In this article, I will discuss the lifting you may find on clients’ nails, particularly when you are starting out. In the worst cases, it appears just a few days after the service; in the best cases, you notice it when the client returns for her monthly infill.
Causes of lifting in nail enhancements
There are many possible causes. A skilled, experienced nail technician can identify them partly by looking at exactly where the lifting occurs.
Let’s look at some of these causes:
- insufficient or excessive removal of shine from the nail plate;
- incorrect application or omission of nail preparation products;
- a base or gel that is unsuitable for the nail being treated;
- insufficient removal of cuticle from the nail plate;
- gel running onto the cuticle area or surrounding skin;
- a nail that is already too thin or damaged;
- pinching too early, or using a gel that is unsuitable for pinching;
- conditions involving hormonal imbalances and increased sebum production (the pill, the menstrual cycle, fertility treatments, thyroid conditions, etc.);
- impacts, trauma or excessive stress;
- an incorrectly built structure;
- failure to remove existing lifting;
- touching the nail without gloves during preparation, or the client touching it;
- insufficient gel curing due to incorrect timing or a faulty lamp.
As you can see, there are many possible causes, almost all related to how we work.
This is why careful, informed working practices matter. Doing nails may look straightforward, but all these variables require a thoroughly trained professional.
Nails should be beautiful, durable and healthy.
How to deal with lifting in nail enhancements
Always remember this golden rule:
All lifted product must be removed completely, however small the area!
If left in place, lifting can provide a breeding ground for bacteria and create an air pocket beneath the newly applied gel, causing that to lift too.
The more lifting there is, the greater the risk of bacterial contamination and the longer the next infill will take, especially if you work only with a hand file rather than an e-file.
Removing all the lifted material can take twice as long as a normal infill. You also have to find gaps in your diary for clients who call after just a few days because their gel is lifting.
To learn how to tackle lifting properly and prevent it from recurring, take a look at my Gel Base Plus course and Dry Manicure and Gel Polish Course!
