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How To Remove Nail Extensions at Home
Nail extensions can be a quick and easy way to add length to your nails. However, the longer you leave them on, the higher the chance your real nails will snag and break. This can be frustrating as it is essential to maintain healthy and beautiful nails.
Nail extension removal is one of the most dreaded moments we have to deal with. Luckily, there are ways to get rid of nail extensions at home. Keep reading this blog to discover how to remove them easily and make the most of your time and money.
What are Nail Extensions?
Nail extensions are fashion accessories placed over nail beds. They can come with manicures or be painted to have a specific design. There are several types of nail extensions that come in different shapes and sizes, such as gel nails and acrylics.
Nail extensions help people achieve longer and more beautiful nails without actually growing them out.
Why Should I Remove Nail Extensions?
When you get your nails done at a salon, it can be tempting to leave them for a few weeks. However, while there are a few perks to having fake nails, there are some downsides as well, such as damaging your real nails.
It is important to remove nail extensions after two to four weeks to avoid having thin, brittle, and parched nails. Since frequent touch-ups can seriously hurt your natural nails, nail extension removal will let your nails breathe for a few days.
How To Remove Nail Extensions
If you have decided to extract your nail extensions by yourself, there are different methods that you can try, depending on the type of extensions you use. In simple and easy steps, you can remove your nail extensions at home without causing any damage.
Removing Acrylic Nails
Using Nail Polish Remover and Warm Water
Prepare:
- Acetone
- Petroleum jelly
- Nail clippers
- Warm water
- Tweezers
- Two bowls
Process:
- Clip your acrylic nails as short as possible using a nail clipper.
- Fill one bowl with pure acetone and another one with warm water. Put the bowl of acetone inside the warm water bowl to warm it up gently.
- Apply a generous amount of jelly on the skin surrounding your cuticles.
- Dip the entire acrylic nails in the acetone bowl and wait 30 to 40 minutes.
- Check if the acrylic nails have gone soft, and you should be able to pull them gently with tweezers.
- If it is still hard to remove fake nails, soak them again in acetone for some more time.
Using Nail Polish Remover and Aluminum Foil
Prepare:
- Acetone
- Nail clippers
- Nail buffer or nail file
- Cotton ball
- Aluminum foils
- Petroleum jelly
Process:
- Clip the acrylic nails to the shortest length possible.
- File away the top layer and nail polish.
- Apply petroleum jelly on the skin surrounding the fingers.
- Soak the cotton pads in acetone and place them on your actual nail bed.
- Wrap the aluminum foil over the cotton pad to remove the acrylic nails safely.
- Wait for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Pull the aluminum foil to gently remove acrylic nails at home.
Using Nail Polish Remover and Plastic Bags
Prepare:
- Nail clippers
- Acetone
- Ziplock bag
- Cuticle pusher
- Nail filers
- Cuticle oil
Process:
- Clip your acrylic nails as short as possible.
- Take the ziplock bag and fill it with enough acetone.
- Submerge your nails for 15 to 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, scrape the acrylics gently using a cuticle pusher.
- File the fake nails. They should be removed easily as they’ll be soft from the acetone soak.
- Do not forget to apply moisturizer after the entire removal process.
Using Dental Floss
Prepare:
- Nail pusher
- Dental floss
Process:
- Clip the acrylic nail extensions while avoiding the natural nails.
- Pry your cuticles with a nail pusher using its pointy end to make a little inlet.
- Ask someone to insert the floss through the inlet and move it in a sawing motion.
- Continue until you completely remove your nail extensions.
Removing Gel Nail Extensions
Using an Electronic File
Prepare:
- Electric nail file
- Acetone
- Cotton balls
- Aluminum foil
- Cuticle pusher
- Cuticle oil
Process:
- Using long strokes, file the gel extensions using e file to get to the base coat.
- Soak a cotton ball with acetone and wrap it around each nail extension.
- Wait for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the cotton.
- Use a nail pusher to remove the excess gel on your nails gently.
- Wipe off the leftover residue using an acetone-soaked cotton ball.
- Use cuticle oil to moisturize the surface of your nails and fingers after the nail extension removal.
Using Hot Water
Prepare:
- Hot water
- Nail filer
Process:
- Trim the nail to the shortest length possible.
- Pry the edges to open a little inlet.
- Pour warm water into a bowl.
- Soak your nails in warm water for at least 30 to 40 minutes to dissolve the glue.
- Dip your nails at the angle where the warm water can seep through the inlet to remove nail extensions completely.
How to Protect Natural Nails Against Damage
Healthy nails are the key to a successful manicure. Here are some reminders to avoid damaging the natural nails when removing nail extensions.
Don’t Overfile
Overfiling can make nail plates overly flexible, which will negatively affect the overall health of your nails. It can also cause a burning sensation and thinning of the natural nail.
Consult a Nail Technician
While it might be tempting to skip regular checkups at the salon, neat and well-cared-for nails are vital in maintaining their health. In addition, regular appointments allow nail technicians to assess the overall health of your nails.
Although it is more pricey to have a nail extension removal at the salon, it is still best to have an expert handle the situation to minimize further damage to your natural nails.
Final Note
If you’re like me and enjoy the beauty of acrylics and gel nails, then it’s no surprise that you would also want to remove them at home. But, of course, we cannot control the growth of our natural nails, so if you need to remove nail extensions at home, you can refer to the tips mentioned above.
There’s no right or wrong answer to removing nail extensions, as it comes down to your desire, patience, and skill level. However, you can try using different methods to remove your nail extensions and see which works best for you.
