Lift Off!

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Lifting and the causes of lifting can be a perplexing problem to both experienced and novice technicians. Read this fact sheet carefully and you will be well prepared in the future.

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Causes of Lifting

Lifting is when the overlay (acrylic, gel or fiberglass) separates from the nail plate. There are many different factors that contribute to the enhancement lifting. We have tried to cover most of these within the fact sheet. We hope you find it interesting. 

• The most common areas prone to lifting are the cuticle and side wall area. You may notice that this area is slightly cloudy around the edges of the overlay even though the overlay appears to be bonded well.  This cloudiness is an indication that there is a problem with the bonding of the product to the nail plate.

• When removing coloured varnish you may notice that the colour has bled underneath the overlay. This is a sure indication of lifting. If your nail colour can seep beneath the overlay so can moisture and bacteria.

• Lifting is harder to recognise when nail colour is present. In some cases the client is not even aware that her nails have lifted. When she returns to you for a rebalance you may find that little pressure on the free edge uncovers unsightly lifting. (The majority of the cuticle and sidewall area lifts completely from the nail plate).

• Another place where lifting can be found is by the sides of the free edge where the tip or overlay is. This type of lifting is not as common. You can recognise this by looking closely at the sides of the free edge. You may find a gap and notice that the natural nails free edge has curved away from the nail tip. The tip or product has separated from natural nail).

Client Nail Condition and health

• The condition of your clients nails and her health contributes to the type of bond she may have. If your client has recently been ill or suffers from certain medical conditions, has poor circulation, is taking certain medication, or experiencing stress or has a poor diet, you may find that this may cause a breakdown in the bonding process.

• Nails that have been thinned and damaged  from previous nail services are not a good base to apply to. They will tend to be more flexible and less likely to bond as well as an undamaged  nail. Your main priority as a nail technician should be to prevent any damage to the natural nail whilst servicing all clients. You must remember this point and always ensure whilst finishing and rebalancing that you keep the file flat (not angled to the natural nail) and that you are filing the product not the natural nail. We as a company do not recommend the use of nippers to remove lifted product or extensions; we also do not recommend the use of drills. We believe these products can cause damage.

Poor Nail Preparation

• Poor nail preparation is a common cause of lifting. Sadly not all nail technicians practice safe nail preparation procedures. The nail plate needs to be lightly buffed with a white block to remove the shine (not a 100 or 180 grit board) and sanitised and dehydrated prior to any covering ( tip or overlay). You must use a “Nail Preparation Solution” that dehydrates the nail and removes all traces of dirt, germs, bacteria, oils and moisture. Once nail prep has been applied you then must allow it to dry naturally.

• The natural nail is porous, when wet it will expand. You need to allow the nail to dry and shrink back to its original size and shape prior to nail tipping and overlay. You must not touch the nail after nail preparation procedure; else you will transfer your bodily oils to the nail plate.

• If the above nail preparation procedures are carried out thoroughly the risk of lifting will be reduced.

Overlay Application

Applying the product to near or even touching the cuticle and sidewall area will cause the nails to lift almost instantly. Always try to apply the product at least 1.5mm away from these areas. Applying your product thickly will also result in lifting. 

Acrylic Consistency

The ratio between powder and liquid can result in premature lifting and breakage.  You must find the correct ratio for your brand. ** Most powder and liquid systems require a medium-wet bead (you may find that some odorless systems may require less liquid than normal). 

Too Dry 

A dry bead will result in unsightly thick nails, premature lifting and will be more prone to breakage.

Too Wet

A wet bead will undoubtedly cause lifting. A wet bead may aid a flawless finish, resulting in less filing, but be warned, it WILL produce an overlay prone to lifting and flaking as a result. By using a wet bead you are putting your client at risk of lifting and as a result obtaining a bacterial infection.

Medium Wet

A medium wet bead will produce a strong, flexible yet durable enhancement.

• Practice consistency on unused nail tips

• Pick up an acrylic bead with your brush and count to 3 slowly

• Put the bead onto the tip. Do not move or touch it with your brush and wait for 5-7seconds. If the bead reduces by half in height and (runs) almost doubles in diameter it is too wet.  If the bead looks slightly cloudy and stays virtually the same height and shape it is too dry.  A medium- wet bead will only loose about 25% of its height and increase in diameter by about 25%.

• Don't brush your acrylic on, use gentle yet firm patting and gliding motions.

Overlay Thickness

If the product (gel, acrylic and fiberglass) is applied to thickly to the cuticle area this can in some cases result in lifting. On the other hand if applied to thinly (and to wet) lifting and flaking may also occur.

We recommend the use of a 3 zone application (3 beads) to control the overall shape and balance of the nail. This is our company recommendation only - for more details please ask for our “Acrylic Application - Fact Sheet”.

Excessive Filing

Whilst learning to apply overlays (gel, acrylic & fiberglass) students tend to apply there overlay thickly and irregularly. Most technicians have been students once and most of them have had this problem - you’re not the only one. It is good practice to take your time when applying an overlay, and really concentrate on producing an even but not too thin nail. This will reduce the need of unnecessary filing. Eventually with lots of practice you will be able to apply your product perfectly. Once this is achieved you will only need to finish the nail with a white block. This will result in speed of service and a strong durable nail not prone to lifting. 

• Excessive filing to the cuticle and side wall area will weaken the product. Although your lady is ready to go, her nails will take approximately 48 hours until they have entirely bonded.

• Filing the side walls of the free edge whilst shaping can cause the bond of the tip or overlay to weaken: leaving the natural nail open to  lifting at a later date. Try to seal the edges of the free - edge and tip with your product. This will reduce the risk of lifting in this area.

• Filing whilst rebalancing can be pretty tricky. Keep your file flat, do not angle the board. File the product not the nail. To remove excess lifting file below the lifted product until product is ready to dislodge.  Keep the file moving - do not concentrate in one area.

Client Abuse

Thankfully it is not just down to the technician.  Unfortunately some clients do abuse their nails.   We have to talk to and educate them on how to look after their nails.  Some only need to be told once and others may need constant reminders.

• Some clients let the time elapse between appointments. We recommend that the time lapse between visits should be approximately 2 weeks. After this period the nails may start to lift and become unbalanced by the extra nail growth. 

• Some clients even go as far as picking off broken nails or picking the product around the cuticle area. This will severely damage the nail.   

• Non-acetone remover may be safe for extensions but if your client is constantly changing her nail varnish the product will eventually weaken. Tell them - one or two changes between visits is fine. Nail colour does not chip on extensions like it does on the natural nail: multiple nail colour changes are not necessary.

Detergent abuse is another common cause. Teach them the importance of wearing rubber gloves whilst washing up and other household chores.

• Follow the previous guidelines out lined within this fact sheet

• Try to book your rebalances every 2 weeks. Explain to the client the importance of fortnightly maintenance. Some technicians actually charge one rate for 2 weeks and a higher rate for 3 weeks. The longer the time that elapses between appointments the more likely the nails are to lift and deteriorate. This deterioration results in the technician spending 30 minutes to 45 minutes trying to maintain nails that should have been serviced 7 days before.

• Suggest they purchase a nail oil to nourish, protect and improve circulation. Twice daily use of nail oil will not stop lifting but will reduce it. Some nail oils are available with antiseptic and anti fungal properties. These oils will not stop the client from obtaining a bacterial infection if lifting is present, but daily use will certainly reduce the risk.

• We must stress again that nail preparation as mentioned earlier is an ESSENTIAL STEP and must be carried out constantly. Also pay particular attention to overlay application and the excessive filing section. Once these have been mastered lifting should be reduced dramatically.

This fact sheet has been prepared for use as a guideline only. You will find that guidelines differ from company to company and sometimes information compared from one to the other can be contradictive. Each company has their own set of recommendations.

These fact sheets may be used for your personal use only. Nail Solutions fact sheets may not be reproduced by any means and or distributed without the express permission of Nail Solutions Limited.