Artificial nails

Artificial nails, also known as fake nails, false nails, acrylic nails, press ons, nail extensions or nail enhancements, are extensions placed over fingernails as fashion accessories. Many artificial nail designs attempt to mimic the appearance of real fingernails as closely as possible, while others may deliberately stray in favor of an artistic look.
Artificial nails require regular upkeep: it is recommended that they be attended to, on average, every two weeks, as human fingernails in healthy young persons have been found to grow some 3.47 mm/month; however, they may last over one month.

Types

Artificial nails are an extension, not a replacement, of natural nails. There are two main approaches to creating artificial nails – tips and forms:

A tip is a heavyweight nail-shaped plastic plate glued on the end of the natural nail, or, if it is a full-cover tip or "press-on", glued on top of the entire nailbed, and can have gel, dip or acrylic added on top
A form is a shaped sheet with a sticky edge that is effectively attached to the tip of the finger and wrapped around the entirety of the nail to form an extension: this offers more creative control over the final shape of the artificial nail

Atop these, either acrylic, hard gel, or any combination of both may be applied. Tips are available in many different designs, ranging from solid colors like gel or regular nail polish, to graphic designs such as animal prints and metallic colors. In addition to polishes, other embellishments may be used, such as rhinestones, glitter, stickers, fimo charms and striping tape, to add more to the artificial nail's design. Artificial nails can be shaped, cut, and filed into a variety of shapes, including square, squared oval/"squoval", rounded, almond, ballerina/coffin, mountain peak, lipstick, and stiletto.

Acrylic nails

Acrylic nails are made out of acrylic glass. The conventional technology employs polymer beads synthesized from ethyl methacrylate. When it is mixed with a liquid monomer it forms a malleable bead. This mixture begins to cure immediately, continuing until completely solid in minutes. Acrylic nails can last up to 21 days but can last longer with touch-ups. To give acrylic nails color, gel polish, nail polish, and dip powders can be applied. Use of MMA acrylics are strongly discouraged and banned in some states as it can cause damage to the natural nail, asthma; irritated eyes, skin, nose, and mouth; difficulty concentrating; loss of smell and kidney issues. A suitable alternative is EMA in salon use.

Gel nails

Gel nails can be utilised in order to create artificial nail extensions, but can also be used like nail polish. They are hardened using ultraviolet light. They last longer than regular nail polish and chip less often. They can have a high-gloss finish and last for two to three weeks.
Gel nails are strong, although not as strong as acrylic or fiberglass nails, and tend to be more expensive.
Acetone does not dissolve some types of gel nails, so they have to be removed at a salon by buffing and filing, usually with an electric nail file. Repeated buffing can lead to thinning of the nail plate until the buffed nails fully grow out. Improper application of gel nail products, including soft gel tips, polygel, gel polish, and builder gel can lead to fungal infections and allergic reactions.
A new gel nail extension was created circa 2017 that is commonly referred to as Gel-X, or soft gel tips. It is a soft gel nail tip that is precut in differing styles and lengths which covers the whole nail bed up to the end of the nail. Gel-X are applied by first applying a PH bonder followed by an acid-free gel primer. Finally, it is glued on using a gel adhesive that is cured using a UV light. The removal process of gel-X nails is dissolving in acetone for 20 minutes.

Nail wraps

Nail wraps are formed by cutting pieces of fiberglass, linen, silk fabric, or another material to fit on the surface of the nail, to be sealed onto the nail plate with a layer of resin or glue. They do not damage the nail and also provide strength to the nail but are not used to lengthen it – and they can also be used to fix broken nails. The treatment is, however, more expensive. Nail wraps last 5–7 days, but can last longer if worn and used correctly. To take nail wraps off correctly, the wrap should be soaked in acetone for long enough to soften the adhesive.

Nail tips

Nail tips are made of a strong bendable material called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Nail tips are attached to the natural nail to extend its length and provides room for more nail designs. They can come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors, but the most popular ones are usually clear or white. They only last for 7–10 days.
Some nail tips can also be made out of soft gel, for stronger applications when tips are the sole extension, with no other product on top. Gel-X is an example of a soft gel nail tip system. Soft gel tips are always clear to ensure the gel glue can be fully cured under UV light.

Dip powder

With the dip powder method, a clear liquid is brushed onto a nail and the nail is then placed into dip powder, similar to what is used in the application of acrylic nails. The process is repeated multiple times, depending on how long the extension is. Dip nails tend to last about a month, two-to-three weeks longer than gel and acrylic nails. It can be worn on natural nails, nails with added tips, or can create artificial nails. Dip-powder enhancements can also be used for quick nail repairs. Dip-powder nails do not require any UV/LED light to cure: instead they are cured using an activator. The quickest way to remove dip powder is to drill, clip off or buff out layers of the powder so that, when they are soaked in acetone, they simply slide off.

History

Historically, artificial nails were common symbols of status all across the world:

During the Ming Dynasty of China, noblewomen wore very long artificial nails as a status symbol indicating that, unlike commoners, they did not have to do manual labor.
In early 19th century Greece, upper-class women often wore empty pistachio shells over their nails, slowly spreading the artificial nail trend across Europe.

"The earliest experiments and resultant artificial nails used a monomer and polymer mix applied to the nail and extended over a supporting form. This structure hardened and, when the support was removed, was then shaped to look like a natural extension of the nail plate. These dental materials were chemicals that came under the 'family' name of acrylics: thus the acrylic artificial nail was created. All materials subsequently used also belong to the acrylic family, but the term 'acrylic nails' has stuck to the method of using a liquid monomer and powder polymer."
In 1878, Mary E. Cobb opened the first manicure salon in Manhattan. This came after studying nail care in France and marrying podiatrist, J. Parker Pray. During the 1920s, short well-manicured round nails were a symbol of wealth. Revlon made their first appearance in 1932 with only one single product, long lasting formula nail enamel.
In 1954, Dr. Fred Slack Jr., a dentist, cut his thumb nail at work, and created an artificial nail using dental acrylic resin and aluminum foil as a realistic-looking temporary replacement. After experiments with different materials to perfect his invention, he and his brother, Tom, patented a successful version and started the company Patti Nails. Fred Slack used his dental equipment and chemicals to replace his natural nail, but over time the process has significantly changed.
In the late 20th century, artificial nails for women became widely popular all over the world. In today's time there are even nail styling competitions. Judges of these nail competitions look for consistency from nail to nail. They also judge whether or not the nails complement the model's hands. If the nails are beautiful, but too long for the model's hands, the judge will count off points. The competitors will be judged on how neat their work space is and how organized they are.

Health effects

Perceived benefits

Acrylic nails help conceal or fix broken, damaged, short, or otherwise considered "undesirable" nail appearance. They also help prevent nail biting, breakage, and splits. They are used when people are not able to grow the length and strength of natural nails that they desire or simply desire a new fashion look. This problem can be solved by using certain nail techniques such as nail tipping, sculptured nails, nail wrapping, or acrylic overlays. With improper removal, acrylic nails often damage natural nails. An experienced nail technician should assist with this to ensure nail health.

Health risks

Nail infection and damage to natural nail

If fitted properly, artificial nails are usually not problematic. However, long term use and poorly fitted nails can seriously damage the nail bed and hamper natural nail growth. Natural nails may become thin and weaken with frequent touch-ups. The most common problem associated with artificial nails is a fungal infection that may develop between the false and natural nails.
When artificial nails are applied to the natural nail surface, minor types of trauma to the artificial nails which can happen from something as harmless as scraping or bumping a nail against a firm surface can cause separation of the nail from its nail bed. This allows bacteria and fungus to potentially enter the separated area setting up an infection and bacterial burden. Many hospitals and healthcare facilities do not allow employees to have long fingernails, fake or real, due to the risk of said nails harboring microbes that could transmit diseases to patients. Infection can also be a risk when nails are applied by a disreputable nail salon that does not follow sanitary practices.