Narsingi, Hyderabad

Nail refills and removals in Narsingi, Hyderabad

at The Nail Lounge by Aura & Armour

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A refill keeps a set going as your own nail grows out beneath it. A removal takes the set off without taking the nail with it. We do both for gel and acrylic, and we soak sets off rather than filing them away: the two methods end in the same bare nail, but only one of them leaves it the thickness it started at.

What we offer

What a refill actually involves

Four things, in order. The technician files back any product that has lifted, blends away the ledge where the old edge sits, fills the strip of regrowth at the base, and rebuilds the shape so the surface runs flat from cuticle to tip again.

The reason for the third step is simple: your nail keeps growing after the set goes on, so the join between product and cuticle travels down the finger. The reason for the fourth is less obvious. A refill that only fills the gap leaves the thickest part of the nail sitting too far forward, and a nail carrying its bulk in the wrong place snaps where the bulk ends.

Come in before a nail has lifted badly rather than after. A set left long enough for water to get under several nails is a removal and a new set, not a refill, and it is priced and timed as one.

Why we soak sets off instead of filing them

Because filing cannot tell the difference between product and nail, and a soak can.

The soak works like this. The glossy sealed layer is filed off first, just enough to break the surface so acetone can get in. Cotton soaked in remover goes over each nail and is wrapped to hold it against the plate. Left for long enough the product turns soft and chalky and lifts away under gentle pressure from a wooden stick. If it does not lift, it goes back on and waits longer.

Filing a set off is faster and it is one pass too many away from taking the nail plate with it. That is the whole argument. The same applies at home: picking or levering a set off pulls layers away with it, which is the most common cause of the damage people attribute to gel and acrylic themselves.

Who this is for

A refill is for anyone wearing a set they want to keep wearing. A removal is for anyone who wants to stop, wants to start again from a clean nail, or has a set that is lifting at the edges.

If you are taking a set off because your nails underneath feel thin, ask about an overlay in the same appointment. It gives them a hard surface to recover under rather than sending you out with nothing on them.

What refills and removals cost

Refills and removals are priced separately, and a plain refill is not the same figure as one finished with gel polish. We quote for the appointment you are actually booking, in person or on WhatsApp. All prices are inclusive of 18% GST.

How long does it take?

A plain refill takes 45 to 75 minutes and a refill with gel polish 60 to 90 minutes. Removals are shorter: 20 to 40 minutes for extensions, 15 to 30 minutes for gel polish.

• Refill (Gel/Acrylic)45 to 75 minutes
• Refill + Polish60 to 90 minutes
• Extensions Removal20 to 40 minutes
• Gel Polish Removal15 to 30 minutes

A refill runs long when several nails have lifted, because each one has to be filed back to sound product before anything is filled. A removal runs long when the set is thick, has been on a while, or was built in acrylic, all of which slow down how fast the acetone gets through it. Neither can be hurried without doing it on the nail, so book the removal and the new set together and let one visit cover both.

How long does it last?

The refill cycle is 2 to 3 weeks. That is how long it takes for enough regrowth to show at the base that the set needs rebalancing.

A full set of extensions lasts 3 to 4 weeks before it has to be dealt with one way or the other. Come in at the near end of that and you are booking a refill. Leave it to the far end and you are usually booking a removal and starting again.

Frequently asked questions

How often do I need a refill?

Every 2 to 3 weeks for most people, though nail growth varies enough that the better signal is what you can see. When there is a visible strip of bare nail at the base, or you can feel a step catching as you run a thumb up the nail, it is time.

Can I just get a refill forever, or do I need to start again?

You can refill a set for a long stretch. It gets replaced when too many nails have lifted at once, when the structure no longer sits flat however it is rebalanced, or when you want a different length or shape.

Can I remove gel polish at home?

You can soak it off at home, but do not pick it off. Peeling takes the top layers of the nail plate with the colour. If you are booking a new set anyway, bring it in and the removal happens in the same appointment.

What if only one nail has broken?

We rebuild that finger rather than redoing the set. See nail extensions for single-finger work.

How long does a removal take?

20 to 40 minutes for extensions and 15 to 30 minutes for gel polish, which is longer than most people expect. Soaking works at the pace it works at, and the only way to speed it up is to file into the nail.

Will my nails look bad after a removal?

They will look plain, and they may feel slightly soft for a short while, which is normal after any enhancement comes off. If you would rather not go bare, gel polish or an overlay can go on in the same sitting.

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