“The safest way to remove gel polish is by a professional,” says Harpring. Once a gel manicure is on its last leg, you may be tempted to remove it yourself, but experts advise against it. You’re removing an old gel manicure without professional help. “It is important to remember that once the gel begins to lift, it does allow for moisture to get under the gel and possibly lead to bacterial growth,” explains Harpring. Harpring agrees, adding that overextending gel manicures can not only lead to weakened nails, but also introduce potentially harmful bacteria.

However, Hadley suggests removing a gel manicure after two to three weeks maximum to avoid damaging nail beds and cuticles. Since gel nail polish can be worn for weeks on end without even the tiniest chip, stretching the life of your manicure is tempting.

“It’s important to have a professional nail technician assess your nail health between applications to determine if your nails could use a sabbatical from polishes,” explains Harpring. This can lead to nail dehydration and eventually breakage, so make sure to give your nails downtime between gels. “By getting gel nails every two weeks consistently, the nail plate gets extremely suffocated,” explains Hadley. Since removing and applying gel nail polish can cause a lot of wear and tear on your nails, you should space out your manicures.

You’re getting gel manicures back-to-back. We asked Pulaski, celebrity manicurist Skyy Hadley, and Christy Harpring, co-owner of Sea Salt and Sugar Nail Bar in Savannah, Georgia, to clue us in on gel polish mistakes to avoid. No one wants that, so there are a few things to keep in mind to maintain the health of your nails when you’re getting gels. Unfortunately, this durability and protection can be rough on your nails and make them weaker and prone to splitting.

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