How to Heal Nails After Acrylics

Repairing your nails after acrylics or gel nails can be difficult. These products helped me to now have nice hard nails and a good base to work from to grow them longer.

I have been a serious nail biter all my life. As I got older I started getting my nails done with either acrylics or gel to keep from biting them. I did acrylics for years until they started irritating my hands and cuticles. I had developed an allergy to them. So I then I had to start getting liquid gel nails. They did not irritate me like acrylics. Both acrylic and gel nails can damage your real nails. After years of this abuse my nails really needed to be rescued. I was tired of going every 10 days and paying $30 to get my nails filled in. It cost way too much and it was time consuming. I wanted to try to grow my own nails out but was not sure if I had the will power to stop biting them. I needed help. I went shopping and found a few products to help me along the way. I tried quite a few different things with only a few working to my satisfaction. I thought I would share these great products with you in case you are trying to grow your own nails out.

What Should I Get to Heal My Nails After Acrylics and Gels?

Immediately after removing the artificial gel nails at the salon I was really sad that my natural nails looked so bad. I just wanted to bite them all off since they were so flimsy and cracked in places. What was I going to do to repair these damaged nails? I looked online for suggestions and ended up at Sally Beauty Supply looking for something called Starting Over After Artificials and Instant Artificials. The instructions on Starting Over After Artificials told me to use the product on my nails for about two weeks and I would start to see a difference in my nails. After two weeks, start using the Instant Artificials to keep my nails hard and strong. I was very curious if these two products would keep me from biting my nails while repairing them to hard strong nails that I could be proud of.

Using the Starting Over After Acrylics

I did exactly what the directions told me to do and I noticed a difference in my nails as soon as I started using the Starting Over After Acrylics. When on my nails, they were shiny and hard. The peeling was secured under the two coats and were not sitting out there for me to start nibbling on. I used this product every day for two weeks applying two new coats every day. After two weeks of use my nails were in so much better shape than they were to start with. I had not tried to bite my nails with this stuff on them. So far a winner! It was time to start with Instant Artificials.

Starting Over After Artificials

Starting Over After Artificials from Sally Beauty Supply

Using Instant Artificials

I applied two coats per day of the Instant Artificials and my nails were so shiny and hard the entire time. Even when removing the polish from nails I noticed how strong my nails were. This stuff had really worked and prevented me from biting too. I still use the Instant Artificials every day. It goes on so easy but hardens into a thick gel like coat. It is just like going and getting a layer of gel applied to your nails at the salon. I got all of this from Sally Beauty Supply for under $20 and I have used it for almost two months now. Much cheaper than going to the nail salon!

Instant Artificials

Instant Artificials from Sally Beauty Supply

Cuticles in Need of Repair Too!

My cuticles were also in bad shape. Every day I used California Mango Magic Cuticle Treatment. I also got this at Sally Beauty Supply. Got to love that store! It has everything I need in there. This cuticle oil smells great and repairs your cuticles over the course of about 2 weeks. My cuticles are not ripped and torn anymore thanks to this oil.

California Mango Magic Cuticle Treatment Oil

California Mango Magic Cuticle Treatment Oil from Sally Beauty Supply

Hand Lotion to Finish It Off

I also needed a good lotion for my hands to use every day and keep them from getting so dry. This lotion would also help my hands and help heal around my nails where my skin had gotten dry and cracked from the acrylics and gels. I went through many different lotions settling on Cortizone – 10 Hydratensive Healing and then went to the Soothing formula. I use both of them off and on. It healed my dry cracked skin while providing moisture to my hands and nail area. Great lotion! Try it.

Cortizone-10 Hydratensive Healing and Soothing Formulas


CORTIZONE-10 HYDRTNS LOT HLNG Size: 4 OZ View on Amazon	Cortizone 10 Hydratensive Soothing Lo... View on Amazon

My Stuff

My Nails After Using All Products

Updated: 04/08/2012, Angel

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Natural_Skin_Care on 07/30/2013

It took me 3 months once I stopped with acrylics. Might have shortened that time if I had read this.

Angel on 05/30/2012

Thanks for your support too Katie!

katiem2 on 05/30/2012

Great article, and thanks for the share, much appreciated I really enjoyed your advice and you know good looking hands are a great way to fight the signs of aging.

Angel on 04/08/2012

Brenda - they are great as long as you keep them up and filled in. But it gets old after awhile of going every 10 days to get them filled. And when you take them off your nails are shot. I know I will get them again one day but I kind of like going natural for awhile right now. Thanks!