I got some french nails recently, they were lovely, now i want them off, but normal nail varnish remover doesnt work. what should i use? surely i dont have to go back and pay to have them removed? they are too hard to peel off. thanks

You will need to soak your fingers in acetone varnish remover for a while.

I had my acrylics taken off when I had my ankle op by my salon and it took about half an hour to do and didn't charge me a lot to do.

thanks. is its such hard stuff that suely it isnt v good for our nails?

No it isnt but without my acrylics my nails are really brittle and spilt so my acrylics are wonderful !

I did the same a good few years ago now.. I hated the false nails paid a fortune too at a top salon.... really there was nothing wrong with my own nails... to get them off I bought some nail varnish remover with acertone (sp?) then sat with them soaking in a bowl pulling at them gradually..took a long time for me to get them off but oh the relief!!... really I suppose its worth having them removed professionally took a while for my nails to return to thier normal strength .. I then used nail eat and drink to build them up.

http://www.nailcareclub.com/acatalog/nailsgrow.htm

Sorry guys but I think that long nails , real or false, are incompatible with keeping dogs. How do you keep them clean what with all the poop scooping etc etc..  ?I used to be horrified when I saw mums changing nappies with long nails- poor babes getting scratched and poked by Cruella De Ville  talons. As nurses, we were not allowed long nails for reasons of hygiene and the comfort of our patients. Sadly, this is no longer the case and I shudder when I see nurses with long nails and jewelry. Yuck !

Jan I beg to differ I have had my acrylic nails for a couple of years now and had no problems as know how to keep my hands clean even with long nails ;-)

I don't get dog poo on my hands with or without false nails :-)

I'm not allowed nails that go beyond the tips of my fingers for hygeine reasons.

It's the same in some sports that you aren't allowed to have nails longer than the tips of fingers.

Personally I keep my nails this length anyway.

Top tip that I heard if you don't like getting dirt in your finger nails when gardening, dig the nails into
a soap bar/scrape them down a soap bar and that will stop the dirt getting under your nails.
Lot easier to brush soap out of the nails than dirt.

>I used to be horrified when I saw mums changing nappies with long nails- poor babes getting scratched and poked by Cruella De Ville  talons

I've always had long (natural) nails and have never, ever scratched either of my children.

As for poop-scooping, I tend not to use my bare hands for picking up ;)

Sorry guys but I think that long nails , real or false, are incompatible with keeping dogs. How do you keep them clean what with all the poop scooping etc etc..  ?I used to be horrified when I saw mums changing nappies with long nails- poor babes getting scratched and poked by Cruella De Ville  talons. As nurses, we were not allowed long nails for reasons of hygiene and the comfort of our patients. Sadly, this is no longer the case and I shudder when I see nurses with long nails and jewelry. Yuck !

I'm definitely not someone who wears fake nails (LOL) but I don't think those who are shovel poo up with their bare hands!

>As for poop-scooping, I tend not to use my bare hands for picking up

Long nails break through poo-bags (and latex gloves!). ;-)

Mine have never broken a bag :-)

Hope all are enjoying this thread ! Wish I knew how to do smiley faces etc !

You lucky lot - how I wish I could grow fingernails beyond my finger tips, they split and are all ridged. Have been using Opi but that hasn't worked.

Would acrylics be compatible with bathing/grooming dogs every day?

I love having my nails 'done'. It is a rarity but when I do its a french manicure  style acrylic, not squared but rounded and not overly long.
I have dogs, plural. I work in a hospital  man handling people. I have never had them so long that they are talons, nor have they scratched anybody or even broken through the gloves worn in certain situations.
So you may find it looks distasteful but it is not a problem.
Karen :)

> Long nails break through poo-bags (and latex gloves!).

I have found that out For garden poop-picking I wear rubber gloves, I have a pair put by especially for that job. For poop-picking while out, I catch 'it' in a bag before it has chance to hit the floor :-D

>For poop-picking while out, I catch 'it' in a bag before it has chance to hit the floor 

I would be in hysterics seeing you do that!!!
The same way as when a guy was laying out kitchen ready for his dog to pooh on!!!!
I use latex gloves and put it into a carrier bag :) :)
Lea :)

> Sadly, this is no longer the case and I shudder when I see nurses with long nails and jewelry. Yuck !

Not in the Trust I work for thank goodness! 
I do think it is different in a domestic situation though although I do shudder when I see very long nails and wonder how people cope with their personal hygience let alone looking after dogs.

>I do shudder when I see very long nails and wonder how people cope with their personal hygience

They must have staff to do that sort of thing for them ... !

> its a french manicure  style acrylic, not squared but rounded and not overly long.
>

I really can't see how you can achieve an effective hand washing technique. 
If you consider the part of the process where the tips of the fingers are washed in the palm of the hand it is clearly going to be ineffectual if the nails are long enough to prevent the tips of the finger reaching the palm.
If you add to that false layers that could be harbouring goodness knows what.....   I am quite amazed that any hospital would allow them. 
As I say it is a different matter in the domestic situation but when you are going from patient to patient the need for stricter hygiene is clearly much higher and ineffectual hand washing is one of the biggest causes of the spread of hospital infections.

>The same way as when a guy was laying out kitchen ROLL ready for his dog to pooh on!!!!

I use latex gloves and put it into a carrier bag 
Lea :)

> They must have staff to do that sort of thing for them ...

With short nails I hope :)

>> The same way as when a guy was laying out kitchen ROLL ready for his dog to pooh on!!!!

I'm glad you changed that.  I had visions of his lying on the floor to catch it......goodness knows what with!!!!! :)

> They must have staff to do that sort of thing for them

LOL - knowing what a toll housework/gardening has on my nails, I'd agree :) :) I don't even possess any nail varnish  - gave up years ago as it never lasted long enough to make it worthwhile :) I did have my nails done twice before weddings, but hate the whole 'beauty salon' experience - and have better things to do with my money - mostly involving breaking my nails :) :)

Will someone please tell me how to do smiley faces on here !

Re Beauty treatments -gave up years ago as a lost cause -certainly in the nail dept.

post : ) but with no gap between them for a smile
: -D with no gap for a grin
: ( for a sad face
: eek: for surprise
Theres more but can't recall just now :)

: confused: =

: mad: =

I think that if they were a problem they would be picked up on very quickly.
They/mine are as I said rounded and shorter than most, but still look gorgeous compared to my 'normal' nails.
I couldn't agree more about hand hygiene being paramount and this I believe has been contributary to my own poor nails.
Also for patient contact I must reiterate gloves are almost always worn.

Karen :)

Thank you !

I don't think "almost always worn" cuts it really.  Even when gloves have been worn hands need to be washed thoroughly between each and every patient contact.
I am sure they do look gorgeous but there is no way you can properly wash your hands if you cannot contact the tips of your fingers to your palms.  Nor can I see how they can be thoroughly clean if you have added false layers that may not be completely adhered and therefore allow space for bacteria to harbour.
Yes, they should have been picked up on.  We have at least an annual check of our hand washing technique in my trust.  I would imagine many untrained staff learn it by rote and probably do need to be checked to ensure they are continuing to apply it properly but I would expect all trained staff to understand completely the relevence of efficient hand hygiene when you are caring for more than one person at a time.

Had discussion re nursing and nails recently with Daughter in law i who is at the end of her second year of training. Def no long nails varnish or jewellery allowed for her.

I have quite long acrylic nails.they are in on way 'dirtier' than normal nails.I've never scratched my little one nor have I had any accidents poop scooping.

Hi i am OP! my nails were done (french) for my daughters wedding, my nails never get long ever. so it was nice having them 'look' long, but none were actually past my fingers.

> I have quite long acrylic nails.they are in on way 'dirtier' than normal nails.

They will be :)  I probably does not matter in a domestic situation where everyone is exposed to pretty much the same bacteria but in no way would they be clean enough to work in a hospital or preparing food for other people for instance.

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I dont want to become involved in any kind of fall out here,.

I am not on the nursing staff.
Infection control  standards are very high, and there is no question on my hand washing technique being outdated.

I feel you should not judge indivdually what you do not know.

Karen

> Hope all are enjoying this thread

:) Well I'm a bit surprised by the strength of feeling over the length or type of another persons nails!  A fascinating insight...

Lol DaB:-)

I find it funny and a tad sad that people say they wouldnt do it as they have given up on themselves !!

I was never allowed to do anything like what I do now ( spend money on myself ) in my first marriage and had low self esteem but now I have a good job and a lovely husband I now allow myself some me time and pampering as I have realised I deserve it :-)

I can see where Stooge is coming from but if NHS professionals clean and sanitise their hands and use gloves when doing more invasive proceedures I can't see a problem. Maybe if the proceedure is more invasive ( what ever the more is :-) )

Is there a NHS policy on it Stooge ?

> I feel you should not judge indivdually what you do not know.

I do know :).  I am a trained nurse. 
There must be someone trained who is responsible for infection control where you work.  Do not take my word for it, ask them. 
There is no possible way that you can be using a proper hand cleaning technique with nails that go beyond the end of your fingers.  Think about it, you have to clean the skin right up over the top surface of the finger and the only way to do that without resorting to the use of a clean nailbrush between each patient (and how feasable is that?) is to bunch the fingers and firmly rub that area against the centre of your palm.  Impossible with long nails.  Unless you have been taught another method that I have not seen yet? 

> Is there a NHS policy on it Stooge ?

Yes, you can find the prescribed hand cleaning technique mid way down the page here together with lots more info about why it is so important in combating Hospital Aquired Infections.
I think you can see it performed on Youtube :)  if you felt so driven as to try it at home but of course there would be no need :)

I cannot find my own Trusts policy on line but here is one the neighbouring Trusts comments on good practice
http://www.bolton.nhs.uk/Library/leaflets/public/Hand%20Washing.pdf

Sorry haven't got time to look at the links but dies it specify about false nails or length of normal nails?

One thing I think is also relevant my normal nails are so bad that they crack and split and so they would be worse for harbouring dirt and germs than the nails I have got now I would have thought ? Mine aren't that long as don't like talons as like mine to look quite natural :-)

> but dies it specify about false nails or length of normal nails?
>

Yes.

>One thing I think is also relevant my normal nails are so bad that they crack and split and so they would be worse for harbouring dirt and germs than the nails I have got now I would have thought ?

It's a problem.  Skin and nail problems can indeed be an infection control issue and we are obliged to report the same to our Occupational Health Dept. If the problem cannot be resolved it can affect out ability to practice.

You dont know how long or not my nails are.
They are (or have been false acrylic) I do not accept these are a problem.
My infection control knowledge is up to date, and practises far are superior to a lot of nurses I have witnessed as a co worker and a patient.

Karen

> You dont know how long or not my nails are

No, just that they are not overly long.

Thats correct and using your analogy I would have to have halitosis as I have crowns on several of my teeth.
But I I have to defend myself and my nails are/were not ( well they are gone now) a health hazard.

Karen :)

> Thats correct and using your analogy I would have to have halitosis as I have crowns on several of my teeth.

I presume you are not biting your patients :)
Sorry, Karen but I doubt there is a Trust in the country that does not have a policy against false nails and I would hold your trained nurses responsible, especially any directly responsible for infection control, for not guiding you properly on this. 

But as I have explained, I am not a nurse.
Therefore my duties are not nursing duties, how ever I do have hands on contact regularly, though not not often as personal (although more often than should be accceptable, a whole other story).

Karen :)

> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">They will be :-)

so you are telling me the dirt under false nails is different to the dirt under normal nails? pah, how ridiculous!!!! dirt is dirt wherever it is!!

You can scrub dirt and germs away from a surface but not from a microscopic gap between layers.