Tried my own nails for 2 years, going back to Acrylics- anyone else?

Tzu4u · ‎04-19-2010

I was able to find the manicurist who did my nails monthly for 10 years, and have an appointment in 2 weeks. I have given my own nails 2 years, tried every product known to man, and I give up. My hands look like heck, and I am sick of it. They look so bad, and I pick at them without the acrylics on. I resign myself to the fact my natural nails will never look nice. I am looking forward to having presentable hand again, instead of hiding them all the time.

I will go back to pink very short, oval French nails. - Has anyone else failed at getting their own nails to look good?

scottygal · ‎03-10-2010

Oh yes, miserably! Vitamins, oils, mani's, lotions, potions and prayers! They are just like my Moms were...terrible! Thinking of going back to fakes even tho I hate the maintinance. The real ones break, shred and look so bad. The fakes truly served me better. My husband has lovely nails that never break, and he has to cut them to keep them under control...... ${#emotions_dlg.mad}$ arrrgh!

Bridgegal · ‎03-09-2010

This is what I did. After having soft, peeling, splitting nails with vertical ridges my whole life , I got acrylics which I kept very short. I had them for about 3 years. Last Nov. my manicurist took them off. I had tried every nail product on the market + Biotin etc but she recommended NailTeks again so I used that for about 6-8 weeks and used my fingers as little as possible. Then I got a gel manicure. My nails now look natural and I like this much better than acrylics. No chipping or splitting or breaking.

pommom · ‎03-10-2010

OP - have you tried Biotin 1200 mg/once a day w/a meal? I had the exact affect effect when my acrylics came off. Then I went on Biotin and my nails are strong and I have to file them down every 2 weeks they grow so fast.

Since then, I've enjoyed my short nails esp with the great nail polishes out on the market. The dark nail colors look great on short nails.

It took about 3 weeks for me to start seeing a diff. It works!

If your face brightens when you meet a friend, you have struck gold. - unknown

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

I gave up acrylics three years ago and I have accepted that my nails will never look as terrific as they did with my fake nails. But I will not go back, too expensive and too time consuming. I have had short natural nails all winter, I do my own mani and buff to a shine. The winter has been hard on my nails. Time to go back for professional mani/pedis. I'm considering gels.

Southernfriedchick · ‎03-14-2010

I haven't stopped acrylics for the very reason/s you have stated, and I have taken B complex

plus extra Biotin for several years. My nails have ridges and nothing I have tried topically/

orally has helped my nails. I've been doing acrylics for 20+ years. The only thing Biotin

did for me was make my nails, hair grow faster, and that's OK. I wasn't expecting much.

Reba055 · ‎06-23-2014

I went back to acrylics about 6 months ago. My natural nails are fine but my cuticles are horrid. They always look overgrown. I even tried weekly manicures. The nail techs are amazed at how my cuticles grow. I tried gel for about a year and liked it ok but I wasn't too crazy about the time it took to remove them every couple of weeks and to me it seems almost as damaging as acrylic. I'm also bad about doing all sorts of things and never wearing gloves. I'm happy with the acrylic, I have a great tech, keep them on the shorter side, and can do anything with my hands and they look great. My cuticles don't go crazy with acrylics. I know they don't look as real but I don't care. I have to pick my battles these days.

Q4u · ‎03-17-2010

I had acrylics for years and then had them taken off, frankly I couldn't stand the feel of the Dremel and no one wanted to file the acrylics like they used to years ago.... and my nails for horrible for years! No kidding... thin, peeled, soft and worst of all, when they did grow, they turned UNDER and if I let them go, they would grow cupping the top of my finger. So I had to keep them short. But eventually they hardened up, stopped peeling, and all except one nail grew straight. It's taken ten years for that one nail to straighten up... sort of... there is still a limit as to how long I can let that one go before it starts to curl.

No.... I'll never do acrylics again, as beautiful as I think they look....

*~"Never eat more than you can lift......" Miss Piggy~*

Luvtoshopathome · ‎03-09-2010

I would never go back to acrylic nails. My nails were paper thin from them and they used to burn from them filing them down so much. I gave up and after a month, I had my own strong nails back. My nails are very healthy now and I do them myself but I really think it has to do with your diet and if you take supplements. BTW, a good manicurist can tell things about your health just by looking at your nails.

Reba055 · ‎06-23-2014

On 3/8/2015 Q4U said:
I had acrylics for years and then had them taken off, frankly I couldn't stand the feel of the Dremel and no one wanted to file the acrylics like they used to years ago.... and my nails for horrible for years! No kidding... thin, peeled, soft and worst of all, when they did grow, they turned UNDER and if I let them go, they would grow cupping the top of my finger. So I had to keep them short. But eventually they hardened up, stopped peeling, and all except one nail grew straight. It's taken ten years for that one nail to straighten up... sort of... there is still a limit as to how long I can let that one go before it starts to curl.

No.... I'll never do acrylics again, as beautiful as I think they look....

That brings up a good point. I always remove my acrylic nails about every 6 months and leave them off for a month or so. I think it's good to let your nails breathe. It's usually about that time that I'm sick of going and getting them done anyway and want a break from that. I just do a regular mani for awhile. My tech always says my nails are good but I think it's because she's so good. They don't look horrible like they have before when I went elsewhere. I wonder if doing this helps your nails from becoming damaged like you are referring to. I just put on a new set. Will probably take a break after this set. Don't get me wrong, they are thinner, I just use Nailtique. After about a month or so my cuticles are making me crazy and I'll put on another set.