Solar Gel Nails Part Two: The Refill

This post is a continuation on my post about my Solar Gel Nails experience, I finally went in to get my nails refilled. What is a Solar Gel Nail Refill you ask, well let me tell you...

As your nails grow, it pushes the solar gel nail part up so the bottom of your nail by the cuticle is exposed. This is the area where you get it filled in, about every 3 weeks. I had no idea how labour intensive and time consuming this process was. I thought it would take 30 minutes to do but I was wrong - it takes an hour!!

1. First they file down the top of your nails both the regrowth area and the existing solar gel nail part. They file it down with two different type of files to ensure surface is even,but with a rough texture, so that the new gel coat will adhere to the nail.
2. Second they cut the nail down to the length you like and file that so you have nice, smooth edges.
3. Third, they spray paint white tips on your finger nails. This was really cool.
4. Finally they add the solar gel coat on your nail and then they put some sort of polish over top to make your nails shiny.

As I was getting my nails done - I had lots of time to think about it. First I noticed that some of the esthetician wear masks while doing our nails. I noticed how much powder was coming off my nails as they filed down the gel - it was dispersed everywhere like when you sand  drywall. This made me think - should I be wearing a mask too? What is in this powder that I am inhaling? What is being absorbed through my nails? Are solar gel nails good for my health?

I have decided to look into this and will do some research and find out if Solar Gel Nails are safe. If you have any information on this, please let me know. Once I have all the info I will write a post on it.

I should also mention, I am getting lots of compliments on my nails. They do look fantastic!