6.4 Artificial Nails, Acrylics, Gels, and Wraps

6.4 Artificial Nails, Acrylics, Gels, and Wraps

Artificial nail enhancements allow clients to extend the length, strength, and aesthetic appeal of their natural nails. As a licensed cosmetologist, understanding the chemistry behind these enhancements, the proper application and maintenance procedures, and chemical safety guidelines is vital for protecting both the client and yourself.

---

Nail Tips

Nail tips are plastic, nylon, or acetate extensions applied to the natural nail plate using a specialized adhesive to add length.

• Structure: A nail tip has a shallow depression called the well, which serves as the point of contact with the natural nail. The point where the free edge of the natural nail meets the tip is the position stop.
• Application: A tip must fit the natural nail exactly from sidewall to sidewall. If a tip is too narrow, it will pinch the nail and crack; if it is too wide, it will lift and pop off.
• Overlay Requirement: Nail tips are not strong enough on their own. They must be reinforced with an overlay—such as monomer liquid and polymer powder (acrylic), light-cured gel, or nail wraps—to prevent bending and breaking.

---

Monomer Liquid and Polymer Powder (Acrylic) Enhancements

Monomer liquid and polymer powder enhancements, commonly called acrylics, are created by mixing a liquid chemical (monomer) with a powder chemical (polymer) to form a hard protective layer over the nail.

Chemistry and Polymerization

When the brush is dipped in the monomer liquid and then into the polymer powder, a chemical reaction called polymerization (curing or hardening) begins.

• Monomer Liquid: Typically formulated from ethyl methacrylate (EMA).
• Polymer Powder: Composed of polymer beads containing an initiator (usually benzoyl peroxide or BPO). The initiator is activated by a catalyst in the monomer liquid, causing the monomer molecules to link together into long chains.

[!CAUTION] The use of methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer is strictly prohibited by the FDA and the Florida DBPR. MMA is a hazardous chemical that does not adhere well to the nail plate without excessive filing (which thins the natural nail), bonds too strongly (causing severe nail bed damage if snagged), and is a known allergen and carcinogen. Licensed professionals must only use EMA.

Mix Ratio

The mix ratio is the relationship between the amount of monomer liquid and polymer powder used to create a bead.

• Dry Bead: Too much powder, causing the enhancement to cure poorly and lift or crack.
• Wet Bead: Too much liquid, causing shrinkage, weakness, and increasing the risk of client skin sensitization.
• Medium Bead: The ideal mix, containing 1.5 parts monomer to 1 part polymer, creating a smooth, glossy bead that cures to maximum strength.

Maintenance and Removal

• Maintenance (Fills/Rebalances): Acrylics require maintenance every 2 to 3 weeks as the natural nail grows. The cosmetologist files down the existing acrylic, blends the growth line, and applies new product to the new growth area (the zone near the cuticle).
• Removal: Acrylics are removed by soaking the enhancements in acetone for 20 to 30 minutes, which dissolves the polymer chains. The softened product is then gently scraped off using a wooden or metal pusher.

---

Light-Cured Gel Enhancements

Light-cured gels (commonly called UV or LED gels) are nail enhancements that cure under a specialized light.

Chemistry

Unlike acrylics, gels are made of oligomers, which are short chains of monomers that have not yet polymerized. Gels are thick, gel-like substances that contain photoinitiators, which react when exposed to specific wavelengths of UV or LED light, triggering polymerization.

Types of Gels

• Hard Gels (Traditional Gels): Extremely strong and durable. They cannot be dissolved by acetone and must be filed off the natural nail.
• Soft Gels (Soak-off Gels): Formulated to be more flexible. They can be removed by soaking in acetone for 10 to 15 minutes.

---

Nail Wraps

Nail wraps are overlays made of thin fabric or paper applied to the natural nail or tip and secured with a wrap resin (cyanoacrylate adhesive).

• Silk Wraps: Made from a thin, natural material with a tight weave. They become completely transparent when wrap resin is applied, offering a lightweight, smooth, and natural appearance. However, they are the weakest type of fabric wrap.
• Fiberglass Wraps: Made from a synthetic mesh with a loose weave. The loose weave allows the resin to penetrate easily, making it very strong, durable, and highly resistant to tearing.
• Paper Wraps: Temporary wraps made of thin paper. They lack durability and are rarely used in modern salons.
• Maintenance: Wraps require a two-week fabric fill (applying resin to the new growth) and a four-week fabric and resin fill (applying a new piece of fabric and resin to the entire nail).

---

Chemical Safety and Salon Ventilation

Working with artificial nail products exposes cosmetologists to strong chemicals, vapors, and dust.

• Ventilation: Salons must have proper local exhaust ventilation systems to draw chemical vapors and nail dust away from the breathing zone of the cosmetologist and client. General salon air conditioning does not replace local exhaust systems.
• Safety Precautions: Always store chemical products in closed containers to prevent evaporation. Never store chemicals near food or heat sources. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as nitrile gloves and safety glasses, when handling corrosive primers or monomer liquids.