The danger of ACRYLIC NAILS......

Last week on the Dr. Oz Show a woman from the audience asked him about acrylic nails and how to fix the damage they did to her real nails. The camera zoomed in on her battered nails and they were so bad, Dr. Oz wouldn't touch them without gloves on- EMBARASSING! They were brittle, chipped, and yellow from fungus. I admit, I know it is bad to wear fake nails, but I would still wear them anyways...well, up until I saw this poor woman's nails on TV!

After seeing the extreme damage it can do (Dr. Oz told her that she would have to get them professionally treated by a dermatologist) I decided mine HAD to come off. Going to get them removed at the salon is fine, but I researched online and found a way to take them off at home that will save you the $15 it cost to have them removed! Plus, this way you can go at your own pace, so if your nails are sore you can take it slow. Sometimes the ladies at the salon work so fast they don't care if it hurts you.

You will need:
*Acetone nail polish remover
*Nail file
*Buffing file
*Wooden cuticle pushers
*Vaseline

The process: This can be time consuming so make sure you have at least an hour of time to do this. I sat down and watched Law&Order:SVU to keep me entertained. Also, you will need to be in plain sight of a clock (the cable box is perfect for this!)

*Pour acetone into a medium glass bowl.
*Remove any polish on your nails and file your nail down.
*Cover your fingers with the Vaseline- middle of your finger to the tip (front and back), leaving your nail exposed. This will block the acetone from getting on your skin and drying it out.
*Place both hands in the acetone and let them sit for 10 minutes. The acrylic/gel will start to melt on your nails.
*After 10 minutes, take your hands out of the acetone and push off melted acrylic/gel with the wooden cuticle pusher.
*Repeat the last step 4-5 times until only a very thin layer is left on your nail. Leave the thin layer on your nail to keep it strong until it grows out- otherwise the nail will most likely break.
*Wash hands free of Vaseline.
*Use the buffer to smooth your nail of any bumps or remaining chunks of acrylic/gel.
*File your nail down to your desired length and apply a strengthning polish. Your nails are now free to breath and will thank you!

XOXO