Can you cut natural nails that have a gel overlay?

I am considering getting a very thin gel overlay put on my nails.


I do not want fake nails because my natural nails are long enough and strong enough by themselves but I simply hate quickly my nailpolish chips and nailpolish will stay on much better if I get a gel overlay put on.





Now, the main reason that I hate fake nails is because I've always had acrylics and you can't cut them, you have to file them down. I'm too busy to sit down and do this as often as is needed to keep my nails a decent length (I work on computers all day so when they're too long it drives me mental)





So, my question is can you cut nails with gel overlays or do you have to file them back like you do with acrylics? This might sound like a silly question but I've never had gel nails before so I have no idea.





Please only answer if you've had gel nails, know someone with them or are a beautician. Guessing won't help, unfortunately, because I want to be sure before I spend any money on getting them done.Can you cut natural nails that have a gel overlay?
Neither gel nails, or acrylic nails should ever be 'cut' down. To shorten either one, you need to file them. The thickness doesn't matter. If you were to 'cut' them, the nail enhancement will almost certainly crack, or split.


Gel nails are non-porous and do not readily absorb liquids.Conversely, acrylic nails are porous, and will readily absorb liquids of any type. That is the reason that polish will always last longer on acrylic nails, Basecoat, or no basecoat - nail polish will stay chip-free longer on acrylic nails. Gel nails are, by their very nature, have a very non-absorbent surface and polish simply will not adhere well to them for any real length of time. Gel nails tend to have a more realistic look to them, and polish is not necessary. A UV gel topcoat, or sealer will give your nails a long lasting high gloss that doesn't require polish to look good. If you really want to wear polish, acrylic nails are definitely the way to go since the polish will adhere much better to the surface of the nails. This results in less chipping of the polish for longer periods of time. The use of basecoat will help to a certain degree, but overall, gel nails are just not good candidates for nail polish.


I hope this helps!Can you cut natural nails that have a gel overlay?
You can clip gel nails and acrylic nails, as long as the layer isn't too thick. First though, I would try a lower maintenance approach. Get a good quality base coat and top coat and you nails won't chip so quickly. I recommend Orly ';Bonder'; base coat and Seche Vite Top coat, both available at Sally Beauty Supply.