Why does nail polish glue have shrinkage problems?

Many friends who do nail enhancement, whether they are manicurists or personal nail enthusiasts, have encountered the situation of nail polish glue shrinking, which is one of the very headache problems. Why does it still occur when it is done according to the normal process? Today, the editor will analyze the reasons for shrinkage and provide solutions.

What is shrink glue?

Shrinkage refers to the degree of shrinkage of nail polish glue on the nail surface after being illuminated. Sometimes it shrinks towards the center of the nail to form a ball, and sometimes it shrinks to different places, forming honeycomb like holes on the nail surface

Methyl oil glue and shrinkage phenomenon

The main components of nail oil gum are oligomers and active diluents. Research has found that the volume shrinkage rate of UV curable adhesive increases with the increase of the content of oligomers and the functionality of the active diluent (i.e. the number of functional groups involved in the condensation reaction).

In fact, all nail polish adhesives have a certain degree of shrinkage, although some are mild and some are severe. When methyl oil gum contains more oligomers and active diluents, the more substances involved in the condensation reaction, and the higher the shrinkage rate. There is a proportional relationship between them.

Reason for shrinkage:

A. Product's own reasons

If there are no operational issues and the manicurists in the store all report that the same product has shrinkage, the most likely issue is the nail polish itself. If the shrinkage phenomenon occurs on all colors of the same nail polish adhesive brand, there is no doubt that the nail polish adhesive of this brand is not suitable and the quality is not qualified.

If the same brand of nail polish only has slight shrinkage in dark nail polish, but light nail polish does not have this problem, then it is understandable.

Compared to light colored nail polish glue, dark colored nail polish glue is more prone to shrinkage, especially black. Many brands of black nail polish adhesive will shrink to some extent, and this type of nail polish adhesive only needs to be applied lightly and repeated multiple times during operation to maximize the improvement of the shrinkage situation.

B. Operational reasons

1. Apply too much and too thick nail polish adhesive
Applying too much primer makes it difficult for nail polish to adhere evenly to the nail surface
Solution: Apply a small amount of nail polish adhesive thinly and brush it twice

2. Inadequate polishing
When polishing, only focus on the highest arch on the nail surface, ignoring the nail grooves and the trailing edge on both sides. Causes the surface of the nails to be too smooth, resulting in reduced adhesion
Solution: Be sure to pay attention to all corners of the nail surface and patiently and meticulously polish it

3. Poor cleaning
The oil on the surface of the nail is not thoroughly cleaned, and the remaining oil may not stick to the adhesive, or after applying the primer, the primer may not evenly adhere to the nail surface.
Solution: Carefully and meticulously clean the entire nail surface

4. Stained with grease
Sometimes the surface of the nails is clean, but external grease may stick to the surface of the nails
Solution: After cleaning the nails, pay attention to protecting the nail surface clean

C. Tool Issues Used

Aging of nail polish lamps can also cause glue shrinkage. After using nail polish phototherapy lamps for a long time, some lamp beads may age and cause insufficient power of the phototherapy lamps, leading to a gradual weakening of the function of curing nail polish glue. There may be situations where the light does not dry properly or unevenly, and uneven drying speed can cause shrinkage. Nail salons can regularly replace the light tubes to avoid such situations.

D. My own problems

Some people have a strong secretion of oil themselves, and there are also many oil residues on the nail surface, which is not easy to remove. When there is oil on the nail surface, it is difficult for the base adhesive to adhere evenly on the nail surface, which makes it easy for the adhesive to shrink. For this type of customer, the manicurist must carefully remove oil from the nail surface and also be careful not to let the customer touch the cleaned nail surface.