Having long, fake nails is a lifestyle. When you have long nails there are many pros and cons. Some pros of getting long nails are how cute they can turn out and how much better they make an outfit. Some cons are whenever you break them and the challenges associated with accessing things. Even with the cons, I would much rather have nails than not have nails.

I get my nails done every two to three weeks. I get acrylics, which are a type of fake nail made to last long. The acrylic application process is very long and my nails usually take around four hours to have the acrylics applied, and we call this, “Getting our nails done.” My best friend, Ella Collins, is the person who does my nails. Usually acrylic nails are very expensive, but it is a lot cheaper when I have a good friend do them for me. 

There are many challenges to having acrylic nails. The acrylic adhesives can damage your natural nail, causing them to break. When I get new nails I have to take the old ones off. That leads to damage on my actual nail. When I remove the old nail, the skin under my nail is bruised and has blood spots because my acrylic nail has to be ripped off of the surface of my natural nail .  

There are also challenges to just living my daily life with acrylic nails. When I break my nails, it hurts. I would explain the pain as getting your finger shut in a car door. Some things I struggle with doing depends on the length of my nails. For example, taking out and putting in my earrings/nose ring, picking up coins, and typing on a computer. Though there are many obstacles to having long nails, I still love them. Another thing that you should be aware of is playing sports and typing on computers in school. You just can’t have acrylics if you play sports. 

There are also many benefits to having acrylic nails. These advantages include opening things, parting hair, and how they can make you look a lot better and more “put together.” When I have my nails on, it is usually easier to open packages, stickers, and Ziploc bags. When I am getting ready in the morning, it is so much more time efficient to part my hair with my nails instead of getting a separate comb just to part my hair. I truly believe my acrylic nails make my daily outfits look more finished and purposeful, and that makes me look better as well. It is a little humorous, but I like to call myself “naked” when I don’t have nails on. 

There are many factors that go into my nail choices, but the pros and cons are pretty balanced, and I am okay with that. If you are maybe on the fence about getting acrylics for the first time, get them! They make my life so much easier and iconic. If you are thinking at all about getting acrylics, just be prepared for some big life changes. You have to relearn how to do many things that you routinely do in your everyday life. It is definitely for the better, though! I am glad to have chosen fake nails as my lifestyle.