# The Acrylic nail job from hell!!!



## Vixxan (Sep 4, 2009)

8 weeks ago I had acrylic nails done.  I kept them on for about 6 weeks making sure to go in every two weeks to get them filed.  After about 6 week I removed them myself because of drill burns, cuts, and horrible service from various nail techs. The entire experience was nightmare. 

(salon#1) When the nails were originally put on the nail tech cut me and then started drilling my finger pretending not to notice the blood dripping from my hand. I had to literally scream to get this woman to stop drilling my bloody finger.  Then this nasty person took the bloody drilling a placed it back in her drawer without cleaning it.  The store manager assured me that he would have her sanitize the equipment before it was used on anyone else. I ended up leaving without my nails being completed.  (salon #2) A few days later I went to another salon to have them finished.  

(salon #2) Since this salon did a good job fixing the first salon's mess I returned here for my first filling, bad idea. At the first filling the nail tech gave me a very bad drill burn then she pretended she could speak English when I told her that she burnt me.  A few days later I to return to the shop because the filling job she did fell off. 

(salon #3) I had to find yet another salon for the third filling. After the tech claimed to be finished with my nails I noticed that the base of my nails was 1/3 inch high.  I tried very nicely to explain to the tech that my nails need to be drilled and that the nail line was not natural looking.  I looked like someone hit my fingers with a hammer.  The more I explained the less he claimed to understand.  Finally a nail tech comes over that speaks English and said the exact same thing I had been saying all along.  So this jerk starts drilling my nails as if he is trying to hurt me. I lost it and I couldn’t believe the words that were coming out of my mouth.  Another tech offered to fix my nails but by that time I was too pissed to have my nails done.  I went home and removed them myself.  No nails on earth are worth this kind of treatment, no thanks.

What shocks me about this entire nail saga is none of these nail tech cared about how they were treating their customer.  I really felt like they saw me as a piece of meat with $25 bucks.  I don’t understand why would you use a potentially dangerous piece of equipment on a person that you can't communicate with to determine if something is wrong?  I guess I should have asked if the techs spoke English before I let them do my nails but I didn’t want offend anyone, I regret it now.  This whole experience has been shocking and disgusting. 

Since removing them I can't get any nail polish to adhere to my nails for longer than a few hours.  Also, my nails are so weak that anything touching them hurts. There is no sign of infection and I don't think I have one but the slightest bump on my nails hurt.  I'm really at a lost here this was the first time that I had fake nails so I don't know what I should expect after they were removed. Does anyone know why my nail polish won't stay on?  Is there anything I need to do get my nails back to a healthy state?


Forgot:

My nails have a lot of dents, ridges and scratches.
Thanks


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## TISH1124 (Sep 4, 2009)

Wow!! Horrid experience....basically you have to grow back healthy nails first....Try using OPI Nail Envy or Salley Hansen Hard As Wraps Nail Strengthener on your nails every other day until they grow back...keep clipping off the ends until you have a strong healthy new nail...I just finished growing mine back out and it took about 2.5 to 3 months to get them back in the condition they were before Acrylics....and I had a good nail tech....No matter how you remove them or they are taken off...Acrylics damage the nail bed...Nails are left thinner with ridges...


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## Vixxan (Sep 4, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *TISH1124* 

 
_Wow!! Horrid experience....basically you have to grow back healthy nails first....Try using OPI Nail Envy or Salley Hansen Hard As Wraps Nail Strengthener on your nails every other day until they grow back...keep clipping off the ends until you have a strong healthy new nail...I just finished growing mine back out and it took about 2.5 to 3 months to get them back in the condition they were before Acrylics....and I had a good nail tech....No matter how you remove them or they are taken off...Acrylics damage the nail bed...Nails are left thinner with ridges..._

 
Thanks a million!!!


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## Teacakeanyone (Sep 4, 2009)

Now, I don't know if this actually contains ingredients that are beneficial to nail growth, but Sally Hansen's Triple Strong gel strengthener stopped me before I ever got into artificial nails! My nails are so crazily strong with it and so goshdurn shiny, I decided spending $500+ a year on fake nails wasn't worth it for me personally. I just picked some of the Triple Strong up at Ulta, but any drugstore will have it. It's in a square dark-green-glass bottle. Hope this helps!


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## lyttleravyn (Sep 4, 2009)

I second that Triple Strong! It did amazing things for my nails, which used to be thin and peeled a lot. I never had fake nails, but I'm a dog groomer and they are constantly in water. That little green bottle contains miracle stuff!


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## gildedangel (Sep 4, 2009)

I am so sorry that you went through this! You will need to grow out the ridges and uneveness. I love OPI nail envy (only the regular or the matte versions though!) for strengthening, and it doubles as a base coat so your polish will stay on longer. Try to keep from using your nails until they grow out. You could also use a nail growth treatment like Qtica to help grow them to a healthy state. HTH!


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## LMD84 (Sep 4, 2009)

wow this is crazy! poor you for getting such bad service in 3 different places!

i too use triple strong and also a sally hansen quick grow thing - in a blue bottle


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## cazgh (Sep 4, 2009)

You poor thing - sounds awful!

Write written complaints to all these stores - this really is unacceptible service and all technicians have to have insurance just for events like these - nobody should get hurt or leave in pain when having their nails done.

Unbelievable!  Hope your nails start to feel a bit better soon.


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## jayleelah (Sep 4, 2009)

they were using the DRILL on your NATURAL NAILS ???? wtf!
of course it works faster that way but it ruins customer's nails. At school, they taught us it was forbidden to use the drill on natural nails. Only use a FILE !!! it's more gentle and doesn't burn.
Just let your nails grow back and use nail straightener. Maybe you'll find a better nail tech in the future.


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## User67 (Sep 4, 2009)

I'm so sorry this happened to you! I used to wear acrylics for years & I know I had plenty of bad experiences. The worst was when I was having my nails soaked off & I guess the process wasn't go fast enough for the nail tech, so she tried prying the nails off & she ended up ripping a hole in the middle of my natural nail! I wanted to die & I wanted to kill her! Like everyone else said, you are going to have to let your nails grow out & use a good strengthener on them. I really like OPI Nail Envy & I also have had really good results from this product called Nail Life Revitalizer that they have at Sally's, it's a big square bottle & the formula is purple. It works really good! Good luck!


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## Redz24 (Sep 4, 2009)

If you can, report these salon's to trading standards, I'm sure you won't be the first nor last person they attack with a e-file.

These kind of salons take any short cuts possible, especially a using a e-file on natural nails.  This should never be done.  An e-file should only ever be used on the product.

It's c**p you've had to go through this.


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## MissAlly (Sep 6, 2009)

Gah.Now I am  scared to ever get my nails done again.


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## user79 (Sep 8, 2009)

Just stop getting acrylic nails and learn how to take care of your natural nails. I have natural nails and get asked all the time if I have fakes. So much easier and cheaper and to maintain.


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## jayleelah (Sep 8, 2009)

Oh my God Julia! your nails are peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerfect! I could've sworn they were gel 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  I'm jealous.


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## MK09 (Sep 8, 2009)

Too Long


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## Tat2dbeauty07 (Sep 8, 2009)

I know the feeling I moved to a new city found a new salon to get my hair done at and they also did nails. I had a full set put on and the girl did speak english and kept everything sanitized every customer had their own set of files she never used the drill on your hands and everything was done by hand no tips. When buffing my nails the first time she buffed so hard she cut my cuticle on my thumb then she used strait up alcohol to clean it that burned like a M-Fer I went back for my second fill with her she did the same thing on the same finger... Not pleasent so I decided not to get them filled anymore after that when it came time for my 3rd fill my mom went to get her hair done and the nail tech said if your daughter doesnt come this week the get her nails done Im going to have to charge her extra my mom didnt tell herI took my nails off, which was a pain I soaked in acetone for 30 mins they softened but wouldnt budge so I slipped a store mempership card under the backs that grew out and popped them up and off taking most of my real nails with the acyrlics my nails have grown back since they are still sore to touch my nails are very thin I cant get a decent tip on them because they bend and peal. My polish is sticking though I paint them about every 3 days so you cant see the damage they are red and swollen my ex is a barber so went through all the stuff in school on nails and that he told me I made a mistake from the beginning getting them done. I dont think I will ever get acyrlics again.


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## banana1234 (Sep 8, 2009)

my nails were the same when i had mine taken off, i'd rather have my short, un manicured nails than those again, not only are they expensive, but once you have them, you kind of have to keep going back, or grow them out, mine took about the same time as tish's to grow out. maybe a bit quicker, i find it helps to keep them short, because then they dont get bent as much when you're doing every day things. as for the nail varnish not sticking? that's cos they've made your nails super smooth. when it starts growing in rougher, you'll find it easier to paint them. 

sounds like a horrific experience, i hope your nails grow out quick.

Maybe try a sally hansen treatment, or opi treatment for making them grow? maybe it will grow out faster? XX


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## BEA2LS (Sep 9, 2009)

mine really weren't too bad when i got them off.. only one time did they tear my nail but that was one time too many


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## Willa (Sep 9, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *MissChievous* 

 
_Just stop getting acrylic nails and learn how to take care of your natural nails. I have natural nails and get asked all the time if I have fakes. So much easier and cheaper and to maintain._

 
I tried over the year to let grow my nails, I don't really wear fake nails, if so maybe once per year, but anyway my nails are very weak, they chips all the time, too soft...

I wish there was a miracle product out there...


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## BEA2LS (Sep 9, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Willa* 

 
_I tried over the year to let grow my nails, I don't really wear fake nails, if so maybe once per year, but anyway my nails are very weak, they chips all the time, too soft...

I wish there was a miracle product out there..._

 
my nails are like that, too - which is probably why i did not mind the damage fake nails caused. my nails are too soft to ever grow over my finger.. i dont know if it is diet or genes or anything. my family all eat healthy (expect not me so much) but their nails are all short and soft too so who knows?
either way i love fakes i love the look but i'm too broke to bother.. i polish my nails all the time and started to love the look of short polished nails.


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## DILLIGAF (Sep 9, 2009)

The only thing thats going to help right now is patiently grow the nails out. The products mentioned in this tread would be the same ones I reccommend. Specially the Nail Envy. Oh and have you considered vitamins to maybe speed up the strenghtening of your nails?


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## Darkness (Sep 9, 2009)

What a horrid experience. I know I'll never bother having those acrylic nails ever again. When they took mine off, my nails were so thin and weak for ages. Plus, the nail bed was exposed in parts on most of my nails, I was in agony. I had to keep cutting them super short and I rubbed some antiseptic cream (Savlon..don't know if you can get it in the US) on them every day. Try using some almond oil, as that will help too.


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## JamaicanDiva2 (Sep 11, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Teacakeanyone* 

 
_Now, I don't know if this actually contains ingredients that are beneficial to nail growth, but Sally Hansen's Triple Strong gel strengthener stopped me before I ever got into artificial nails! My nails are so crazily strong with it and so goshdurn shiny, I decided spending $500+ a year on fake nails wasn't worth it for me personally. I just picked some of the Triple Strong up at Ulta, but any drugstore will have it. It's in a square dark-green-glass bottle. Hope this helps!_

 
I totally agree!!! I "third" the Triple Strong! Last year I met a girl w/ literally the longest, strongest, most healthy looking natural nails I have ever seen, and she told me that she swears by this stuff, so I went out and got it, and it completely saved my weak, thin, peeling nails!!! I've also tried Nailtiques and NailTek and millions of other strengthening polishes, but this stuff is not only cheaper, but works just as well or better as the more expensive stuff! Which reminds me, I need to go buy some more!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			







HTH


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## shatteredshards (Sep 21, 2009)

The best thing you can do for your nails is not get them done - they damage your nails to make it work, and then how convenient for their cash register that you have to keep coming back for upkeep!

A couple things you may want to consider while you grow your nails out, and even after:

1. Biotin supplements. Make sure you read up on it first, so you understand the RDV and the toxicity levels, but to give perspective I take 5000 mcg daily, with my multivitamin and such. (Bonus: it's good for your hair, too!)

2. Only use a glass (aka crystal) nail file. This will be harder to do while you grow your nails out, because you will probably have to stick to clipping them to get rid of the bad stuff, but once you have grown them out consider ditching clippers and grit files completely. Glass files are better for your nails, and, when used properly, will seal the tip of your nail on their own so that your nails don't peel. I don't use clippers anymore and my nails are better for it.


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## fly_easy (Sep 21, 2009)

Sally Hansen Nail Protex and Nail Magic are 2 that I swear by. You will see a difference quickly with both. Both are under $10.


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## Kazzii-Loves-MA (Oct 21, 2009)

Heya hunny, 
this sounds really horrible. These people sound really rude, i would never talk to one of my potential customers like that :O. Hun your nails are like this because of the acrylic nails, i am currently doing beauty therapy at college. We will not perform this service of applying acrylic nails, we encourage natural nails. I must admit false nails look very pretty, but they do dehydrate, dent your nails and you could get a fungal infection if you keep getting them filled because of all the bacteria between the acrylic and your real nail. hope your nails are all ok now sweetie. 
Kaz x x


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## Janice (Oct 21, 2009)

I would never, EVER get acrylics again. Not only are they unhealthy for your natural nail, it's IMPOSSIBLE to find and keep a manicurist who is gentle and kind while you're in their chair. (apologies to those who ARE out there, but honey, you are one in a million)

Bio Sculpture gel nails are my holy grail, I can't believe this exists, nail enhancement product. Anyone who is tired of acrylics should see if they can find a salon in your area who uses this. 

Anywho - basically this is a gel that is gently painted on your nails like nail polish and is totally removable until you "cure" it under the light. After it's cured you have gorgeous salon perfect nails for as long as you want. I go in every two weeks for fills still but my nails look everyday like I went to the salon and got a manicure. 

I am terrified of acrylics and was going through yelp looking for "best manicurist" when I stumbled across a little nail studio where it's just the owner and she uses this product exclusively. She totally phased out acrylics because of the chemicals and damage they cause. 

I totally sound like an advertisement, but I am just that damn happy with discovering a healthy alternative to acrylic nails. Here is the website for the brand. Bio Sculpture USA


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## nursie (Oct 22, 2009)

i do not plan to ever have an acrylic of any form, or anything that 'requires' a 2 week fill in again.

i had always been a nail biter. chewer. hangnail-haver....to the point of bleeding. gross,yes.

i got acrylic nails as a way of preventing nail biting, and of course to finally have nice looking nails. i wore them for 5 years straight. i hear people say they take a 'break' from acrylics, but i never did. every 2 weeks for 5 years i'd be sitting in someone's chair.

honestly, most of the time my nail techs were careful. but it doesn't take much to really F-up and leave you with a throbbingly painful fingertip. i had the dremmel cuticle burns,ripped real nail upon acrylic 'take off and replace full set'....not to mention things i would do like getting them caught on something and the entire nail flipping backward and off (and feeling like i had just self amputated!).

i never wore my fake nails crazy long, but over the past couple of years i preferred them to be shorter and shorter. i just started to like the look better. i began to wonder if i could have decent nails without the acrylic coating, which i felt was keeping them strong.

about 3 years ago i started taking daily a women's multivitamin,msm/glucosamine supplement,and a biotin supplement for overall health and specifically at the time for hair health. i feel sure this regimen has helped my real nails (which i was continuing to cover up with acrylic) actually be quite strong, unlike how they were prior to wearing acrylics.

at the beginning of this summer i did not go back at the 2 week point. another 2 weeks went by and my grow out looked weird but i just left them alone. i finally ended up picking at them and removed the final bits of acrylic. it took the full months of june july aug for all of the paper thin frail real nail that was under the acrylic to grow out.

my real nails are finally healthy and cute, and i've no desire to chew. so for me it served its purpose, but i had really begun hating being a slave to 'the chair' every 2 weeks.


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## Superkaz (Oct 22, 2009)

That is absolutely terrible
I think you get what you pay for.....

Invest in some cuticle oil, everytime you think of your nails, get the oil out and rub it into your cuticles.
I mean it, my fav is Creative Solar Oil which hydrates like crazy.
My nails have never looked better. 


Acrylic nails shouldnt be damaging your natural nails if the technician knows what they are doing. Nor do natural nails 'need to breathe', you can go 5 years and if the technician truly loves/knows her job than she will cause you no pain. (except for maybe the occassional slip of the drill and nick you)
Its not the tool, its the fools who use them.

Kazzi is half right about bacteria being able to grow there but thats if the acrylic nail detaches itself to the natural nail and then the moisture, warmth and stuff causes the bacteria to grow.


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## ruthless (Oct 26, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Vixxan* 

 
_8 weeks ago I had acrylic nails done.  I kept them on for about 6 weeks making sure to go in every two weeks to get them filed.  After about 6 week I removed them myself because of drill burns, cuts, and horrible service from various nail techs. The entire experience was nightmare. 

(salon#1) When the nails were originally put on the nail tech cut me and then started drilling my finger pretending not to notice the blood dripping from my hand. I had to literally scream to get this woman to stop drilling my bloody finger.  Then this nasty person took the bloody drilling a placed it back in her drawer without cleaning it.  The store manager assured me that he would have her sanitize the equipment before it was used on anyone else. I ended up leaving without my nails being completed.  (salon #2) A few days later I went to another salon to have them finished.  

(salon #2) Since this salon did a good job fixing the first salon's mess I returned here for my first filling, bad idea. At the first filling the nail tech gave me a very bad drill burn then she pretended she could speak English when I told her that she burnt me.  A few days later I to return to the shop because the filling job she did fell off. 

(salon #3) I had to find yet another salon for the third filling. After the tech claimed to be finished with my nails I noticed that the base of my nails was 1/3 inch high.  I tried very nicely to explain to the tech that my nails need to be drilled and that the nail line was not natural looking.  I looked like someone hit my fingers with a hammer.  The more I explained the less he claimed to understand.  Finally a nail tech comes over that speaks English and said the exact same thing I had been saying all along.  So this jerk starts drilling my nails as if he is trying to hurt me. I lost it and I couldn’t believe the words that were coming out of my mouth.  Another tech offered to fix my nails but by that time I was too pissed to have my nails done.  I went home and removed them myself.  No nails on earth are worth this kind of treatment, no thanks.

What shocks me about this entire nail saga is none of these nail tech cared about how they were treating their customer.  I really felt like they saw me as a piece of meat with $25 bucks.  I don’t understand why would you use a potentially dangerous piece of equipment on a person that you can't communicate with to determine if something is wrong?  I guess I should have asked if the techs spoke English before I let them do my nails but I didn’t want offend anyone, I regret it now.  This whole experience has been shocking and disgusting. 

Since removing them I can't get any nail polish to adhere to my nails for longer than a few hours.  Also, my nails are so weak that anything touching them hurts. There is no sign of infection and I don't think I have one but the slightest bump on my nails hurt.  I'm really at a lost here this was the first time that I had fake nails so I don't know what I should expect after they were removed. Does anyone know why my nail polish won't stay on?  Is there anything I need to do get my nails back to a healthy state?


Forgot:

My nails have a lot of dents, ridges and scratches.
Thanks_

 
Acrylics will do that , they shrink when they cure and even after you take them off you'll have a pressure line where the last fill was. 

Unfortunately, many techs and people believe you have to file down the nail surface to get the acrylic or whatever to adhere. Not so!!

It seems to me you've had bad experiences with a bunch of "Non Standard Salons" is what the industry refers to them as. Sounds like your area has a bunch of crappy ones!

Proffessionail, which is where I get mine done can do a full set of pink and whites in under 45 minutes. They're FAST, all Vietnamese and do walk ins only. Like McNail. I've never really had a bad experience with them but they have burned a thumbnail before with the sanding.

My only advice is to keep some kind of polish on your hands at all times and just give them a break, keep them filed short and start over when they're not sore.


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