Smiler said:
Thats what happens when you have acrylic nails I'm afraid, your nails are compressed and have no air getting to them which makes them weak. where i used to work the suggested you have refils for 3- 4months then give your nails at least a few months rest and use the nail strengthener they can provide you with!
Sorry, as a qualified Nail Technician I had to take issue with the above statement! There is nothing in acrylic or gel products which is damaging to the natural nail and if maintained professionally by a competent tech should be in the same condition when you have nails removed as they were when you had them put on. I have ladies who have worn acrylic nails for well over a year before having a new set and then it's only because they feel like a fresh set! As long as the nails are healthy there is no technical reason why you should have to keep having them off and resting them. Nails are made of keratin, they are dead, they do not breathe.
Two things cause damage to a natural nail when you have acrylics 1) If the nail tech is not competent and overfiles on your nail, thinning the nail and making it weak, or 2) Picking, biting or chewing them off. They must be soaked off in acetone preferably professionally as it is messy and awkward to do it on yourself not to mention you may overfile on your nail and weaken it to get the last bits off.
There is a very cheap monomer (nail liquid, which is used with the polymer or powder to form balls which are applied to your nail) which is banned in the USA (called MMA) which is damaging to nails and ought to be banned over here in the UK but has not been yet, make sure your salon do not use this. Signs of a salon using MMA are: electric drills/files (it is so tough normal hand files won't touch it - and the electric drills can be damaging in themselves), people who do not speak English, cheap sets of nails as this product is so cheap thus enabling them to do dirt cheap nails and still make a profit at the expense of your nails). Nails made with MMA often stay put so incredibly well, which may seem like a good thing, except they are so tough if there is an accident/bash with your nails the acrylic product is likely to stay put, dragging your nail off with it. MMA was developed for dental work, it is far too tough for use on the natural nail.
I personally do not and never have used MMA.
Anyway, with regard to the original question, if a client came to me with what you describe, if the nail bed itself is split, then no I would not apply anything to it because of risk of infection, no reputable salon would if it sounds as bad as you say. But some salons are not as careful and will slap on a new tip.
Hope your finger is OK!
My next appt. is on the 18th, so hopefully it will have healed alot before that, cause the idea of them trying to file my nail makes me faint, almost.