Imagine a horrible nail experience when you have beautiful long-ass acrylic nails done and you bang one of them into something! You might break the acrylic but the worst nightmare would be to rip off your natural nail underneath. How painful it is to even imagine this scenario!
As nail lovers, we hope you never happen to be in one such situation. But now that you’re here, we believe you unfortunately are in one! However, even if you are going through one such experience, don’t worry. The Nails Girl is here to help you with a guide on how to remove acrylics when your natural nail is ripped off. Let’s take a deep dive into it.
How to Remove Acrylics When Your Natural Nail is Ripped Off?
You can end up in quite an alarming and painful experience if you accidentally tear off your acrylic nail and rip off a chunk of your natural nail along with it. It can be an unsightly view and may cause unbearable pain and even bleeding. But rather than panicking, you need to be aware of how you can get yourself out of this situation.
Acrylics are known for causing a lot of damage to your natural nails and in this situation, you may even believe this thing. And no, we aren’t saying that there won’t be any damage if you rip off your natural nail. But the good news is, this damage isn’t irreversible. Though this is one of the common side effects of getting acrylic nails, you need not worry about the long-term damage as it can be repaired and prevented. How? Read on to learn.
How Can Acrylics Damage Your Natural Nails?
Acrylic manicures are a way of adding more strength and length to your nails using fake acrylic nails. They use a combination of powdered polymers mixed with liquid monomers to form a paste-like concoction which is adhered on top of your nails to sculpt the fake tip. Acrylics are strong and durable but aren’t as flexible and natural-looking. Also, they require the manicurist to follow a certain fixed procedure of application and removal.
Now as we talk of application and removal processes, they cause a lot of wear and tear of the natural nails. From aggressive filing to coating multiple chemical layers and soaking in pure acetone directly, the procedures require your nails to go through a lot which can eventually damage your natural nails in the long run.
Oftentimes, if your natural nail is weak or damaged before putting on the acrylics, it can be more susceptible to further damage considering its vulnerability. But otherwise also, the chemicals and abrasive tools used in acrylic manicures do have a negative impact on the nail health.
You have to understand that these procedures, even when done properly, can and will impact your natural nails negatively. So imagine the impact caused by improperly done procedures. Whether you are DIYing your manicure at home or getting it done by a salon manicurist, it is highly crucial that the proper acrylic application and removal processes are followed to ensure the least damage.
Besides, if everything is done properly but you have a bad habit of picking on your nails, you may create danger for your nail health if you peel off your acrylics. This may result in peeling and flaking as you may rip off several layers of your natural nails along with the extension.
What Happens When You Rip Off Your Natural Nail?
By any chance, if you happen to accidentally rip off your natural nail, it is very obvious that it can be an extremely painful and uncomfortable experience. Depending on the depth and severity of the tear, you may go through intense pain and even bleeding worsening the situation further ahead.
Ripping off your natural nail may even result in swelling of the nearby skin, blood clotting, and even a throbbing pins-and-needles sensation due to the nerve endings around the base being pulled away.
Not just at the very moment but even days after the incident, you may experience heightened sensitivity and debris or residue accumulation if not taken care of properly.
But it sometimes happens that even when your natural nail rips off and becomes loose, the acrylic is still attached to the nail base. In this case, it becomes really difficult to deal with the situation especially when you’re bleeding and cannot even touch the broken nail due to extreme pain. So how can you come out of this situation? Don’t worry, we’re here to help you with that too.
Steps to Remove Acrylics When Your Natural Nail is Ripped
Thinking of going ahead with acetone-based removals? Abort mission!
The first and foremost thing to remember is to altogether skip the idea of using acetone in any way. Acrylic soaks won’t just give you unbearable pain but will also cause further damage to your nail bed if this much isn’t enough. So just forget acetone!
Brace yourself, you’re going to go through a lot of pain and cringe sights trying to remove acrylics when your natural nail is ripped off. But you have to. Here’s how you can do it:
1) Stop the blood
Even if it bleeds like crazy, don’t panic. Just wrap some lint-free cotton or cloth around your nail and apply gentle pressure to the wound. Let the material soak in the blood and add more if needed. Keep doing this patiently and carefully till the bleeding stops completely.
2) Disinfect
Clean the surface to remove any residual debris and scabbing. Be gentle in your cleaning and use a soft alcohol-free wipe to disinfect. Your fresh wound will surely burn in this process but it is better to cry it out rather than avoiding. You need to ensure germs and infections are kept away.
3) Treat and Protect
Once the area is all clean and dry, you’ll be able to see the damage clearly. Avoid cutting the nail at this stage as the wound will still be vulnerable. Rather, treat the damage with an antibacterial ointment and keep the area bandaged for a few days to let it heal naturally. You may assess the damage every few days and freshen up the bandage. DO NOT place the sticky side of the bandaid on the nail surface or you’ll cause further damage while removing. Use a layer of cotton in between to prevent pulling or tugging. Also, avoid interacting the infected area with water or harsh chemicals. Keep it clean and dry as much as possible.
4) Assess and Cut Off
After a few days, once the pain has subsided, open the bandage and assess the wound for further steps. Make sure there is no skin peeled off along with the nail. You may now go ahead with trimming off the broken acrylic but be careful. This isn’t possible with nail clippers and you’ll require tip cutters for this. Beware not to hurt your wound further; hold the nail from the back while cutting.
5) Heal
You need care and patience to heal the damage completely. After cutting off the excess nail, don’t cover the wound. Instead, leave it open and maintain cleanliness and hygiene until the nail grows out naturally. Repeat the process of trimming down the acrylic after the nail grows out somewhat. Once the nail has healed completely and you are confident, you may soak off the remaning acrylic in acetone to remove, otherwise keep cutting in off time and again till it is removed completely.
How to Repair Damage from Acrylic Nails?
Once your nail bed has healed completely, which takes about 6 months or even more, it is important to engage in aftercare.
1) Make sure you keep your nail bed moisturized properly.
2) Indulge in using cuticle oil regularly to rejuvenate your nails and skin from the inside.
3) Try applying olive oil on alternate days to restore the lost hydration and strength of your nails.
How to Prevent Future Damage?
We pray you never have to go through the pain of ripping off your natural nails along with your acrylics. And for that, you need to adopt some preventive measures:
1) Avoid DIYing your acrylic manicures unless you are an absolute pro. Get your acrylics done at a renowned salon and from an experienced manicurist.
2) If you had a similar experience, avoid getting a new acrylic set immediately or within a short time. Give proper healing time to your natural nails.
3) If you have weak and brittle nails and are prone to ripping them off easily, it is best to avoid heavy and sturdy acrylic nails. You may instead try using press-on nails which are easy on and off and can be worn temporarily.
4) Get over your bad habits of biting your nails or picking at them. Instead, form habits like protecting your nails from water and chemicals and wearing gloves during any such activities.
5) Indulge in nail health and regrowth. Invest in good manicures regularly from a reputed salon. Consume foods rich in vitamins and minerals needed for healthier nails.
6) Opt for structured gel manicures rather than acrylics to get more flexibility and less damage.
The Final Word
Navigating the delicate process of removing acrylics when your natural nail is ripped off can be challenging, but with the right approach, you can minimize discomfort and promote healing. Avoid forcefully pulling or yanking the acrylics, as this can cause more harm. Once the acrylics are removed, treat the area with care, keeping it clean and moisturized to promote healing. Consider applying a nail strengthener to protect the remaining nail and encourage healthy growth.
Remember, patience is key during this process, and allowing your natural nails to heal properly is essential for long-term nail health.
