What to Ask For When Getting Acrylic Nails for the First Time

Getting fake nails for the first time is a fantastic experience everyone will love. If you the type of people who have not had fake nails in their lives, then there are a lot of things you need to know if you are planning to get them for the first time.

This ranges from the things you will be expecting during your appointment with a nail technician and what you will expect once you arrived home after having them.

What to Ask for When Getting Acrylic Nails for the First Time

In order to help you make an informed decision before visiting the nail salon, I will go through a list of the things that you will be expecting that are unique to everyone and to all the available types of fake nails.

This is because when getting fake nails, you will be forced to spend a long time at the salon as the technician works on the though the stages to the time you will wait for them to dry up.

I have listed and discussed them in deep details in the following categories. All you have to do is sit, read them and in the end you are going to make a selection of the best fake nails that you will be comfortable  and happy having them.

What Can I Expect When Getting Acrylic Nails For the First Time?

Most nails salons always serve their clients who walk into their premises seeking manicure services. However it is recommended that you make a phone call to them and inform their customer care agent of your intention or wish to have artificial nails for the first time.

This is important because they may advice you accordingly and guide you as per their experiences with past clients and their long years of experiences dealing with customers who get their fake nails first time.

After arriving at the nail salon of your choice, the first thing you should expect and it’s a must that you prepare is long hours of waiting and getting your nails done, approximately one and half hours of sitting.

You may be lucky if you find none or few other clients on the queue.  When it comes to the stage where you have to dry the artificial nails, it takes about one minute for gels and up to 15 minutes for acrylics under LED or UV lamps.

When it’s your turn to be served, a nail technician will first inspect your nails to check for any presence of infections or fungi to make sure that there are none to avoid further worsening the health of your nails if you get the fake nails.

What Can I Expect From Acrylic And Gel Nail Application?

If they find that you have health nails, the manicure starts. Before fitting the artificial nails, your natural nails must be properly manicured. They will soak them if they are thick while the cuticles will be trimmed before removing any hangnails.

After that, they will fortify the nails by filing them to get rid of any cracks, splits or peels so that your natural nails can be smooth and strong enough to support the artificial ones.

For those with acrylic, acrylic powder is used in filling after clipping plastic nail tips to the required length which is measured by asking you to show while the attached tip is being placed inside the nail clipper.

The edges and the surface of your natural nails where the artificial one will be attached are worked on using an electric file to ensure they are rough. Gel or acrylic will then be applied. For people with acrylics, the powder applications follow after acrylic is applied.

You should note that is the point that needs your patience as it consumes a lot of time but if you are the type that likes to talk, then engaging with your technician will help.

After application of acrylic powder, the nail surface will be filed to make it rough and oil applied on it including the cuticles and at this point they will ask you to wash your hands.

When you select gels, the first coating is applied after the technician has seen that the nail surface is rough enough. The coating is then treated using LED or a UV lamp in a treatment that lasts for a half a minute for each coating.

In gel application, there are three coatings which are the base gel. Color gel, and the top gel while in acrylics there are also three coatings.

How Do I Keep From Ruining My New Acrylic Nails?

Artificial nails are delicate and caring for them is more important. This starts during the fitting stages where you should ensure they are dried or cured well and this only requires your time and patience.  Many people who get fake nails for the first time always ruin them in the end when the manicure is complete.

At this point, the nails are looking pretty but since you schedule is tight and you need to rush, you end up dragging your fingers cross the nails while holding your hand bag, shopping or smudging them while driving. To prevent this from happening, just cure them enough for any activity for at least 15 minutes under a fan or lamp

Depending on the climate and temperature of your skin, they may need more time before you can do things safely like stick your hand in your purse.

The climate of the day and the body temperature are some of the factors that also affect the rate at which acrylics dries  whereas gels takes less time to cure which means you can perform any task after fitting them and that is why they are highly recommended for those getting fake nails for the first time.

What Happens If My Acrylic Nails Are Too Long?

You may find out after getting fake nails that they are long and are uncomfortable for you since you have been used to having natural nails that are not long enough. At this point you may decide that they trim them back to the length you need but there is a problem with this. Cutting them back may weaken them which can lead to them cracking and after cutting is done, polishing must be redone.

What Can I Expect From My New Acrylic Nails After My First Appointment?

You should have in mind that having fake nail for the first time will look beautiful but your hands will  feel heavy and may not be comfortable.

In fact if you are those people who make a living while typing, be prepared for numerous corrections because you are going to make a lot of mistakes.

Fake nails for the first time will have an impact in your hand coordination when it comes to balancing as you will be force to relearn depth perception and hand-eye coordination.

Don’t worry because this will only take a few days but longer for some people as it depends on how one adapts to body changes. Many even end up removing the artificial nails or trim them back and the disappointment they get will forever last such that they can’t think of having fake nails again.

What Are the Hygiene Routine Changes to Expect With Acrylic Nails?

There are some of the things you may not realized when you have short nails but once you arrive home after getting your fake nails for the first time, you will find that you are careful in all the things you do using your hands.

For instance, while taking a shower in the bathroom, the time you used to take will increase as you master the new hand coordination, and balance.

You will also need to be extra careful touching your face to avoid poking your eyes using the artificial nails.

Although gel and the acrylic are silky materials, the latest stiletto shapes which are popular demands great care and attention because their extra sharp tips when it pokes the eyes can damage or scratch the cornea which risks you becoming even blind.

You should take a lot of care and avoid or ensure minimal contact between your hands and face until when your body and mind has mastered the new maneuvers. You must however clean the nails daily. When it comes to washing them, avoid hard or steel brushes.

Cleaning is important because as you when you are working while having fake nails, dirt collects under them and on the surface where it is decorated. This is indicated by the yellow color. The dirt collected by an artificial nails is more as compared to those natural nails collects.

Another reason why you should pay attention to hygiene when having fake nails is due to the fact that the acrylic and plastic powder used during fitting is a haven for microorganisms and fungi which can be eliminated by using antibacterial soap to wash the nails. Only use a nail brush a few times a week in most cases when you use your hands in dirty or germy tasks.

Because we are at a century where people are more alert over viruses and bacteria, cleaning of the Q-tips can also be used as a preventive measure.

Clean them by dipping in alcohol based sanitizers and running them under the artificial nails to kill any germs that cause bacterial infection or fungi.

Do this daily after washing your hands and nails after work. This is also recommended to do after visiting the washroom or bathroom.

How Expensive Are Acrylic Nails?

The overall cost of fake nails depends largely on which type you get. Acrylics can run you up to $40 and gels are typically those much to start with. Fills for acrylic are typically around each time.

The budget for getting fake nails for the first time will depend on the nail types you choose between gels and acrylics.

Gels are more expensive than acrylics because they are more durable and you can stay with them for an extended period of time than acrylics.

Acrylics costs between $17 and $20 while gels cost $500–$1000 to maintain them annually.

For your artificial nails to stay longer, keeping them clean and healthy is the tricks to prevent damage or fungal infection just remember to replace the old grown nails with a full new set during your third fill visit to the nail salon instead of just having a fill on the old ones.

Will My Nails Be Damaged By My Acrylic Nails?

Of course, if you stop or fail to visit your nail technician for nail filling, you risk damaging your artificial nails.

When you notice a yellow color below the old glue and polish, it is time for a new fill because those are chemicals which the body natural immune system finds them as aliens.

The body’s natural defense will react and in the process worsen the health of your nails. In order to be safe, ensure you take a break of at least one month before getting new artificial nails so that your natural nails get the room for regeneration.

Long-term nails, whether they are acrylic or gel, will thin the nails out a lot over time. They may or may not ever grow back to their normal state entirely. This is because of overexposure to nail glue and chemicals.

When you stay with artificial nails for a longer period, the natural nails are thinned out this is despite the fact that nail experts claim that gels do not affect the natural nails.

You will see changes in your first three appointments.  Gels stay gently on the surface and if you decide to rip them off, the nails will be damaged and you will be the one responsible.

What Is Better For First-Time Fake Nails: Acrylic Or Gel?

Nail experts say gels which do not invade the natural nails are easy to remove them without damaging the nail while acrylic damage the natural nails during removal.

So if you are planning to get fake nails for the first time, or for just an upcoming event like a wedding, gels will be perfect for you.

This is because once you are done having them; you can remove on your own by just soaking them. However, doing this by yourself at home is not advised, you must visit a nail salon.

After the time passes that you wish to have them on, you can simply soak them off. It’s recommended that you do this in a nail salon and do not attempt this at home.

Don’t worry about the costs of removing them at the salon because if you decide to get the right products to do the same at home, you will end up paying more.

At the nail salon, a nail technician will place peace of cotton ball which has been soaked in a solution of acetone on the nail surface then wrap them using a  tinfoil and remove them when the gel get softer enough to remove.

With a nail expert doing this, it will not peel any part of the natural nail but if you do it yourself, then you risk damaging your nails and it will cost you a lot of money and time to restore them back to healthy

If you want to remove the fake nails without affecting the natural nails, just visit a nail salon and remove them within a short time of less than 30 minutes.

The benefit of doing this is that they will also check if there are any bacterial or fungal infections.

Bottom Line

When you get fake nails for the first time, there will be changes to how you do or perform your daily tasks. You will be expected to improve the level of hygiene.

It is also recommended that you choose the options that are easy to remove and those that do not invade the natural nails.

During the process of getting artificial nails, you have to note that Led and UV lamps are used to cure the coatings.

You have no reason to worry because; the equipment used will protect you from any risk of premature aging, skin damage, and skin cancer.

For first-time clients fake nail fitters, their natural nails faces or gets more damage with acrylics than with gels. Ensure you select the best option that protects your natural nails.

All done and said, the final decision lies with you. Just remember to select the option that is ideal to your situation and that long fake nails are not recommended for those getting them for the first time and who have been used to short natural nails.