After Gel Removal: How to Help Your Nails Recover
Why nails look chalky and thin after gel removal, care for the first three days, when to take a break and when to see a doctor.
Ảnh: Carola68 / Pixabay
After gel removal, nails can look thin, chalky or dry. In most cases the top layer has simply lost moisture and been lightly buffed — the gel has not "eaten" your nails. Here is why and how to help them recover.
Why nails look weak afterwards
- Removal solution dries the top keratin layer.
- Peeling or prying gel off pulls away layers of the natural nail — the main cause of thin nails.
- Over-filing, repeated over many visits.
The first three days
- Cuticle oil twice a day, massaged in for about 30 seconds.
- Hand cream after every wash.
- Gloves for dishes and laundry.
- Do not use your nails as tools.
Do you need a break?
Not necessarily. Chalky, dry nails usually recover in a few days. If nails bend, feel soft or hurt, take one to two weeks off with a nail strengthener (40,000₫), or consider builder gel to protect them while they grow.
Removal at VESSCA
Removal costs 30,000₫ and takes about 20 minutes: the top coat is filed off, the gel is soaked until soft and gently pushed away, never pried. If nails turn yellow, green or brown, thicken, lift from the bed or the skin is swollen, see a dermatologist first.
VESSCA is at 251/30 Le Quang Dinh, Gia Dinh ward (Binh Thanh), Ho Chi Minh City, open 9:00–20:30 daily.
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