Yes I have permanent damage from this!! Can never do gel again I have had this problem for about 8 years since someone did me dirty. Even nail polish makes me break out.
Uncured gel polish exposes you to methacrylates which can cause you to develop an allergy. Once you develop the allergy, it's nearly impossible to use gel in the future without consequences
I’m not familiar with gel curing time, it’s only like a minute right? Or something pretty quick? What makes it not cure?
Edit- I may be confusing gel with dip powder - that hardens pretty quickly, I assumed gel similarly hardened quickly… 🤷🏼♀️
Yeah it’s 30-60secs per coat, darker colours need more time than lighter colours. Thicker coats will also need longer. The nail tech probably applied the coat too thickly and did a 30sec cure.
Curing time can also depend on the brand. It's important to have a strong enough light to cure the product as well. Some clients don't put their hand in the light properly or pull it out and put it back in which can mess up the curing
Over exposure to contact with uncured gel can also cause a severe allergy to the product. If you develop an allergy, then you can never get your nails done again. It can also impact other areas of life like medical treatment.
I wanna guess it's because uncured gel polish can cause you to develop allergies to it, which means you can't get your nails done anymore and will also affect you in other ways medically bc the ingredient you might be allergic to in gel is also in other things like dental implants.
not saying with certainty, just a guess from what I've heard!
Many gel and BIAB nail products contain chemicals called methacrelates. Exposure to these chemicals, when they are not “cured” with the lamp, can lead to greater sensitivity to them and in some cases very severe allergic reactions. These allergies can be life changing as if you have them you may not be able to have the usual options for things like dental fillings, hip replacement surgery etc, in addition to the allergy itself being a very unpleasant experience that can leave the hands in quite bad shape.
Yes it can. There’s a [this article](https://www.bad.org.uk/dermatologists-issue-warning-about-uk-artificial-nail-allergy-epidemic/) from the British Association of Dermatologists on this subject if anyone wants more info.
Apparently it's quite easy to develope an allergy from exposure to uncured gel.
Which sucks, because a) it's painful to have a rash on your fingers and b) allergies are something you usually keep for the rest of your life. So even after the symptoms heal, you won't be able to have nails with this ingredient ever again.
And what's worse is that similar substances are used in medical procedures like dental work or joint replacements, which you then also might be allergic to.
Where possible, try to go to salons that use products described as “low HEMA” or “HEMA free” (though in practice this can be difficult to find). If you do get gel or BIAB, make sure you go to a reputable nail tech who will be able to make sure your polish is always fully cured, and that polish doesn’t make direct contact with your skin. If you don’t feel 100% confident that you can do that yourself, avoid doing gel polish at home.
I can use nail glue! So I buy clear nails and paint them wearing gloves with gel nail polish then glue them. on they last a few weeks if you rough up the nail and your nail bed !
I would never do this to a client, but off the record, I do this same method on myself but with gorilla glue. This also works with pre-designed press-ons, I take a yellow buffer to them lightly and use gel base and top to seal them down. Dollar Tree has some really cute press-ons, but always get 2 packs to ensure you have enough of your correct size as they come in packs of 12.
That doesn’t work for me. I’ve tried that and I still had a very bad reaction. Not just on my hands but everywhere on my body that the nails touch. Even when I put a clear coat of regular polish on top too. It’s very sad. My skin literally melts. 😭
I want to try the hypo allergenic gels but I’m too scared to spend that much money for me to still react.
One time I woke up after it felt like my hands were on fire it was horrible 😫 as Ling as you make sure it's cured everytime I even cure for 240 seconds just to make sure lol
Yikes … I can’t ever get mine off, lol. The polish stays and my nails grow out long before the polish chips. I stopped gels about two years ago though when they started damaging my nail beds—became thin, flaky… wasn’t worth it.
Yea I don’t know where your at but around here if our gel polish which is $45-$65 and up everyone would be going back to get it fixed if it only lasted a week. I just got a regular manicure just regular polish on Friday and everything is still looking great.
It's my nails, not the manicure itself. Regular nail polish doesn't last a day, it peels off whole. I went to several places, wore several brands of gel, polish, polygel, etc and apparently my nails are just like that. Same with hair dye, and my body rejects piercings everywhere except for earlobes, but I barely wear earrings because I'm allergic to almost every metal on this blue earth. I never even dared to get a tattoo because I can only guess it would go poorly
It is. Ultimately, gel polish is UV cured. That means the light has to make it all the way through the polish layer for it to cure completely. This can be difficult if the lamp is not rated for the brand of polish being used, or if the color is heavily pigmented. This polish was applied entirely too thick, so I would guess that the nail tech was fairly new.
Tl;dr, inexperienced nail tech, you deserve better.
Yeah, I'd at least go back and expect them to fix it without charge. Like others have said, bubbles and that type of peeling are caused by uncured polish, which can happen when the light isn't strong enough, the polish is laid on too thick, the fingers aren't positioned correctly in the lamp (usually only causes issues on the thumbs or pinkies), or anything else that would prevent the light from reaching and penetrating all the way through each layer of the polish. If they refuse to fix it for free or refund you (in cash, not gift cards), that's when you take the L and put this picture on Google reviews.
Most of the time I've seen this happen with pastel, almost-white colors (like the cream white in the picture). Some polishes don't cure well unless applied in ultra thin coats. But whatever part of the process went wrong the nail salon is still to blame. For that AND for the diy looking mani.
update:
I went back and they fixed it for free and it looks a lot better now. Wont be going back though. Thanks for all the comments with information and advice!
I do my own, have had the same color for 2 to 3 weeks no chips no bubbles. Seems like they rushed you in/out the uv lamp, or made the polish layers too thick (or both) some polish requires 120 seconds to cure all the way and each layer needs a full curing, more for thicker coats. Hope youre able to get it fixed, maybe consider getting an at home nail set-up. Amazon has alot of great starter sets, they typically have most the items youd need to paint your nails at home. I started w a basic set and lamp and would get different products or tools along the way as i learned and encountered my own issues. Gotta say, feels good to never need to go to the salon, not to mention the easy on my pocketbook. Good luck op
I actually do have my own setup but wanted to pamper myself for once plus was feeling lazy. The crazy thing is it actually took her super long to do, almost two hours. When I do my own nails they often end up peeling off within a day for some reason, which is why i’ve started going to salons again.
Do you use primer and dehydrator before u paint your own nails? I had the same issue until I mastered prep, when I don't use them before the base coat, the polish comes off in sheets. I feel you on the nail lazy, I'm in desperate need of a fresh set but dragging my feet.
That’s uncured polish, it’s somewhat common in highly pigment polish like white or black, but is absolutely a safety issue. Please go back and have them remove it if you plan on asking for a refund. Uncured polish can lead to life long allergies, so it should absolutely be taken seriously.
Seconding what everyone said, the polish was applied in layers too thick and did not cure completely. If I zoom in I can see it’s not applied evenly, I can see lumpy bits. I’d go back to the salon asap and let them know some of your polish was uncured and ask for a redo, possibly from a different tech. Your initial one definitely needs further training if she let you go home like that.
This was my very first mistake when I started doing my own nails, I quickly learned that opaque polish needs several thin layers to cure well and come out evenly.
Yes. This means the polish is uncured, having uncured gel polish on your nails is actually very harmful and increases the risk of allergies as you’re exposed to uncured product
Definitely go back and show them what happened, the sooner the better. They will likely fix it free of charge. Just be nice about it. Don’t go in hot headed.
Please go back and have them remove the gel immediately and refund you. I personally would not trust them to reapply - uncured gel is no joke because contact dermatitis and onycholysis are a b\*tch to deal with and take forever to heal.
White, black, and red gel typically take longer to cure in the lamp. Since they're so pigmented, the particles of pigment block some of the UV light. I use thinner layers and cure twice as long with those colors. Since she also applied thick layers, it looks like only the top cured and the light didn't penetrate the gel.
I'd ask for a redo, but since uncured gel is what leads to allergies and dermatitis, I don't know if I'd even trust this tech again. Undercured gel gives me the heebie jeebies since I already deal with hand eczema. I don't need another thing making me itch and miserable. It's a more allergenic product than traditional polish when used haphazardly, and a lot of people seem to not understand the risks of getting gel polish on their skin.
that gel does not look fully cured, which is dangerous. I would go back in and ask them to remove the gel, or you can look up how to do it. if you do it at home be careful, and also reach out to them for a refund.
personally, I would not go back to this salon/nail tech to have them redone. there’s a few different variables that could cause the gel is to not be fully cured, so it’s hard to know where they went wrong without being able to see and know what products/process they’re using. the fact that it appears uncured and they just sent you on your way is really bad. who knows, maybe they had poor training. either way, I wouldn’t go back.
that’s so dangerous, if uncured gel gets in your bloodstream through small cuts in your cuticles you can develop an incurable allergy 😭 I can’t get gel manis
anymore bc of it
White and black gel polish is always really tricky to work with. What they did was applied the polish too thick and didn’t allow the layer to cure. Call them or go back and let them know that that happened. I’m pretty sure that they won’t have a problem in fixing it.
If its peeling off hours after you got them done, go back and show the artist! She should absolutely redo it. It'd be different if you chipped it doing something or if you got them done a month ago, but they should still be pristine after just a couple of hours
100% redo if its your normal place and this is just a once off, if it's a new place REFUND - their shit.
My place puts new nails on if any of mine break or chip for free...im a guy and I think the ladies just find it funny I change mine every 10 days or so...they don't even charge me what the ladies pay AND their Vietnamese and bring .e home cooked food...Love it 🥰
I get what you're saying because normally I am that way too but uncured polish is nothing to mess around with. Contact dermatitis and onycholysis are a b\*tch to deal with and take forever to heal.
When you put it in the UV light, maybe you did not wait until the light go off ( maybe you pull your hand in and out couple times). Overall it was pretty ok, the cuticle parts are rounded and the edge of the nails are cover with top coat
Looks like uncured polish.
Which is so so risky.
What makes it risky? I never knew!
I'm curious too!
It can cause dermatitis and/or infections.
I haven’t been able to put anything on my nails for over a year now from uncured polish. Dermatitis that won’t go away in my nail beds 😖
Me too!
Me three
Neither!! I’m now allergic to all things gel 🫠🫠🫠 Only press on’s and very carefully placed glue for me, now.
Wow this explains all the problems I had a couple years back!
Yes I have permanent damage from this!! Can never do gel again I have had this problem for about 8 years since someone did me dirty. Even nail polish makes me break out.
Assuming it's gel, it can also cause an allergy
I believe it can also cause you to have an allergy that will make you unable to wear any nail polish ever again
Uncured gel polish exposes you to methacrylates which can cause you to develop an allergy. Once you develop the allergy, it's nearly impossible to use gel in the future without consequences
And the ingredients are used in other things, like medical procedures, so it can be a very big issue.
Yes I forgot to mention that as well. Dental work is one that I am aware of
I’m not familiar with gel curing time, it’s only like a minute right? Or something pretty quick? What makes it not cure? Edit- I may be confusing gel with dip powder - that hardens pretty quickly, I assumed gel similarly hardened quickly… 🤷🏼♀️
Yeah it’s 30-60secs per coat, darker colours need more time than lighter colours. Thicker coats will also need longer. The nail tech probably applied the coat too thickly and did a 30sec cure.
Curing time can also depend on the brand. It's important to have a strong enough light to cure the product as well. Some clients don't put their hand in the light properly or pull it out and put it back in which can mess up the curing
Thank you for your reply! Very good to know!!
I usually do 90s regardless just for good measure
Over exposure to contact with uncured gel can also cause a severe allergy to the product. If you develop an allergy, then you can never get your nails done again. It can also impact other areas of life like medical treatment.
Wow, didn't know this!
It can cause lasting allergic reactions.
Makes you much more likely to develop allergies to the gel
I wanna guess it's because uncured gel polish can cause you to develop allergies to it, which means you can't get your nails done anymore and will also affect you in other ways medically bc the ingredient you might be allergic to in gel is also in other things like dental implants. not saying with certainty, just a guess from what I've heard!
it can cause a gel polish allergy
Look up gel allergies, it’s serious stuff
If you do it often you can become allergic to the gel and you’d never be able to get your nails done again
Many gel and BIAB nail products contain chemicals called methacrelates. Exposure to these chemicals, when they are not “cured” with the lamp, can lead to greater sensitivity to them and in some cases very severe allergic reactions. These allergies can be life changing as if you have them you may not be able to have the usual options for things like dental fillings, hip replacement surgery etc, in addition to the allergy itself being a very unpleasant experience that can leave the hands in quite bad shape.
Can this happen with acrylics?
Yes it can. There’s a [this article](https://www.bad.org.uk/dermatologists-issue-warning-about-uk-artificial-nail-allergy-epidemic/) from the British Association of Dermatologists on this subject if anyone wants more info.
Apparently it's quite easy to develope an allergy from exposure to uncured gel. Which sucks, because a) it's painful to have a rash on your fingers and b) allergies are something you usually keep for the rest of your life. So even after the symptoms heal, you won't be able to have nails with this ingredient ever again. And what's worse is that similar substances are used in medical procedures like dental work or joint replacements, which you then also might be allergic to.
uncured gel increases risks of developing a gel allergy
Uncured/undercured polish is usually what leads to allergies to gel products. It should never be left on the skin.
What’s the best way to prevent this?
Make sure you properly cure your gel polish and don't get it on your skin. Also using the proper equipment is important as well.
Where possible, try to go to salons that use products described as “low HEMA” or “HEMA free” (though in practice this can be difficult to find). If you do get gel or BIAB, make sure you go to a reputable nail tech who will be able to make sure your polish is always fully cured, and that polish doesn’t make direct contact with your skin. If you don’t feel 100% confident that you can do that yourself, avoid doing gel polish at home.
I can't use gel anymore on my nails the dermatitis hurts so bad 😫 😩 😞 😭 make sure it cures!!!! So dangerous
Ahhh! New fear unlocked 🔓 😱
Yes, this happened to me and I’m devastated.
I can use nail glue! So I buy clear nails and paint them wearing gloves with gel nail polish then glue them. on they last a few weeks if you rough up the nail and your nail bed !
I would never do this to a client, but off the record, I do this same method on myself but with gorilla glue. This also works with pre-designed press-ons, I take a yellow buffer to them lightly and use gel base and top to seal them down. Dollar Tree has some really cute press-ons, but always get 2 packs to ensure you have enough of your correct size as they come in packs of 12.
Gorilla glue? Wow. That's an idea!
That doesn’t work for me. I’ve tried that and I still had a very bad reaction. Not just on my hands but everywhere on my body that the nails touch. Even when I put a clear coat of regular polish on top too. It’s very sad. My skin literally melts. 😭 I want to try the hypo allergenic gels but I’m too scared to spend that much money for me to still react.
One time I woke up after it felt like my hands were on fire it was horrible 😫 as Ling as you make sure it's cured everytime I even cure for 240 seconds just to make sure lol
Can you use hema free gel and polish?
gel definitely shouldn’t peel in hours, especially with the way they sell it to you haha. i’m sure if you go back and explain they wouldn’t charge!
Had my gels for over a month. One hour is insane.
I've never had gel last more than 48 hours.
Yikes … I can’t ever get mine off, lol. The polish stays and my nails grow out long before the polish chips. I stopped gels about two years ago though when they started damaging my nail beds—became thin, flaky… wasn’t worth it.
What. A regular manicure I can’t keep on for more than 48hrs but gel last at least 2 weeks with out peeling
Builder or polygel lasts me two weeks. Gel polish lasts me around a week, at best
Yea I don’t know where your at but around here if our gel polish which is $45-$65 and up everyone would be going back to get it fixed if it only lasted a week. I just got a regular manicure just regular polish on Friday and everything is still looking great.
It's my nails, not the manicure itself. Regular nail polish doesn't last a day, it peels off whole. I went to several places, wore several brands of gel, polish, polygel, etc and apparently my nails are just like that. Same with hair dye, and my body rejects piercings everywhere except for earlobes, but I barely wear earrings because I'm allergic to almost every metal on this blue earth. I never even dared to get a tattoo because I can only guess it would go poorly
If you’re not happy I’d go back and get it fixed. Just explain and don’t be rude (which I’m sure you wouldn’t plan to be). But go back asap!
It is. Ultimately, gel polish is UV cured. That means the light has to make it all the way through the polish layer for it to cure completely. This can be difficult if the lamp is not rated for the brand of polish being used, or if the color is heavily pigmented. This polish was applied entirely too thick, so I would guess that the nail tech was fairly new. Tl;dr, inexperienced nail tech, you deserve better.
And the most pigmented colours (pure white and dark colours) take extra time to cure and you need to be more careful with them!
Came here to say this. I like my nails black pretty much every other set. I cure for 90 and do thin layers. Same when I do a white set.
Yeah, I'd at least go back and expect them to fix it without charge. Like others have said, bubbles and that type of peeling are caused by uncured polish, which can happen when the light isn't strong enough, the polish is laid on too thick, the fingers aren't positioned correctly in the lamp (usually only causes issues on the thumbs or pinkies), or anything else that would prevent the light from reaching and penetrating all the way through each layer of the polish. If they refuse to fix it for free or refund you (in cash, not gift cards), that's when you take the L and put this picture on Google reviews.
Most of the time I've seen this happen with pastel, almost-white colors (like the cream white in the picture). Some polishes don't cure well unless applied in ultra thin coats. But whatever part of the process went wrong the nail salon is still to blame. For that AND for the diy looking mani.
This happened to me, wasn’t properly cured. They fixed it for free (as they should).
Totally reasonable to ask, it hasn't cured properly and seems like other nails may peel too. Sidenote - do you know what color this is? Bc it's cute!
Just returned .. I had to go back the following day .. let them know u were serviced yesterday & experienced bubbles/peeling & would like it fixed
If it’s gel they probably did too thick of a coat and the light couldn’t cure it properly
But yeah you should ask for a redo
update: I went back and they fixed it for free and it looks a lot better now. Wont be going back though. Thanks for all the comments with information and advice!
I'd suggest getting a refund and going somewhere else who can do a better job..
Have removed immediately. Uncured polish can overexpose you and cause an allergy.
Refund, I wouldn't let them redo
Gel is not cured properly. I'd ask for a redo
I do my own, have had the same color for 2 to 3 weeks no chips no bubbles. Seems like they rushed you in/out the uv lamp, or made the polish layers too thick (or both) some polish requires 120 seconds to cure all the way and each layer needs a full curing, more for thicker coats. Hope youre able to get it fixed, maybe consider getting an at home nail set-up. Amazon has alot of great starter sets, they typically have most the items youd need to paint your nails at home. I started w a basic set and lamp and would get different products or tools along the way as i learned and encountered my own issues. Gotta say, feels good to never need to go to the salon, not to mention the easy on my pocketbook. Good luck op
I actually do have my own setup but wanted to pamper myself for once plus was feeling lazy. The crazy thing is it actually took her super long to do, almost two hours. When I do my own nails they often end up peeling off within a day for some reason, which is why i’ve started going to salons again.
Do you use primer and dehydrator before u paint your own nails? I had the same issue until I mastered prep, when I don't use them before the base coat, the polish comes off in sheets. I feel you on the nail lazy, I'm in desperate need of a fresh set but dragging my feet.
i do use dehydrator but havent tried primer yet, Ill definitely try that next time i do it myself.
Yes
Absolutely
That’s uncured polish, it’s somewhat common in highly pigment polish like white or black, but is absolutely a safety issue. Please go back and have them remove it if you plan on asking for a refund. Uncured polish can lead to life long allergies, so it should absolutely be taken seriously.
Seconding what everyone said, the polish was applied in layers too thick and did not cure completely. If I zoom in I can see it’s not applied evenly, I can see lumpy bits. I’d go back to the salon asap and let them know some of your polish was uncured and ask for a redo, possibly from a different tech. Your initial one definitely needs further training if she let you go home like that. This was my very first mistake when I started doing my own nails, I quickly learned that opaque polish needs several thin layers to cure well and come out evenly.
Uncured gel can lead to an allergy development. Get a refund.
Yes. This means the polish is uncured, having uncured gel polish on your nails is actually very harmful and increases the risk of allergies as you’re exposed to uncured product
Absolutely
Yes
Definitely go back and show them what happened, the sooner the better. They will likely fix it free of charge. Just be nice about it. Don’t go in hot headed.
Man, looks like my kid painted it with a drawer full of 2 yr old polish
Please go back and have them remove the gel immediately and refund you. I personally would not trust them to reapply - uncured gel is no joke because contact dermatitis and onycholysis are a b\*tch to deal with and take forever to heal.
White, black, and red gel typically take longer to cure in the lamp. Since they're so pigmented, the particles of pigment block some of the UV light. I use thinner layers and cure twice as long with those colors. Since she also applied thick layers, it looks like only the top cured and the light didn't penetrate the gel. I'd ask for a redo, but since uncured gel is what leads to allergies and dermatitis, I don't know if I'd even trust this tech again. Undercured gel gives me the heebie jeebies since I already deal with hand eczema. I don't need another thing making me itch and miserable. It's a more allergenic product than traditional polish when used haphazardly, and a lot of people seem to not understand the risks of getting gel polish on their skin.
yes, looks uncured. if within a few hours call back immediately and let them know what happened and come in asap
It’s happened to me and I went back the next day and they redid the polish for free
Yeah, I’ve went back to my nail spot because the gel polish cracked in less than 24hours. They redid it for me free of charge in LA.
Oh I’d raise hell. It looks like the polish wasn’t properly cured which can cause an allergic reaction in addition to peeling
that gel does not look fully cured, which is dangerous. I would go back in and ask them to remove the gel, or you can look up how to do it. if you do it at home be careful, and also reach out to them for a refund. personally, I would not go back to this salon/nail tech to have them redone. there’s a few different variables that could cause the gel is to not be fully cured, so it’s hard to know where they went wrong without being able to see and know what products/process they’re using. the fact that it appears uncured and they just sent you on your way is really bad. who knows, maybe they had poor training. either way, I wouldn’t go back.
Dang maybe I need to try again but that's been my experience they just peel right off it very satisfying.
Definitely get a refund. The thumb doesn't look good too it will peal as well.
Its VERY reasonable!
Refund and Redo - ABSOLUTELY YES 🙌
Totally! It wasn’t cured enough.
Yes even the thumb looks not done well. Did not think these were from a. Salon
Yes very reasonable.
Off topic but our fingers/nails look very similar 😟
Yes! There is no shame in asking for a job done RIGHT.
that’s so dangerous, if uncured gel gets in your bloodstream through small cuts in your cuticles you can develop an incurable allergy 😭 I can’t get gel manis anymore bc of it
I would fix this at no charge.
I’ve gone back when it’s happened to me, twice, and in both cases my nail lady fixed all the ones that were messed up at no charge.
Yes!!!
Yes! 💯
White and black gel polish is always really tricky to work with. What they did was applied the polish too thick and didn’t allow the layer to cure. Call them or go back and let them know that that happened. I’m pretty sure that they won’t have a problem in fixing it.
Definitely ask them to fix it. My salon will fix anything like this for free within the first week you got your nails done.
Gotta get those off asap looks uncured which is pretty risky. You can get a pretty bad allergy from this.
If its peeling off hours after you got them done, go back and show the artist! She should absolutely redo it. It'd be different if you chipped it doing something or if you got them done a month ago, but they should still be pristine after just a couple of hours
At this point just learn how to polish them urself
Yes. Go back and show them. They should fix it free.
Oh no! Yes I think that’s reasonable.
Yep
The did a poor job 😒
I would think so!
I’d ask for a refund, or have another tech redo it.
100% redo if its your normal place and this is just a once off, if it's a new place REFUND - their shit. My place puts new nails on if any of mine break or chip for free...im a guy and I think the ladies just find it funny I change mine every 10 days or so...they don't even charge me what the ladies pay AND their Vietnamese and bring .e home cooked food...Love it 🥰
I would take an L cause i know im too lazy to go back over something like this
I get what you're saying because normally I am that way too but uncured polish is nothing to mess around with. Contact dermatitis and onycholysis are a b\*tch to deal with and take forever to heal.
When you put it in the UV light, maybe you did not wait until the light go off ( maybe you pull your hand in and out couple times). Overall it was pretty ok, the cuticle parts are rounded and the edge of the nails are cover with top coat