Refills are necessary when using reinforcing or extending products. As the natural nails grow, the apex and the correctly built shape will shift. This creates an imbalance in the nails' stress points, which leads to inappropriate stress on the natural nail. During a refill, the old apex is moved back to the nail's new stress point, and the lower arches are filed, and any lifts are removed. Essentially, you are recreating the nail's adhesion, stress points, and balance. This is also why some people refer to a refill as balancing or rebalancing.
In the refill process, approximately 50-80% of the product is removed across the entire nail surface. Additionally, all product that lifts – i.e., product that no longer adheres to the natural nail – is removed. The advantage of a refill compared to removal is that you never file the natural nail or apply unnecessary stress to it. This is naturally very good for protecting the nail, giving it a break, and avoiding nail damage.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO REFILLING
1) Reduce the thickness of the old product Start by reducing the thickness of the nail by removing 50-80% of the product. This can be done, for example, with the 100 side of a 100/180 grit file or an electric nail file. If using an electric nail file, you can use a bit with red (fine) or blue (medium) coarseness. Alternatively, a sanding band with grit 100 or 180.
2) Remove all product that has lifted It is essential to remove all product that has lifted from the nail (i.e., product that no longer adheres to the nail surface). The reason is that when a nail product no longer adheres properly to the nail, a small gap can form between the nail and the product, creating optimal conditions for bacterial growth. Furthermore, it creates an imbalance in the nail's stress points, which can lead to nail damage and poor durability.
3) Perform an effective prep See the correct procedure in the step-by-step blog for the perfect PREP.
4) Perform the refill The refill of the nail is performed in the same way as when using either Builder Gel or Polygel as reinforcement. Therefore, refer to the relevant step-by-step guide for the chosen product, either Builder Gel or Polygel.
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