XP: Please help me decide what to do with my nails

rasp.berry

Morning ladies. I've been growing my nails out for about 5-6 weeks and it was all going great until last week. They were long, strong, and pretty and I planned on getting a shellac manicure for the wedding. Last week, they ALL started to chip and break and are now pretty short. There's no way they'll be grown out as much as I was hoping by my nail appointment next Thursday.

So, my options are to keep them short and still get a shellac manicure, or to get gel nails put on. I love the look of gel nails on other people, but I'm seriously worried about what they'll do to my nails. It isn't something I'll be maintaining - once they're off, I won't be getting another set. I've read all kinds of stuff about how your nails are super sensitive to cleaning products after they're removed, the gel contains chemicals that can cause dermatitis in some individuals (which I already get on my fingers from something but I don't know what), etc. All the horror stories, KWIM? And then there's the issue of getting the darn things off. Is it hard? I would want to get rid of the nails within a week or two or having them.

I need to make my nail appointment today. Please help me choose what to do, as manicures are really not something I'm used to debating in my day to day life. HELP!

Summer2011Bride

Do you mean acrylic nails?  A gel manicure is very similar to Shellac--I get them every two weeks. It's a polish-like gel that gets painted on your natural nails, cured under UV light, and like Shellac, is chip-free for up to two weeks. OPI is the brand that has gel polishes.

I would probably advise either Gel or Shellac over acrylics. It's only for one day and it sounds like you aren't a fan of them. The shellac will still look good on shorter nails. Mine are always kept short in fact. I would go with your original plan.

AshDreamer

I think shellac on short nails is beautiful and much more natural looking then acrylics. 

rasp.berry

Thanks for your input ladies, the overwhelming consensus here and on my month board is to stick with shellac so I think I will.

Thanks again

iloveu4ever

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-beauty_xp-please-help-me-decide-what-to-do-with-my-nails?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:358Discussion:f5196eb7-4e04-4e04-b69f-a4c8b1b0747cPost:132b1c48-6d05-4115-af2a-a5450ba40ef0">Re: XP: Please help me decide what to do with my nails</a>:
[QUOTE]Do you mean acrylic nails?  A gel manicure is very similar to Shellac--I get them every two weeks. It's a polish-like gel that gets painted on your natural nails, cured under UV light, and like Shellac, is chip-free for up to two weeks. OPI is the brand that has gel polishes. I would probably advise either Gel or Shellac over acrylics. It's only for one day and it sounds like you aren't a fan of them. The shellac will still look good on shorter nails. Mine are always kept short in fact. I would go with your original plan.
Posted by Summer2011Bride[/QUOTE]

Never tried either one