How to Remove Acrylic Nails at Home Without Damaging Your Natural Ones

You're tired of having your acrylic nails off, but you don't have time or the patience to head to the salon. It's a common problem. But it's important that you get rid of that manicure rather than, say, taking them out with your natural nails or while absorbed in a TV-watching session. When you don't know how to remove your acrylic nails quickly at home, we've got you covered  and we also have an option for removing acrylic fingernails using acetone.

Technicians often remove acrylic nails while damaging the natural nail plate in the process, says Savannah Walker, a professional nail artist and owner of Manifest Nail in New York City. Usually, this procedure results in slender nails that break easily and come off rapidly, which last for an extended time period. So, if you choose to go with acrylic nails, be aware of this in advance. We recommend keeping this tool kit on hand for a fast fixing in case of a repair need.

How to remove acrylic nails at home with acetone

Keep in mind that if you follow these steps, you may end up with slightly compromised natural nails, depending on how the technician applied them the acrylics and whether you carefully remove them. However Walkers say "if the acrylic process is done patiently, it can be virtually damage-free". Now provide a step-by-step procedure for getting acrylics out without damaging your nails:

1. File off as much of the acrylic nail as possible

Instead of using the traditional method of filing your nails (along the top of the nail), you will need to thin out the entire area the acrylic covers. Walkers said "Using a coarse grit file, file off as much of the acrylic product as possible". A good file is needed for this; an emery board would be pointless for it. Look for a 100-grit nail file, which is rough enough to scrape the top of the acrylics, or a nail drill.

2. Soak off any remaining acrylic nail

Before dismantling the acrylic, Walker recommends that the nails be submerged in 100 percent of the nail polish solvent for at least one hour. 

Another way to accomplish this objective is to wrap a piece of cotton around each nail, then stick each fingertip in foil. Walker notes that this is the way to achieve that. "This is the fastest way, and she advises against it." Otherwise, "you can try soaking fingers in a bowl of acetone. The bowl method is more painful, but more gentle on the skin", Walker say.

3. Gently scrape or buff off the last bits of acrylic

After immersing in acetone, check each nail "about every twenty minutes or so to scrape off the softened acrylic using a orange stick or cuticle pusher." Walker says.

There may be a few small areas of acrylic that survive, but don't get rough with them! "If there are any little bits of acrylic that won't budge, a soft foam nail buffer can be used to gently buff those minor resistant bits smooth," she says.

4. Protect your nails from future acrylic damage

Acrylic nails may not be entirely bad for you, but it will also have an impact on the other nails you have. Since some enthusiasts of acrylics recommend removing them for an entire week each month, the overall health of your nail will perhaps get better. Deborah Lippmann's therapeutic nail oil includes one coat of moisturizing lacquer every day, which helps prevent nail breakage. To give them an even more effective treatment, cover your nails with cuticle cream and cuticle oil, then wrap each hand in a warm washcloth for about five minutes, says manicurist Deborah Lippmann, founder of Deborah Lippmann nail collection. The result is shinier, stronger nails in no time.

How to remove acrylic nails at home without acetone

It is possible to remove acrylic nails without acetone by using an acetone-free nail polish remover as a soak-off solution. Be aware that "if you want to avoid acetone, it will take longer to remove acrylics," says Anastasia Totty, a LeChat Nails Educator in Saint Johns, Florida. Here's guide:

1. First, start by trimming the excess length of the embellishment using nippers to reduce soaking time, she advises. 
2. You need to use a 100-grit nail file to remove as much product as possible without filing into the natural nail. "The more product is removed, the easier it is for the solution to penetrate the enhancement," Totty points out.
3. Soak a piece of cotton in the base and wrap your first finger with a piece of foil about two inches long, with the cotton in direct contact with the acrylic, repeating on all of your fingers. Wait 15 to 20 minutes, then remove the paper and fluff and then gently push the soaked product away from the cuticle using a wood stick or plastic cuticle pusher. "Be patient and not scrape or peel any of it if it is not soaked enough," she says.
4. If you leave acrylic paint on your nails, wipe them up with a bit more remover.
5. Use the file to shape the nail, softly buff the surface, and then wash hands to get rid of any leftover substance.

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