My story isn’t new. You’ve likely heard heartbreaking tales of everyday people who got in over their heads, who thought they could control their habit and found out too late their habit completely controlled them. Addiction long ago migrated from back alleys to Main Street America. And still the thought that someone like I was at the time, an everyday wife and mother, could get sucked into that vortex of destruction might seem hard to believe. But I did get sucked in. Off and on for more than twenty years, I was using. Now much older, a bit wiser and more than a year into recovery, I’m sharing my sordid tale in hopes of sparing others needless suffering.
Hello, my name is Lee and I’m an acrylic nail-aholic.
It all started with an innocent curiosity—such a cliché, I know. Acrylic nails weren’t even on my radar the day my neighbor, another young PTA mom, sat on my couch and pulled back the curtain on a lifestyle that at once frightened and fascinated me. She talked about how acrylics, with their uniform size and ridge-free surface, made her feel more confident and self-assured. There had been days in the past, she confessed, when she’d felt too self-conscious about her raggedy nails to even serve the coffee at a PTA meeting, much less raise her hand to vote. But, no more, she said, not since she’d begun using. She was a “hands on” kind of gal now, she crowed.
“Okay, take your nails, for example,” she continued, examining my finger tips. “They grow to a decent length, but they peel and split and then you’re right back to stubs again. Don’t you deserve more from life than stubs?”
“I guess so,” I replied nervously. “I mean, maybe. Oh, I don’t know–what will people think?”
“Look around,” she said with authority. “All the moms are doing it. And you didn’t hear it from me, but even Taylor’s first grade teacher is hooked. She has a standing appointment at Nail Jazz every other Friday. The owner herself told me.”
I’d like to blame it all on peer pressure, but the truth is that I was weak. I’d been struggling to a achieve a certain level of nail perfection for years—always falling short, of course—and the notion of a quick fix was enormously appealing to me. And once I started, I felt powerless to stop, despite the time and money the bi-weekly fill-ins siphoned from my life, and even despite the threat of permanent damage to my nail bed.
I swear if I tried to quit once, I tried a hundred times. But with a nail salon on every corner, offering discounts on full sets and half-price on fill-ins, I inevitably ended up with that wretched monkey—albeit one with beautifully groomed nails—on my back again. Until New Year’s Day 2015, that is. When the clock struck midnight on January 1, 2015, I made a resolution to go cold turkey and thanks to my higher power, also known as my husband who dared me to do it, I’ve been acrylic-free for nineteen months.
It hasn’t been easy. Every time I go for a pedicure, those wily nail techs try to lure me in. Try the gel polish, they coo. It wears without chipping or peeling, they say. It’s just a little polish, nothing to be afraid of, they tease, wagging their gelled up nails in my face.
Oh, get thee behind me, Satan! Nothing to be afraid of? Make no mistake, gel polish is a gateway drug to the hard polymers and those salon seductresses know it!
And that’s the bottom line here, folks. That’s the ugly truth hiding under the glamorous surface of those acrylic tips. They may seem like your savior in the short run, but they will destroy you in the long run. Take your money elsewhere. Get your mustache waxed, have an extra Starbucks or just save it for a rainy day. And if you’re ever tempted to go down the polymer path to hell, remember these words, my friends: Nothing real can come from false nails.
So happy I never picked up this addiction- FarmVille was bad enough!
Ha! I never did Farmville, but then again, it would have been pretty hard on my nails!
So funny and true about gels bring the gateway to tougher stuff. I wore acrylics for 25 years before breaking away. I’m tempted to go back every time I see a woman with lovely nails. So far I’ve abstained and have the short, crappy nails to prove it.
I’m so glad you understand my pain. I really miss the acrylics because my nails are paper thin and now they are permanently deformed. The growing back/recovery stage was horrible. I looked like like I had a chainsaw manicure for months.I used to announce at the beginning of every new class, “Don’t judge me, I’m in nail recovery!”
This made me laugh! I remember manicures with power tools. I was sucked in, too. Finally, a nail fungus made me leave that world and I was fine until GEL! It wasn’t until we moved away from the city that I was able to be completely free. The further you get from a metropolis the harder it is to find a good manicure, I’ve learned. So now I do my own and they usually look like crap but, they’re MINE!
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Power tool manicures–that’s hilarious! But, yes, and we PAID to have them dremel us like a formica countertop!I just wish mine would grow a little bit now without splitting now the middle. I look like Herman Munster if I use polish at this length. Such problems! 😉
They lie about the not chipping. Does not work. Purchased a whole lot of nail polish only to throw it away. The old stuff worked so much better.
Oooh, then I’m glad I haven’t allowed them to lure into that trap! Wearing acrylics for so long has left my nails even weaker and thinner than before. I just have accept that I’m going to have pretty crappy nails from here on! I think there are worse problems, huh? 😉
The first time I ever had acrylic nails was before my wedding 25 years ago. Later that night one of the nails flipped off and it wasn’t because of the wild honeymoon lovemaking I’m sorry to say. It was when I was unbuttoning my dress. On the plane ride to Hawaii I lost a few more and then 2-3 more while in Maui. Everywhere I looked there were honeymooning brides with perfect French manicures and only had about 3 left, helpless to remove the last ones without taking a natural nail with it. I was so stressed out! I didn’t learn my lesson, however, as a few years later I started the regular habit, believing I would be the single women alive who could escape the addiction. Alas, I had to quit cold turkey when my natural nails were viewable only with a microscope and I screamed every time the stylist ran an emery board over them. Hahaha! Such a relatable post, Lee.
The torture we have endured all for the vainglory of well-groomed nails! I hear you, sister.We can keep each other on the wagon now!
I usually do my own. Not as nice, for sure, but I gave up gel nails about 8 years ago. Sometimes I’ll go get a regular mani. When I want it to actually look good and stay longer than a few days without chips.
Mine only take three minutes to do now, Carol, because they are so short! They’re completely destroyed from all the hardware that’s been used on them and every single one has a ridge that splits all the way down to the quick. What penance to pay for my years of nail vanity!
😉
Lee, Loved this. I also became an acrylic nail addict, but thankfully got out of the habit soon. Now I get a manicure without any polish! I know, strange, but the nail people are used to me. Whatever works. Hilarious post.
Thanks, Laurie! Congrats on your recovery. Did you go cold turkey or have a support group/12-step program? Although, really it should only be a ten-step program, one for each fingernail. 😉
I try anything once … and I did try manicure/acrylic nails/gels … yes they looked lovely but then again I like my stubby nails because with stubby nails I can type quickly, open packages & hold a wine glass easily! Besides which, I like to change my nail colour on a daily basis so a fortnight in one shade bored me! LOL !
I know. I can’t type with long nails either. I started going shorter and shorter and my husband asked me why I was paying to have acrylic nails as short as my own!
Sigh, I too am addicted. I went 40+ years not doing them then, bam!
Although I got a gel full set, and only fill every 4-6 weeks 🙂
I understnad, sister. If you ever want to go to a meeting, though, let me know. 😉
The polymer path to hell!!! ROFL! I think I might need a little nail obession as I sit here typing with my raggedy assed, chipped, uneven nails. I’m a nail disaster!
Mine are permanently disfigured from my habit. Man, the price you pay for vainglory!
Haha!I only ever did acrylics once. It was a mistake. I didn’t like the way they made me feel. I was a mess. I couldn’t type. I nearly blinded myself trying to remove my contacts. I couldn’t even pick up a piece of paper from a table. I knew what I had to do. Within a week of using, I had got myself clean (ie freturned to the nail salon & told a confused technician to remove my still perfect nails NOW, RIGHT NOW), & I’ve never looked back.
I’m Sue and I’m a nailaholic! Loved this Lee and your writing style is great. I moved from acrylic to gel to shellac – where does it end? I do love the look of beautiful nails and unfortunately, once you are hooked there is no turning back as your real nails are never the same. Oh well, I can think of worse addictions!!! LOL:)