\n71%<\/td>\n | reported yellowing as the most common type of discoloration<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>Prevent yellowing and staining by scheduling fills every 2-3 weeks, using top quality acrylics, and maintaining good hygiene around the nails.<\/b><\/p>\nStaining from foods, lotions, etc.<\/h3>\nAcrylic nails can easily stain from foods, drinks, lotions and improper cleaning after 4 weeks of wear. Darkly pigmented foods and beverages like:<\/p>\n \n- Coffee<\/li>\n
- Red wine<\/li>\n
- Soy sauce<\/li>\n
- Ketchup<\/li>\n
- Blueberries<\/li>\n
- Chocolate<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Can seep into cracks and gaps in the enhancement leaving stains. Self-tanning lotions, creams withskin discoloration inhibitors, and bold colored nail polishes can also stain the nails over time.<\/p>\n Be diligent about properly cleaning nails after exposure to staining substances. An occasional dehydrator soak can also help clean out deeply set stains.<\/b><\/p>\nDirt, Buildup and Clouding<\/h2>\nDirt getting trapped under tips<\/h3>\n Acrylic nails provide the perfect gap between the natural nail and the false nail for dirt, grime, and bacteria to become trapped. Even with regular cleaning, it’s easy for debris to get lodged up under those tips over time.<\/p>\n That trapped dirt not only looks unsightly, it can lead to fungal and bacterial infections if left too long, which may require medical treatment with oral antifungals or antibiotics in serious cases.<\/p>\n According to a study published in the Journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases in 2021, up to 18% of people with acrylic nails may harbor dangerous fungal infections under their tips after just 4 weeks of wear.<\/p>\n The study recommended having acrylics removed or replaced every 3-4 weeks to avoid potentially harmful buildup of microbes.<\/p>\n Product buildup<\/h3>\nIn addition to environmental dirt and germs getting trapped under acrylic nails, the nail products themselves can build up over time. Acrylic powder, gel, polish, glue, and other manicure products applied during the set process can get stuck under and around the edges of the false nails.<\/p>\n This buildup becomes increasingly visible by 4 weeks, making the acrylics look dingy and unattractive. The products can also cause the bond between the natural and false nail to weaken over time, leading to lifting, gaps, and chips which compromise the structural integrity of the acrylics.<\/p>\n Cloudy appearance over time<\/h3>\nAcrylic powder ranges from clear to various shades of pink or nude, but even clear acrylic tends to develop a cloudy, yellowish appearance after about 4 weeks of wear. This is due to a breakdown in the chemicals that keep the acrylic clear as the products age.<\/p>\n Exposure to UV light, heat from the hands, contact with water and cleaning products, and everyday wear and tear causes the acrylic to lose its clarity and take on a foggy, opaque look over time. This effect happens faster with darker-colored powders which turn even more yellow and unclear by the 4 week mark or sooner.<\/p>\n While the cloudiness is mainly an aesthetic concern, it does indicate the acrylic nails are reaching the end of their lifespan and due for a fill or replacement. Continuing to wear very cloudy, yellowed tips for much longer than 4 weeks risks damage to the natural nails underneath.<\/p>\n Caring for Your Acrylics at 4 Weeks<\/h2>\nBook a fill appointment<\/h3>\nBy 4 weeks, your acrylic nails will likely have grown out significantly from the cuticle area. The acrylic enhancement will have separated from the natural nail. This is normal, but it means it’s crucial to book a fill appointment with your nail technician.<\/p>\n Trying to go longer than 4 weeks between fills can damage the natural nail and allow fungus or bacteria to get trapped under the enhancement. Aim to get a fill every 2-3 weeks to maintain the health of your real nails.<\/p>\n Carefully remove any lifted acrylic<\/h3>\nIn the time leading up to your fill appointment, check your nails daily. Use an orangewood stick to gently<\/b> lift and remove any acrylic or gel polish that has already lifted or separated from the natural nail. Never rip off the lifted sections as this can easily take layers of your real nail with it.<\/p>\n Go slowly and carefully.<\/p>\n File and buff grown out sections<\/h3>\nThe temptation is real to start filing and buffing the grown out sections on your own. Avoid doing too much of this at home. You want to leave some of the product for your nail tech to adhere to. But you can softly file and buff just to keep things smooth if absolutely necessary.<\/p>\n This also helps avoid snagging that can lead to breaks.<\/p>\n Perform your own infill if comfortable<\/h3>\nSome acrylic or gel wearers get good enough at the process that they feel comfortable doing infills at home between salon visits. This involves applying more product to the new growth only. While this can save money, it takes skill to get it right.<\/p>\n Make sure you research proper techniques thoroughly first to avoid potential damage.<\/p>\n Consider a soak-off and new set<\/h3>\nBy 4 weeks, the enhancement is growing out significantly from the cuticle and sidewalls. At this point, some people opt to completely remove the acrylics and get a brand new set applied. This creates a fresh start and may be preferred if you started getting excessive lifting and cracking.<\/p>\n \n \n\nPros<\/th>\n | Cons<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n | \n\n\n- Fresh, flawless look<\/li>\n
- Nails feel lighter<\/li>\n
- Full cuticle coverage regained<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n\n- More time consuming<\/li>\n
- Harder on natural nails<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
Discuss options with your nail tech to decide if starting over with a new set makes sense for you at the 4 week mark. With proper care between appointments, acrylic nails can safely last 4-5 weeks at a time.<\/p>\n Conclusion<\/h2>\nWhile acrylic nails can last up to 4 weeks before needing maintenance, some wear and tear is expected during that time frame. Growth, lifting, chips\/cracks, and discoloration are common around the 1 month mark.<\/p>\n With occasional infill appointments and proper at-home care, your acrylic manicure can continue looking fabulous. But if the condition has degraded too much, don’t hesitate to book a removal and new set.<\/p>\n Knowing what to expect with the appearance of acrylics after 4 weeks allows you to plan ahead. Schedule touch-ups around the 3 week point to keep your manicure going strong for another month!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you just got a fresh set of acrylics put on and are wondering how they will look after 4 weeks, you’re in the right place. Acrylic nails can last up to 4 weeks before needing maintenance, but it’s normal for some changes to occur during that time. In short, after 4 weeks your acrylic…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1963,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":2,"label":"Nail Guide"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/acrylic-nails-after-4-weeks-1024x614.webp",1024,614,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Amanda Smith","author_link":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/author\/chris\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":2,"name":"Nail Guide","slug":"nail-guide","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":1279,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":2,"category_count":1279,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Nail Guide","category_nicename":"nail-guide","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/acrylic-nails-after-4-weeks.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=697"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}} | | |