Pros and Cons of Acrylic Nails

There are definite Pros and Cons to any type of artificial nails that you may apply. Hopefully here, I can shed some light on important things to consider before you choose to use acrylic nails or not. Essentially acrylic nails are made from mixing a chemical powder with a hardening chemical liquid. There are two types of acrylic nails both having slightly different properties. The first is made with Ethyl Methacrylate (EMA) which is a better but more expensive substance. The second is made with Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) which is cheaper but less durable.

Firstly lets’ go into the pros of Acrylic Nails, people use them because they don’t want their own nails to be subjected to the perceived damages of nail polish or want good looking nails for longer amounts of time while also making sure that the nails stay strong. This is particularly true for people such as secretaries who have to type a lot and as such need harder acrylic nails. Generally it is accepted that acrylics are great for people who want their nail to look great for longer times and don’t have much time for nail maintenance.

Additionally, acrylic nails are also good for people who have trouble with soft nails that always crack which may cause bleeding or discomfort. The acrylic nails will add to the strength of the nail if used properly. It should be noted however that many people don’t remove acrylic nails properly and generally damage the nail when removing the acrylic nails. Always be patient and let the chemicals re-act before trying to remove the nail.

On the other side of the coin, acrylic nails also have some cons which you have to be very aware of. Firstly we should understand that acrylic nails are an additional piece of plastic above the nail thus will never look 100% real because of the additional height it adds to the nail. With proper manicuring and grinding, the effect can be minimalized to quite effectively.

Additionally, acrylic nails are definitely stronger than natural nails however because they are bonded to the natural nail, if the acrylic layer is t ripped from bottom to top, it is very likely that your natural nail will also follow suit, which is needless to say, very painful. Acrylic nails only add strength to the forward and back motions such as typing or pushing buttons. The acrylic nails will also not crack or chip as easily as normal nails.

Lastly, the bonding agent used to stick acrylic nails to the natural nail is quite toxic and can sometimes damage the nails. It’s a little known fact that these bonding agents are often worst for the nails than normal nail polish. Thus is it my recommendation that if it is the health of your natural nails that you are interested in then you should consider using nail polish instead and spend a bit more time on upkeep instead of relying on acrylic nails.