Nail extension with gel polish: methods, techniques, pros and cons

Issues discussed in the material:

• What is gel nail extension?
• What types of gel extensions exist?
• What is the difference between types and shapes of extensions?
• What is silk extensions?
• Which is better: acrylic or gel coating?
• How to grow your nails yourself?
• What is the procedure for nail extension and correction?

Manicure is an important element that can complete a woman’s look. Salons offer different types of this service, and clients have to choose: get nail extensions with gel polish or the classic version. To do this, it is important to understand the types of coverage, know the differences and all the pros and cons of each of them.

Nail extensions with gel polish - what is it like?

One of the options offered by salons is today’s fashionable nail extensions with gel polish. The procedure itself is very simple, takes little time, is also absolutely painless and allows you to create a very beautiful manicure. This type of gel polish extension can last about a month on average. The marigolds have a very natural appearance, and the materials do not harm health.

Gel polish extensions are perfect for women with weak and brittle nails, as well as those whose nails are not very beautifully shaped. This procedure can be done continuously for 10–12 months. Then you need to let your nails rest for a couple of months. With regular correction, the gel will help you grow your own nails to the desired length, as well as strengthen them.

Extensions with gel polish have many advantages, thanks to which the procedure is in demand among women:

• artificially elongated nails look natural;
• gel polish perfectly hides the imperfections of your own nail plate;
• large selection of design types;
• the coating is durable and can be worn for a long time;
• no need to renew your polish every 2-3 days.

But this procedure also has a number of disadvantages that are important to know about:

• takes on average 2 hours;
• the cost of the service is quite high;
• worsens the condition of natural nail plates;
• you will need regular caring procedures to restore your nails;
• It is advisable to perform correction every 2-3 weeks so that the manicure looks neat;
• To remove gel polish, you need the help of a specialist.

The duration of the procedure depends on the experience of the extension specialist. A beginner and inexperienced specialist can spend up to 5 hours on this, while an experienced master can do it in 2–2.5 hours. Naturally, the time increases if you have chosen a complex design.

On average, the lower limit of cost fluctuates around 1,000 rubles, and the upper limit is approximately 4,000 rubles. But it should be borne in mind that a low price may also indicate a low qualification of the master.

Special nuances

Girls often wonder if nails that are affected by fungus can be extended with gel polish? Masters categorically do not recommend extending nails damaged by a fungal infection. It is also prohibited to carry out the procedure if there are unhealed wounds on the fingers. To extend nail plates with gel polish, hands must be clean, healthy, and without any damage.

Summer manicure

If sanitary conditions are met, and the plates are properly prepared, artificial extensions will hide defects, change the shape and make natural nails strong.

We will learn about the correct extension technology from the video.

Materials and tools for nail extensions

The necessary tools for nail extensions under gel polish are shown in the photo. These are brushes, tips, buffs for polishing, an ultraviolet lamp, containers for mixing materials, tweezers, manicure scissors, wipes for removing the sticky layer.

You will also need degreasing and antiseptic liquids, moisturizing cuticle oil, primer, base and top coat, and colored gel polishes.

Price and benefit

The price certainly varies. Gel polish is cheaper, since the cost of materials and labor costs for implementation are different.

But what is more profitable in the end is another question. Gel polish, if it begins to come off, cannot be corrected. You need to remove it, while paying for removal, and then apply a new coating. It is almost impossible to fix one nail, since they will be completely different in appearance.

But a damaged nail extension can be corrected individually, and at the same time without any problems adjusting the overall look into a single ensemble and even changing the design. After all, these nails are not afraid of sawdust and surface polishing.

Therefore, extensions are still more profitable if you wear artificial nails on a regular basis.

Types of gels for nail extensions + lamp

There are different types of gels that are used depending on what type of extension you have chosen:

• Basic colorless gel - provides good adhesion of the material to the surface of the nail plate, used in three-phase extensions.
• Sculpting gel - also used in the three-phase method in the second stage. Serves to form the nail.
• Camouflage gel - gives a natural look to the coating. With its help it is good to do French nails, your nails look like real ones.
• Finishing gel - used to add gloss, serves to consolidate the result.
• Gel chewing gum is a new type of material used to artificially increase length. The extended nail is formed from the middle of the natural nail plate, and it hardens on its own after 2 minutes, so the use of an ultraviolet lamp is not necessary at all.

The simplest type of extension is using a single-phase gel, so this option is recommended for beginners. Single-phase gel performs all the functions of other gels used in three-phase extensions. It adheres the material to the nail plate, helps to form a new nail, and also gives it strength. The process goes like this: the nail is degreased, gel is applied and dried. It is possible to apply a second layer if the result is too transparent or the coating has streaked. But this is optional.

In three-phase extensions, three different gels are used: adhesion to surfaces, modeling and giving strength. Each product is applied separately and must be dried at each individual stage.

Biogel is the latest breathable material made on the basis of resins. Thanks to its natural composition and the vitamins and minerals it contains, it nourishes the natural nail and has a beneficial effect on its condition. The material is very soft and flexible, and can be removed using a special liquid without cutting. The biogel extension process itself looks like this:

1. The nails are degreased, shaped, the surface of the nail is polished, and the cuticle is pushed back.
2. Next, apply primer and bonder and dry.
3. Special shapes are attached to the fingers.
4. Biogel is applied to the mold, then the coating is dried under an ultraviolet lamp.
5. Cover with a second layer and dry again.
6. At the end, the nails are polished with buffs and a finishing gel is applied.

As for the lamps used in the process, their main characteristic is power, since the drying time of the gel polish directly depends on this. It is recommended to choose lamps with a power of 36 W. This will not only significantly speed up the procedure, but also improve the quality of work. Try not to skimp on equipment. A not very expensive kit may include a 9 W lamp, but this is very little to do a really good job.

In addition to power, attention should also be paid to the material of the case. If you often work on the road, it is recommended to purchase a lamp with a metal body. This will protect the device from damage and scratches.

Nail preparation

To begin the creative part of the work, you need to prepare the nail plates. This step is important in the step-by-step implementation of the technology, since the duration of wearing artificial plates depends on the quality of natural nails. First, we give the plates the desired shape, carefully trim and file each of them. We cut off the cuticles and treat the nails with a buff. What is this tool? Buff is a fine-grained file that removes the top oily layer from the nails.

Preparing nails for extensions

At the last stage of preparation, the nails are treated with a degreasing agent. This is necessary to remove small particles of dust, grease and give the surface an ideal cleanliness.

Nail extensions with gel polish at home and correction

Many women do not go to salons, but perform the procedure on their own. In this case, it is important to follow the following rules:

• It is not recommended to use hand cream on the day of extensions, as it can penetrate into the pores and remain there. In this case, even if a degreasing liquid is used, the quality of the coating may suffer.
• It is imperative to pay attention to the treatment of the cuticle, this will prevent its premature regrowth, and the manicure will retain its neat appearance for a longer period.
• Before the procedure, you should take into account that medications such as hormones and antibiotics can affect the quality of adhesion of the gel to the surface of the nail plate. Also, the adhesion of the material may deteriorate during the menstrual cycle.
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• The procedure should not be performed on sick, peeling nails, or if there is fungus. First they need to be completely cured.
• Make corrections in a timely manner, as long breaks in procedures negatively affect the condition of the nails.

On average, the wearing time for extended nails is from 2 to 5 weeks. This depends on the individual characteristics of the body, external factors and, of course, the quality of materials. As natural nails grow, which becomes noticeable after an average of 3 weeks, corrections need to be made. It is much easier to do than re-extending your nails. The following can be said in favor of the correction:

• the procedure saves your time;
• she can help you grow your own nails to the desired length;
• During the correction process, gel polish remover, which has harmful properties, is not used.

Thus, you don’t have to repeat the extension procedure, but perform corrections periodically. It is carried out as follows:

1. At the beginning, as always, they do a manicure. The master removes the cuticle, files and shapes the nails.
2. The shiny coating of the gel polish is removed using a buff, and the irregularities are sanded down.
3. The nail is degreased and a primer is applied.
4. Next, you need to hide the nail that has grown along the base using a base coat, which is applied to the entire surface of the plate.
5. The base is dried under an ultraviolet lamp and the dispersion layer is removed with a special cloth.
6. Then they paint it twice with colored gel polish, paying attention to the regrown edge.
7. At the end, the finishing gel is applied and the coating is dried again in the lamp, the dispersion layer is removed.

How to restore nails after extensions

During the extension process and after removing the gel coating, the nail plates are damaged due to constant filing and exposure to chemical compounds. Here are a few simple rules to follow to restore their condition after the procedure:

• Only wear gloves when cleaning and washing dishes.
• Rub Vaseline into your nails regularly. You can lubricate them with iodine at night.
• Take vitamins.
• Eat and drink more dairy products.
• For some time you will have to give your nails a break from the extension procedure.

Many women prefer nail extensions with gel under polish, because this is the safest way to create a beautiful and neat manicure. The coating is durable, strengthens nails and allows them to breathe. Many representatives of the fair sex like that gel polish lasts at least 2-3 weeks, so they don’t have to think about updating it regularly. Women also say that the procedure helps to grow their nails to the desired length and make them more neat. Moreover, extensions are very simple to perform, and you can easily do it yourself at home.

Extension methods

To extend nail plates, you need to prepare one of two devices:

• Permanent ready-made nails made of polymer.
• Removable template forms.

When using permanent plates, ready-made synthetic overlays in the form of a nail are glued to natural nails. Before fixing, they can be given the desired shape or left in the factory version. Templates are used for nail extensions along the outer or inner edge. To attach the tips you will need high-quality manicure glue. Experts recommend using a colorless, odorless composition.

Nail extension procedure