JUST SOME DESIGNS

As earlier stated, there are diverse artificial nails on the market today and these are just a few of them.

TIPS(acrylic nails)

long and beautifully painted

short artificial nails

multi-colored nails

a fully fitted artificial nail

FORM(painted blue)

THE EFFECT OF ARTIFICIAL NAILS

effect of artificial nails fixing.

Artificial nails have become a savior to some and to others, just a night mare they wish they had never had.

Talking to a number of students in some tertiary institutions in Ghana, most of them think that, it is rather ‘cool’ to fix artificial nails because for them, they do not have naturally long nails and so , it is by fixing artificial nails that they can experience what it feels like to have long nails.

Again, it helps to prevent them from biting their nails, prevents their nails from breaking and also, protects splits which are unbearably painful.

Another reason they gave for fixing artificial nails was that, it made their nails look attractive especially when going to functions.

However, for others, their stories are not the same. They have had some terrible experiences with the fixing of artificial nails that, they do not even want to look its way when they come across it in town.

One lady complained bitterly about her experience with artificial nails. She said, ‘I used to fix the acrylic nail most of the time, but some time last year, I had a very bad fungal infection in my toe nail. It was due to the timely intervention of my nail technician that my nail is back to normal’.

Dermatologists say, if fitted properly, artificial nails are usually not problematic. However long term use and poorly fitted nails can seriously damage the nail bed and hinder natural nail growth. The most common problem associated with artificial nails is a fungal infection that may develop between the false and natural nail.

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 a nail against a firm surface can cause separation of the nail from its nail bed.

And so if you are a lover of artificial nails, take care not to overdo it because it could give you serious problems in the future.

THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE FAMILY.

If you are reading this right now, you may wonder what I am talking about. And if you are a fan of artificial nails you may be saying by now that, ‘hei’ I have seen it all, what is she talking about? I am talking about SOLAR NAILS, the newest addition to the artificial nail family.

some samples of solar nails

Solar nails consist of a plastic nail extension that is glued to the tip of your own nail, and a powder or liquid formula that is painted over the top to seal the entire solar nail. They have the appearance of a French manicure with a pink nail bed, white tips or whichever color you prefer.

a beautifully designed solar nail

Though solar nails are more durable and glossier than all the other artificial nails, first users might feel uncomfortable since it is almost ten times as thick as your natural nails. However, the bad feeling is worth it because it is nicer and appealing than any nail you have ever fixed.

a fully painted solar nail

Also, they last longer, needing to be filled every three weeks as compared to that of the acrylic nail that lasts for only two weeks and so even though solar nails are expensive, they are worth it.

more samples

Once you try these you will be so pleased with your solar nails that you will not want to use any other artificial nail.

TYPES OF ARTIFICIAL NAILS

There are basically two types of artificial nails on the market today. They are ‘the tips’ and ‘the form’. Tips are made of lightweight plastic plates that are "nail"-shaped. They are glued on the end of the natural nail and acrylic powder is then applied over the entire nail. Tips are now available in many different colors and designs, ranging from simple colors such as yellow or blue to flamboyant designs such as animal prints and mixed metallic colors.

an example of 'a tip'(blue)

‘The form’, however comes in different types with diverse names for each type.First is the acrylic nail, which, as the name suggests is made out of the acrylic powder. With this, the nail technician applies the acrylic powder to the natural nail and then waits for about 30-40 seconds for it to dry.

this is an eagle nail with patterns.

There is also the eagle nail that looks like the nail of the eagle, i.e., it is long, curved to the insides but blunt at the edge.

 ‘The glass nail’ is another type that modern Ghanaian women are patronising today. They are made out of glass and are very beautiful in appearance than all the other types mentioned above. 

So if perhaps one of these days as a woman you would like to enhance your natural nails, you can choose from any one of the types above, and remember, artificial nails are not a replacement, but an extension for natural nails.

artificial nails, how they began

A nail is the outer structure, composed of keratin, that grows from a tuck in the skin and protects part of the fleshy tip of a finger or toe. 
In years past, there has been the development of artificial nails to intensify the beauty of the natural nail and how this technique came about is a mystery.
History has it that, rich women in the Ming dynasty used to wear very long artificial nails to distinguish themselves from the poor once.

artificial nail designs of ancient Greek.

In Egyptian times, women had artificial nails created from gold, bones and even ivory to make them look more beautiful and appealing.

more designs from ancient times.

In the year 1954,in Philadelphia, Fred Slack, a dentist once hurt his finger nail while working. He took a piece of solid foil, made the first false nail in the world and covered it with restorative material. He filed it and was surprised at the result, the nail looked natural and the pain passed at once. The dentist carried on his experiments using acrylic toothpaste and nail forms. Soon his brother Tom joined him and they patented their invention starting the company, 'Patti nails'.
These days, artificial nails have become popular all over the world gaining its popularity from america.

the artificial nails were made to look just like natural nails and the colours were perfected by using pigments which looked like the teeth and the skin. Originally, Polymers and Monomers mix was used to create the nails. It was applied over the natural nail and was extended onto a supporting material. It was left to harden and then it was shaped to look more like a natural nail. This was known as an acrylic artificial nail. So these days when you hear the term acrylic artificial nails, you know that they have been created using Polymer powder and Monomer liquid.