Nail clients fall into two camps: those who want their nails to survive housework, kids and a handbag, and those who want them to look like they are not wearing extensions at all. The answer is different for each.
The straightforward comparison
| Acrylic | Gel | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Harder, more rigid, slightly thicker | Lighter, flexible, more natural |
| Strength | Stronger — resists knocks well | Flexes, but chips more easily under pressure |
| Look | Can look thicker if applied heavily | Glossier, more like a natural nail |
| Lasts | 3–4 weeks | 2–3 weeks |
| Smell during application | Noticeable chemical smell | Almost none |
| Removal | Soaked off in acetone | Soaked off, or filed for hard gel |
| Repair | Easy to fix a single broken nail | Usually needs redoing |
| Price | From ₨2,000 | From ₨1,000 for gel art |
Pick acrylic if…
- You are hard on your hands — cooking, cleaning, small children, lots of typing.
- Your natural nails are weak and keep breaking; acrylic gives structure.
- You want significant length.
- You want a shape that needs sculpting, like almond or coffin.
- You would rather have one nail repaired than the whole set redone.
Pick gel if…
- You want them to look natural and barely noticeable.
- You dislike strong chemical smells.
- You want a shorter, neater length.
- You have had acrylic before and found it too thick or heavy.
- You mainly want the glossy finish and good colour.
What actually damages nails
Not the product. It is (1) picking or peeling them off at home, and (2) a technician filing your natural nail plate too hard during prep or removal. Both are avoidable. Neither is caused by acrylic being "worse than gel".
Refills: the part that saves you money
As your natural nail grows, a gap appears at the cuticle. A refill fills that gap and rebalances the nail. It costs less than a new set and takes less time.
Come in every two to three weeks. Leave it four or five weeks and the extension becomes top-heavy, lifts at the base, and moisture gets trapped underneath — which is how you get that greenish patch under the nail. At that point we usually have to remove and redo everything, and you have paid more for a worse outcome.
Please do not remove them at home
I see the damage from this constantly. Someone picks at a lifting edge, it peels off, and it takes layers of the natural nail plate with it. The nail underneath is then thin, bendy, sensitive and takes three to six months to grow back properly.
Professional removal is a soak-off. Acetone, cotton, foil, 15 to 20 minutes, then the residue is gently buffed. It costs very little and it saves you months.
If you truly cannot get to a salon: soak cotton in pure acetone, wrap each finger in foil, wait 20 minutes, then gently push the softened product off with a wooden stick. Re-soak if it resists. Never force it.
Signs you should take a break
- Your nails feel thin, bendy or sensitive to pressure.
- White patchy marks across the nail plate — usually over-filing.
- Pain or throbbing after application. This is never normal. Tell your technician immediately; it usually means the product is applied too tightly or the nail was over-filed.
- Any green, yellow or dark discolouration under the nail — that is moisture trapped under a lifted extension, and it needs the extension off.
- Lifting around the cuticle within a few days of a fresh set.
A break of four to six weeks with cuticle oil daily and a nail strengthener puts most nails right. You can wear gel polish on natural nails in the meantime; it is much lighter than extensions.
Hygiene: what to look for in any nail salon
This matters more than the product choice, and it is worth being fussy about.
- Tools sterilised between clients, ideally taken out of sealed pouches in front of you.
- A fresh file and buffer for you, or your own kept aside.
- Clean pedicure bowl with a new liner.
- No cutting of the cuticle itself — it should be pushed back, not cut. Cutting it invites infection.
- The technician stops if you say something hurts.
We do acrylic, gel, extensions, refills, nail art and proper soak-off removal at the salon. If your nails need a rest, I will tell you that instead of selling you another set. Green Cap Housing Scheme near Metro Gajumatta Station, Ferozepur Road. WhatsApp 0328-0088408.