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Why Do My Acrylic Nails Keep Lifting: Causes and Prevention

Last Updated on August 26, 2022 by SulaBeauty Staff

Acrylic Nails look so beautiful and are one of the most long-lasting nail products currently available on the market these days. Ideally, they should last around 6-8 weeks without lifting if applied correctly.

But sometimes, you might experience premature lifting or peeling of your acrylic nails.

So in this article, we have brought you the reasons behind acrylic nail lift and the solutions on how you can prevent and save your acrylic lifting if it happens.

Why Do My Acrylic Nails Keep Lifting?


There can be several reasons behind acrylic nail lifting few of them can be your carelessness, and a few can be your technicians. We have shared below some common causes as to why acrylic nail lift happens with almost everyone.

Let’s go through the reasons behind the lifting of your acrylics here one by one:

The nail technician didn’t apply the acrylic nails properly: 

The carelessness of the nail technicians when applying acrylic nails is the major cause of the acrylic nail lift. If the nail tech were in some hurry and didn’t follow the proper procedures and provide his or her best acrylic application service, there would definitely be consequences.

Low-quality acrylic nail products: 

Acrylic liquid and an acrylic powder are mixed to form a hard plastic that looks similar in feel and appearance to your natural nails. Different quality acrylic powders, liquids, and nail glue are used in different nail salons.

Ensure that yours is of good quality and brand because low-quality products lead to acrylic nail lift.

Poor maintenance: 

After applying acrylic nails, you need to stay a bit cautious. You need to take care not to lift heavy objects and open soda cans after wearing them. Putting your hands in detergents a lot also causes your nails to lift.

Even if they are of the best quality and applied perfectly, exposure to a lot of strain, stress, and a tough environment can make them break.

Your acrylic nails are too long: 

The longer the length of your acrylic nails, the more they are prone to strain, making them weak over time and ultimately lifting them.

So next time you go for them, make sure not to get them too long; otherwise, you might end up wasting your money if they start to lift in a few days.

Your natural nails are too oily: 

We all very well know that nothing stays on an oily surface. So if your natural nails are too oily, then the acrylic nails might not stay longer and start to lift. Some people’s natural nail is very oily, and acrylic nails don’t stay on them even after applying a good amount of dehydrators.

Your nail beds are too short: 

In the case of very short natural nail beds, the acrylic mixture does not get enough space to hold onto each nail bed, making it lift easily. So when you decide to get your acrylic nails done, give your natural nail enough time to grow before applying any heavy products to them. 

Your natural nails are too thin to provide a firm base: 

The same is in the case of thin natural nails. They will break off easily, so the acrylic nail mixture applied to it will not stay long and will lift soon. So again, it’s better to take care of them and make them stronger before applying on them any acrylic products.

What to do to Stop Acrylic Nails from Lifting?


Thankfully, if acrylic nails are applied well, then lifting will not occur.

But at least on your part, you can apply some tips and tricks to prevent lifting like:

Consider consulting with a professional nail technician: 

A professional, skillful and reliable technician can always tell you ways and fix your issues better than an amateur, so go to the best technician in the best nail salon near you and get effective solutions from them.

Do not use them as tools: 

Avoid doing manual tasks like lifting lids, washing clothes, opening cans, peeling off labels, lifting heavy items, and working in the garden at home or elsewhere, as they can easily cause the lifting of your nails.

Do not wear them too long: 

Long acrylic nails are exposed to more strain. Because of this, they get weak and more prone to lifting over time. So if you are experiencing too much lifting of your acrylic nails these days, consider wearing them short the next time.

Do not bend them too much: 

Avoid doing such day-to-day activities where your acrylic nails tend to bend, like scrapping out things, any other physical activity, etc. The more you care for such things, the more they will last.

Get regular manicures and pedicures: 

Regular manicures and pedicures keep your natural nail clean, which ensures proper application of the acrylic nails. Also, manicures and pedicures improve blood circulation, thus strengthening the natural nail, which stops their lifting.

At the time of application, a proper manicure or pedicure also helps to remove the natural oils, which again ensures smooth application of the acrylics on the nail bed

Keep your nails hydrated by using cuticle oil or cream on a regular basis: 

Hydrated natural nails stay moisturized as it is difficult to apply acrylic nails on a dehydrated surface. Using cuticle oil or cream regularly will strengthen the natural nails, thus avoiding lifting the acrylic nails from the nail bed.

Always Use Caution When Removing Your Acrylic Nails


Removing your acrylic nails is not as easy as removing your regular nail polish. It’s a much longer process of almost an hour but can be done if learned properly, and you can save so many bucks that you would otherwise have spent on your technician.

Here we have shared a few tried and tested methods that are very easy and work wonders.

  • Take nail clippers, acetone nail polish remover, nail file, petroleum jelly, cotton balls, and aluminum foil. Prepare your nails by applying petroleum jelly and clipping them as short as possible.

    Now dip a cotton ball in acetone remover, apply it to the nail and cover it with a foil. After 20 minutes, gently remove the foil, and it will easily come off from the nail bed.
  • Take some acetone-free nail polish remover and dip your nails after clipping them as short as possible. Pull the acrylics off your actual nails with the help of tweezers and ensure proper removal of the acrylics after 30 minutes after they start to loosen.
  • Lift the edges of your acrylic nails, then insert a piece of dental floss under it. Now very cautiously move the floss down your nail in a sawing motion. This will make the acrylic pop off in some time.

What Do You Do With Lifted Acrylic Nails?


If your acrylic nail lifts, you can use glue to put it back on. You can only glue it back if it is a minor lift.

You can fix a small amount of lifting with a bit of glue at home. But you will ultimately have to visit the technician if there is a major issue.

Can You Still Get a Fill if Your Acrylic Nails Lift?


Yes, of course, you can. If you get regular refills, it will reduce the amount of lifting of your acrylics.

It is best to immediately book an appointment at the nail salon when you notice even the slightest sign of your acrylics lifting.

If you keep waiting too long, you risk removing the acrylic nail altogether. Go for a refill of your acrylics, ideally within every two weeks.

Conclusion


Thus coming to an end, you might have realized so far that there are many reasons for acrylic nail lifts. But every problem has a solution; this can be fixed by changing your nail prep and application.

Acrylic nails usually last for 6 weeks and if the nail lifts any sooner, then book an appointment with your nail tech. If you are unsatisfied, you can find an even more skilled person to fix your problem. All the best:)

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