It’s frustrating every time you wash your hair, and it gets stuck in your nail extensions. Not even a week of doing your nails and it has already started lifting.

Before knowing how to prevent your nail extensions from lifting, there are many reasons why lifting is a common occurrence for your extensions. Do not wash your hands before doing your nails as much as possible. You need to keep your nails dry, because moisture and water are the culprits for lifting. If you ever wash your hands, wait for an hour before applying your extensions.

You will be needing:

1. Cuticle Pushers
There are different kinds of cuticle pushers to choose from, such as metal, wood, and glass.
2. E-file or nail file
3. Cuticle drill bit
4. Dehydrator
5. Nail Primer

Here’s what you are going to do:

Cuticle Pusher

Using a cuticle pusher, with a gentle pushing motion, push the cuticle back to reveal the nail under the cuticle.

E-drill, nail file, and cuticle drill bit

With a nail file, it is important to file the surface of the nail to remove the shine and oil. Using the e-file, carefully go over the nail under the cuticle. If it is difficult to file down, use a cuticle drill bit. It is designed to file the nail near the cuticle without damaging it and hurting yourself.

Dehydrator and nail primer

Next, as much as possible, keep moisture out of your nail, hence it is essential to file the nail first before attaching the extension. Use a dehydrator to remove the moisture not just on the surface of the nail, then a nail primer to create tiny scratches for the nail UV glue to adhere better.

Types of nail extensions

There are different types of nail extensions to choose from; nail dipping, acrylic, tips, polygel, and gel-X.

Gel-X is a type of nail extension where you simply press on to the nail, but instead of the tips, it will be on the whole surface of the nail. A nail UV glue is used to stick on the nail extension.

It doesn’t end with just prepping your nail for adhesion; it also affects how little and how much glue you apply. Make sure to not put little glue because air bubbles might form and this will make your nail extension to pop off.

Applying too much, on the other hand, also risks instances of lifting. Product flooding or flooding your cuticles with the glue. Since the cuticle is not part of the nail, when this glue is cured it also becomes an extension of the nail. Hence, water can get into the nail, causing it to lift. If this happens, stick the extension, press down, and remove the excess product by using a cotton ball doused with acetone.