Some of you may want to flaunt beautifully shaped nails but may have weak ones that break easily. Then there are nail biters, who can never have long, well-manicured nails. While your friends don colourful and jewel-studded nails at parties and brunches, you may be the one hiding your hands. But now there is an option for all such people. You can choose permanent nail extensions, or rather semi-permanent ones, like the acrylic nail extension. 

These have been trending for quite a few years, and everybody today loves to use them to enhance their natural nails or hide flaws. Apart from acrylics, gel nail extensions are also available in the market and so are soft gels, polygels, moulding gels and so on. The market is abuzz with such enhancements. 

But today, we will try to highlight the acrylics and gel nail extensions. Learn about their main differences, benefits and downsides here. 

Key Difference Between Acrylic and Gel Nail Extensions 

Acrylic Nail Extensions

Let us start with acrylic nail extensions. Acrylics are created with acrylic powder and a liquid, called monomer. Nail artists spread the mixture on the nails, to create length and thickness, both. The nail artists will first perform a dry manicure to cut the excess cuticles that give nails a worn-away look and also cut the nails to the appropriate length. Thereafter, the artist will hard buff and soft buff the nails, to make the surface rough for the adhesion of tips. You can also go for overlays, where tips are not applied. 

Thereafter, the nail artist will apply a base coat, UV gel nail polish, and top coat to give a fine finish. You can also choose several embellishments for your nails, to make them jazzier. There are tons of acrylic nail extension designs, flooding the internet and you can choose from amongst them. You can also choose a non-UV nail polish that dries normally. 

Gel Nail Extensions 

The second-most popular nail extension is the gel nail extension. A nail builder gel goes on top of your natural buffed nails, or tips, whatever you choose. After your artist carefully applies the builder on the nails, you need to dry the nails under a UV lamp. Thereafter, one has to get them buffed, for bumps and ridges. After the application of the base coat, the UV polish is applied and lastly the top coat. You can choose the latest nail art designs,​to go with the look. The preliminary process of cutting the nails and the excess cuticles is the same, as before. 

Now that you have a fair idea of what acrylic nail extensions and gel nail extensions are, you should also know about their pros and cons. 

Acrylic Nail Extensions – Pros and Cons 

• Acrylic nails are stronger and more durable than any other nail extension. 
• One can get them shaped in stiletto shape, round shape, oval shape, or square shape. 
• In the case of overlays, your nails get a lot of strength. 

• Some monomers may be harmful, due to the scents they exhibit.
• You need maintenance every fortnight, to refill them. 
• Some people may be allergic to the chemicals. 
• Improper application can harm your cuticles and nail bed. 
• If the removal is improper, your nail bed may get damaged.

Gel Nail Extensions – Pros and Cons

• They are lighter in weight and give a natural look. 
• They do not leave any odour that might be harmful. 
• They need less maintenance. 

• They may break at any moment, as they are not very sturdy. 
• Some people develop allergies. 
• They can be costly. 

Conclusion 

These are the nail extension designs latest​, which if done properly by professionals can enhance the appearance of your nails. For more trending topics like acrylic nail extensions, you can check out PartyVillas.