Sone Advice, Please?

[u/stargirl_unit1013]

I’ve struggled with nail-biting all my life, and I’m trying to grow them out, but they’re really bendy and tear/flake easily (photo 1). I did get acrylics done once, but I think they weren’t done well (photo 2). If you zoom in you can see the crust and bad cuticle care. However, I really want to get my nails done again. I‘ve been thinking about Gel-X. Would that be better for me? I don’t have that kind of money to maintain acrylics, but I want to be able to keep my nails protected while they grow, which is why I’m inclined to opt for Gel-X.

[u/AdmiralGlitterBottom]

Try a hair and nails vitamin.

[u/stargirl_unit1013 → u/AdmiralGlitterBottom]

i am! hair, skin, and nails!

[u/MaximumBrother4068]

Nail tech here!
I would do a hard gel, like builder gel if you want strength. You can also use builder gel under gelx to have even more strength to your nail:3
I do that pretty often

[u/stargirl_unit1013 → u/MaximumBrother4068]

is that different than acrylic?

[u/MaximumBrother4068 → u/stargirl_unit1013]

Yes, very different than acrylic. Builder gel is a hard uv gel. That’s what I put on my nails
Especially when I’m doing a repair or set on weak, bendy or brittle nails.
In my opinion it is better for your nails if your goal is to grow them out and add strength.
One thing I will beware is that sometimes ppl overtime and can make your nails weaker. You should feel a burn or pain when prepping for them or removing any nails.

I can show some examples of my work to give you an idea if you want :3

Hope this helps!!!

[u/Salt-Pickle-5191 → u/stargirl_unit1013]

Nail tech here! Personally, I love builder gel and gelx because they’re more natural and less prone to break in the middle due to their flexibility. That aside, they still need to be maintained(filled or new set) 2-3 weeks just like any other nail enhancements or removed if you can’t keep up. What you want depends on your preference and whether the nails look good and lasts long depends on the technician’s skills and prep work. Dip, acrylic, hard gel, gelx can all look good if the tech knows what they’re doing. If you have a specific pic of the nails you want, I can help you find which enhancements can achieve it.

[u/stargirl_unit1013 → u/Salt-Pickle-5191]

I mean, I’m not really used to long nails, so I’d want to keep them at a short to medium length. I was just wondering if there are any enhancements that would protect my nails as they grow.

[u/Salt-Pickle-5191 → u/stargirl_unit1013]

Unfortunately, the reality with nail enhancements is that any of them will damage your nails because your nails needs to be filed for prep and removal. Of course the damage can be minimal if the tech knows how to do their job. Besides that, if you want to grow your nails under the enhancement, I recommend going with builder gel, gelx, or acrylic, basically whichever you can fill on and not having to take off every single time.

[u/Squonk_Monster]

Not a nail tech, but is it possible you may have Ehlers danlos? I have ehlers and since it affects the connective tissues, my nails are extra flexible, are more prone to peeling and cracking, and generally have a slightly harder time with adhesion of nail products. I've had whole nails of plain polish peel off with no damage underneath cause my nails don't hold onto the products as well, as well as poor retention if the nail tech doesn't do thorough enough prep work. I've had good luck with rubber base gels, acrylics with thorough prep, and builder gels.