Removing gel from nails. How to remove gel nails at home

Date of publication: 02/21/2017

The more popular the technique of covering nails with gel polish or shellac becomes, the more often the question arises of how to remove it. There is no need to talk about the obvious dangers of picking and peeling off the coating: even clients interested in the nail industry know how unfortunate the consequences of such a removal technique are for nails. But even some technologists cannot answer the question of what is better - removing gel polish with a cutter or dissolving the polymer coating with gel polish remover.

Professional gel polish removal techniques

Gel polish, which is often called shellac, is an elastic polymer compound that is acetone-soluble. This characteristic determined the most common method of removal - soaking. This technique, which can be performed at home, is also recommended by professionals whose clients, despite all the warnings, remove the coating on their own. But the craftsmen themselves are increasingly using a milling cutter for this procedure: a device that resembles a dentist’s drill. Which method is better for the master himself and is safer for the nail plate is worth considering in more detail.

Dissolving gel polish with acetone-containing liquid: pros and cons

To dissolve gel polish, technologists advise purchasing a special liquid. Those who understand that the beautiful packaging contains the same acetone-containing composition, take the usual nail polish remover. Also required for the procedure:

• grinder for removing a dense glossy layer from the surface of gel polish;
• cotton pads, which are applied to the nails in the form of liquid-soaked quarter corners;
• foil to wrap the tips of your fingers and increase the effectiveness of the composition;
• an orange stick or a sharper pusher;
• polisher and cuticle oil.

Instead of foil, you can use special plastic caps to remove gel polish. They are more aesthetic and hug the nail more tightly: the relevance of the latter aspect is clear to those who have ever encountered a restless client who is unable to calmly endure 15 minutes of soaking the coating. Unlike a foil cap, a plastic clip is less likely to slip off accidentally.

To understand the advantages and disadvantages of this method, you need to understand what happens during the procedure. In 15 minutes, a liquid containing acetone corrodes the coating and makes it soft. The master, who removes the caps one at a time, quickly lifts the soft mass with a stick or pusher and removes it. According to the technology, it is unacceptable to press hard on the tool or pick out poorly dissolved gel polish: if necessary, the wrap with a wet sponge is repeated.

This technique seems to be as safe as possible for the nail plate: after removing the layer, it is sanded, polished and soaked in oil. But is everything so rosy? During the entire 15-minute procedure, the fingertips received a powerful chemical burn. Essentially, the skin was immersed in acetone, which cannot but affect its condition. A client who is not prone to allergic reactions only experiences dry skin, while an allergic client experiences cracking of the pads, skin rejection and excess keratoses. Those who had damage on the cuticle line before the procedure will hardly be able to withstand such torture: acetone will burn the injured rollers.

Grinding the coating with a milling cutter: advantages and disadvantages

Removing gel polish with a milling cutter seems more difficult: those who see the device in the hands of a specialist for the first time have unpleasant associations with a dentist. In practice, the process doesn’t look any better: a ceramic or metal nozzle with pronounced notches, which craftsmen call “corn,” slides over the surface and grinds off the gel polish layer by layer. Flying dust, unpleasant sounds and vibration sensations can cause a negative reaction. Those who have seen the consequences of poor-quality processing can present as an objection the danger of cuts and burning in the process. Technologists present their arguments:

• a good attachment combined with the high power of the device itself removes the layer delicately, without reacting with the scales of the nail plate itself;
• dust is eliminated by using a good vacuum cleaner built into the countertop;
• oscillatory movements are minimized by the correct placement of the master’s fingers;
• The client will not feel a burning sensation when working quickly and confidently without stopping in one place.

Cuts and injuries are also only a consequence of inexperience: with constant practice, the risk of injury to the nail or cuticle is minimal.

The speed of the procedure will increase significantly: to treat 10 nails, the master will need 5-15 minutes. For a client who is removing gel polish by soaking, at this moment the last nail would just be wrapped.

But it’s also worth mentioning the disadvantages: the cost of a good device and the inadmissibility of using a low-power one, the price of the attachments themselves and the need for serious practice before working with your hands. Contraindications to the procedure itself are:

• individual intolerance;
• thinning and increased sensitivity of the nail plate;
• allergic reactions to dust.

Optimal technique for removing gel polish: does it exist?

Each technique has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, practicing masters rarely stop at “pure” techniques. The combination in the case of removing gel polish looks like this:

• the top and middle layers of the coating are cut off with ceramic, diamond or carbide milling bits;
• the residual base layer is either removed with a less abrasive nozzle, or even dissolved.

Due to the small thickness of the remaining coating, this process will take only a few minutes, and the risk of damage to the nail will be minimal.

Technologists warn: there is no completely safe way to remove gel polish, so you shouldn’t get carried away with frequent reinstallation of the coating. Following this recommendation allows your nails to remain healthy.

As I promised in previous posts, I finally wrote an article about hardware removal of gel polish. I briefly touched on the topic of removing gel polish using a machine in an article about. Today we will delve deeper into this topic.

types of gel polish removers 😛

Today there are two ways to remove the coating:

1. Soaking gel polish under foil
2. Removing gel polish with a cutter using a machine

HOW IS GEL POLISH COATING REMOVED IN THE SALON?

1. The client's hands are washed with soap and warm water. Then dry with a towel.
2. Shellac Remover Wrap sponges are soaked with Product Remover liquid. Then each finger is wrapped so that the sponge rests on the nail, and secured with the sticky end on top, ensuring a tight fit.
3. The wraps are left on the fingers for ten minutes.
4. After lightly massaging the nails under the wrappers, the wrappers are removed from the nails with light movements. If there is a significant amount of gel polish left on the nails, the sponges are moistened again, the nails are re-wrapped and the remaining coating is left to soak in the liquid for a few more minutes.
5. If necessary, the remaining Shellac is removed very carefully so as not to scrape off the surface layer of the nail plate using an orange stick. If traces of the coating are still visible, wipe them with cotton wool soaked in cleaning fluid or pure acetone to remove all product residues.

I think everyone knows about removing gel polish by soaking it with acetone. Let me just say that I highly do not recommend this method of removing gel polish. Well, or I recommend using it as a last resort, when there is no other choice.

The thing is that it is the removal of gel polish by soaking that leads to the fact that the nails become thin, overdried, and begin to flake. Masters who practice this method of removing gel polish say that this is a normal phenomenon, and the nails just need to “rest.” They say coating with gel polish is harmful to nails and all that... - that's bullshit.

Coating with gel polish does not harm your nails at all, but on the contrary, protects them from all kinds of external influences. Nails most often suffer from improper removal of gel polish. In the article “” I described only a few of these methods.

Today I won’t talk about sad things, but I’ll tell you about a civilized way of removing gel polish - removing gel polish using a machine.

Subtleties and nuances of removing gel polish using a machine

To remove gel polish using a machine (it is also called a gel polish remover), the same device is used, with the only difference being that during manicure and when removing gel polish, different cutters are used - these are the same drills, buzzers or attachments (call them what you want) that are inserted into the device.
The principle of operation is very simple: the cutter, rotating at high speed, removes gel polish from the nail. The same can be done with a regular file, as some masters and even beauty salons still do, but removing gel polish with a device is much more gentle and painless. I'll explain why below.

Basically, gel polish is cut off using either a ceramic cutter or a carbide cutter with a large notch.

Ceramic cutter for hardware removal of gel polish

Ceramic cutters are a new product on the nail industry market. One of the distinctive properties of ceramic cutters for nail correction is their very high mechanical strength and, as a result, high durability and wear resistance. Also, one of the most important qualities is the high heat resistance of the material - they do not heat up during operation. The composition of ceramics is very complex - clayey substances and quartz, feldspar, and bone ash are plastic. When these materials are fired, a very durable substance is formed that has the above qualities.
You can immediately feel the difference - ceramic cutters cut the material very softly, thanks to their high cutting ability. There is no vibration felt at all. If we compare it with carbide cutters, then one ceramic cutter will “work” three or four carbide cutters.

Carbide cutter for removing gel polish using a machine

Metal or carbide cutters are made of hard metals and have a straight, oblique or cross-shaped cut. Metal nozzles are either regular (work in one direction only) or reversible (work both clockwise and counterclockwise). Unlike all other attachments, these attachments cut material, forming chips, not dust. These cutters are ideal for reducing the thickness of gel and acrylic when correcting and removing artificial nails. For gel it is necessary to use cutters with larger notches, because the viscous gel gets stuck between the teeth and clogs the tool. Metal carbide nozzles work quickly, do not cause heat, and generate almost no dust.

It is necessary to take into account that if we perform a hardware manicure at 10,000 - 15,000 rpm, then filing occurs at a maximum speed of 30,000 - 40,000 rpm. This allows the nail plate to heat up less.
Some masters say that it is very easy to saw through a nail with a cutter, this is harmful, cuts are formed, etc. It’s better and “safer” to remove it with a file or soak it in acetone.

If the masters correctly teach the technique of hardware manicure, position your hand, show you how to and how not to work with the device, there will be no cuts.

About myths about removing gel polish with a machine

When removing gel polish with the device, you can saw through the nail to the meat
In principle, you can leave a groove on the nail, but for this the master needs to “try” very hard. The fact is that when removing gel polish, the master tries to remove only the top coating - the gel polish itself. And under the gel polish there is also a “base”. It serves as an indicator for the master that it is time to stop.
When we file away gel polish, we file it down exactly to the base layer, i.e. The cutter does not work on the nail, it only comes into contact with the artificial surface. Next, we polish the overgrown nail plate from the cuticle side and the “cushion” with a soft buff that does not reduce the thickness of the nail. And as you know, the nail consists of about 100 keratin plates. In this case, grinding with a 180 grit file removes 1-2 layers of plates. Consequently, in what condition it was in the original version, it remained so. In the case of soaking, we would have to polish the nail every time, which of course is not beneficial for it. It’s one thing to go through a buff once, or once every 2-4 weeks, taking into account the fact that a complete change of the nail plate takes up to 6 months, imagine how many times we will have to file an already exhausted nail.
Removing gel polish is painful and there is a burning sensation
If your gel polish is removed by a normal technician, then this process is completely painless. When I was just starting out and learning how to remove gel polish with a machine, in order to get a feel for what and how, I learned on myself. The main sensation you will have when removing gel polish is a tickling sensation. It's like someone is tickling your nail. It doesn't hurt at all. Many of my clients even like it?
When I picked up a manicure machine for the first time, and the teacher told me to remove the gel polish, I was also afraid that I would saw through my nail, but I overcame my fear and made the first movement on the nail. Was it easier then?

To remove gel polish with a device and not injure your own nail, the technician needs to follow simple rules:

1. When removing gel polish, the elbow must be fixed, i.e. lie on the table so as not to make an awkward movement, and thereby not remove “extra”
2. Removing gel polish should be done using stroking movements, touching the nail and moving away from it. Our teeth are drilled in much the same way at the dental clinic. All this is done to ensure that the nail does not overheat and you do not have any unpleasant sensations.
3. Make movements only in the direction of movement of the cutter. The manicure device can rotate both left and right. Accordingly, the master must also choose the direction of movement of the cutter. Otherwise, the cutter will slip off the nail. Nothing bad will happen, but there is little good in it either.
4. It is important that for hardware manicure and gel polish removal with a device, DIFFERENT cutters must be used. If you do a hardware manicure with a cutter to remove gel polish, or vice versa, then nothing good will come of it.

Well, to make it even clearer, here is a short 30 second video that shows the process of removing gel polish using a machine and a cutter:

Notice how quickly and easily the gel polish comes off.

After removing the gel polish, the nail looks completely natural and healthy. And the main thing is that after removing the coating there is no inflamed cuticle, bruises, or painful sensations on the nail itself, which very often happens when cutting off gel polish with a nail file. And if we add to this the fact that now there is no need to “soak” your nails in acetone and scrape them with an iron spatula, then the result is absolutely beautiful :)

Gel polish has recently become very popular among lovers of chic manicures. But the time comes when it needs to be removed so that the nails do not lose their integrity and neat appearance. This is what the file for cutting off gel polish is used for.

Why is it needed?

Many fashionistas know that gel polishes are removed using compresses moistened with a special dissolving liquid. Then the remaining varnish is easily removed with an orange stick. Therefore, it is generally accepted that there is no need to file off gel polish with a file, therefore, it is not worth spending money on an extra manicure tool. In fact, such files are needed for manicure. They clean the top top layer of paint to prepare the nail for treatment with remover, i.e. gel polish remover solution. This makes the procedure more efficient.

Peculiarities

A gel polish file is a common manicure tool that can be used for sanding and polishing. Often, for these purposes, a buff is used, which represents a block; as a rule, its different faces differ in their graininess. The difference between a buff and a regular sanding file may lie in its abrasiveness.

The abrasiveness of files and buffs for removing gel polish is measured in grits, and its number is usually indicated on the handle or side of the tool. Grit is the number of abrasive cells per 1 square meter. cm. Therefore, the less grit on the nail file, the rougher it is, and a high indicator means that the tool is intended for the most delicate and accurate work. You should know what abrasiveness indicators of files are intended for various manicure works:

• from 100 to 180 grit– the roughest work is only for artificial nails;
• from 180 to 250 grit– correction of the shape of natural nail plates;
• from 240 to 400 grit– polishing the nail surface;
• from 400 to 900 grit– preparing the surface for polishing;
• from 900 to 1200 grit– final mirror polishing of the nail.

To file off gel polish, manicurists recommend using tools with an abrasiveness of 180 to 240 grit, i.e. second category. Such a file will disrupt the integrity of the top layer of the manicure, preparing it for further processing with a solvent liquid. At the same time, it will not be so rough as to damage the surface of the natural nail.

A buff with edges of different abrasiveness is good because it is universal. If the side with one coating does not cope with the task, then you can use the other side with a coarser grit.

Materials

There are several materials for these types of manicure tools. They differ in price, but it is worth considering the effectiveness of the raw material, its harmlessness to fragile nail plates, and the strength of the handle.

First, it’s worth considering the materials of the files themselves:

• Paper It is not recommended to purchase tools - they are extremely short-lived. In addition, they cannot be disinfected, since they are intended for one-time use.
• Metal The files are strong and durable and have a low cost.
• Wooden The files are good due to their delicate structure and natural raw materials. For production, various types of dense wood from fruit and coniferous trees are used, which may also have healing properties. But such instruments cannot be treated with disinfectant solutions, so they can only be used individually for yourself.
• Plastic The files are cheap and versatile, will last a long time, and can be treated with a disinfectant solution.
• Glass and ceramic handles for nail files are popular, easy to disinfect, and look beautiful. But their disadvantage is their fragility, so they should be handled carefully.

Now we need to consider the materials for spraying files for removing gel polish.

• Metal abrasive It is better not to use gel polish for cutting off. Regardless of the abrasiveness, it is quite rough, and the purpose of this procedure is to only slightly disturb the top layer of the painted nail; then the remover will handle the task.
• To effectively remove the top layer, you can use ceramic and glass bases, which have recently become increasingly popular. They are gentle on the surface, but clean quite effectively.
• Diamond sputtering appeared relatively recently as a material for manicure instruments. It copes well with removing the top layer and will be as gentle as possible on natural nails.

Popular manufacturers

Washable nail file CND "Boomerang Buffer" made of foam-based polymer. Its distinctive advantages are its excellent flexibility and convenient shape, which allows you to perform a manicure as comfortably as possible. It can be easily disinfected by any means. This tool has the shape of a boomerang; such varieties have already gained recognition in beauty salons.

One of the priority areas that was emphasized during development was the quick and easy removal of material from nails after the end of wear. Almost all manufacturers (of which there are quite a few today) claim easy, painless, and most importantly, safe removal of their gel polishes from nail plates. However, in practice this is not always true. There is probably not a single manicurist who uses this material to cover nails in his practice who would not encounter the following problem: how to remove gel polish? Not to mention those who take care of the beauty of their nails at home.

One of the first gel polishes to appear on the market was Shellac from Creative Nail Design (USA). One of the advantages of Shellac is that it is quite easy to remove the coating without damaging the nails. CND gel polish comes off really well after wrapping your nails with cotton pads and foil. To do this, cotton pads are soaked in Product Remover (from the same manufacturer), applied to the nails and wrapped in foil. After 10 minutes, you can remove the gel polish along with the wrapper - lightly pressing down, pull the coating off the nail.

How to remove gel polish correctly. Wrap with remover liquid. Branded CND Shellac Remover Wraps

Before this, you can make massaging movements. As a rule, the remaining pieces of shellac can be easily removed with a wooden stick. By the way, the manufacturer recommends using its branded Shellac Remover Wraps to remove gel polish, but they are not cheap and can be replaced with cotton wool and foil without any damage. Before use, it is most convenient to cut cotton pads into pieces, preferably the size of your nails - the liquid consumption will be significantly less.

However, not all gel polishes are as easy to remove as shellac. Often, after removing the remover wrappers, the coating remains quite strong and cannot be removed with a wooden stick or pusher. In this situation, many craftsmen resort to cutting off the gel polish with cutters or files. The disadvantages of this approach are damage to the upper layers of the nail plates, a lot of dust, and additional time costs. Others try to soak the gel polish by increasing the time they spend their fingers in the foil. This also leads to negative consequences for both nails and the skin around them. The fact is that gel polish removers from most manufacturers contain acetone, which dries out the nail plates and adjacent skin areas. The longer such liquid affects the nails, the worse the consequences can be.

Relieve gel polish removal procedure The following recommendations from experienced professionals will help reduce the harmful effects on nails:

1. Some gel polishes are much easier to remove from nails after first removing the top layer (top gel) using a buff, file or cutter. Having destroyed the top layer, the usual removal procedure is then carried out by wrapping. This method allows you to reduce the soaking time, while the natural nail plate is not filed.
2. It has been noticed that gel polish is more difficult to remove in a room with low temperatures. The softening process is also more difficult for clients with cold hands. In such cases, masters use heating of the wrapped fingers using UV lamps (place them in a lamp for a couple of minutes) or use hair dryers, heating pads, etc. for these purposes. You can also warm your hands before applying the remover and foil - they should not be cold.
3. Applying petroleum jelly to the cuticle and side ridges before wrapping with removing liquid reduces the effect of acetone on the skin. Vaseline prevents acetone from penetrating into the pores - to do this, lightly rub it in with massaging movements. Can be replaced with oils.
4. To protect nails from exposure to acetone during the process. gel polish remover it is possible to use the drug Restructant (Restructant from ClinestiQ). It is applied before applying the base gel. The restorant fills the voids in the nail plate and acts as natural keratin, strengthening it. Use instead of a primer.
5. You need to remove the remover wrappers from your fingers one at a time - remove them, scrape off the remaining gel polish, and only then move on to the next finger.

   

   Removing gel polish residues with an orange stick after soaking

   Otherwise (if you remove everything at once), the softened material remaining on the nails may harden again while other fingers are being processed.

6. Apply a small amount of regular nail polish to the middle of the nail before applying base gel. The varnish should not reach the edges of the nail plate either from the side ridges and cuticles, or from the free edge, but cover about half the area of ​​the nail. The base gel is applied over the entire surface and only after the varnish has completely dried. The use of this method allows removing any gel polish is much easier.
7. Sometimes when removing gel polishes mechanically (by filing), the base coat is left behind. That is, only the top gel and the color layer are cut off. In this case, there is no need to use acetone for soaking, and the natural nail plate is not affected. Naturally, this method is applicable only if you plan to apply gel polish again.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that many craftsmen completely remove gel polish by cutting with a router or saws. And, although this method does not entirely correspond to the concept of this product, it also has a right to exist.

No review found! Insert a valid review ID.

They become fragile and brittle, soft, begin to flake and slow down their natural growth. All this is the result of improper removal of gel nails, as well as failure to follow simple rules for caring for your own nail plates.

Tools

In order to get rid of the presence of gel on the nail plate, you will need the following tools: a nail file, tweezers and a special polishing file. In this case, the file should not be metal or glass. We choose an emery file, and its base should be soft.

Goodbye marigolds!

Let's start removing the extensions. For these purposes we use tweezers. We grab the part of the nail that is to be removed and “bite off” it with a sharp movement. You should remove the nail carefully to avoid pain and discomfort. It must be remembered that the gel is a solid substance and, if handled carelessly and carelessly, can crack, causing damage to the natural nail. Therefore, bring the extended nail to the required length using a nail file.

Do not tug, pull or try to lift the gel from the nail plate under any circumstances! Such forceful methods can be detrimental to your nails, which can crack or even burst from rough and improper manipulation.

So, you got rid of the length of your nail extensions. The next step will be removing, or rather cutting off, the gel itself from the native nail plate. The nail should be filed, covering its tip and side edges. Afterwards, the central part of the nail is filed. The main thing is not to get carried away with the process. In order not to damage the native nail plate, you can not completely remove the gel, but leave a thin layer.

After the process of cutting off the gel from the nail plates can be considered complete, begin processing the remaining roughness and irregularities using a polishing file. Movements should be carried out mainly in one direction only. This way, it will be possible to avoid heating the nail plate from friction processes.

After ridding your natural nail plates of extensions, your nails need close attention and careful care more than ever. Lightly heat the oil you have at home, such as olive or sunflower. Apply a thin layer to the nail plate and begin to rub it in with light massaging movements. You can pre-purchase a special manicure oil. Then we polish the nails with a piece or a polisher made of suede specially designed for this purpose. This manipulation is carried out in order to prevent delamination of the nail plate and give a natural shine.

Don't forget nourishing nail creams, compresses and baths. Use strengthening varnishes, which will not only help strengthen the nail structure and activate growth processes, but will also protect the nail plate from external mechanical damage.

It turns out that you can easily remove gel nails. If you use these recommendations, then as a result, your natural nails will delight you with a healthy shine, well-groomed appearance and, subsequently, rapid growth!

Video on the topic

Sources:

• how to remove extended nails at home

Gel nails are a long-lasting and durable coating that is applied to the nail plate. The technology for gel nail extensions is quite simple, and therefore popular. In addition, these nails are very beautiful and have a natural shine. The only difficulty is removing the gel from the nails.

You will need

• - nail clippers;
• - file with abrasiveness 100-150 grit;
• - polishing file.

Instructions

In order to remove them, first reduce their length. To do this, cut off the free edge of the nail with nail clippers. Perform the procedure very carefully so as not to damage the natural nail and the skin around it. After all, the frozen gel quite hard, which means it can easily crack and cause defects in the nail plate. Do not cut the nail “at the root”; it is better to bring it to the desired length using a file. Having gotten rid of the length, proceed to removing the artificial material.