takes up to 40 minutes.

If you have any other questions or would like to book your appointment, don’t hesitate to contact us at Beauty Xpress.