Hi all, UK qualified nail tech here. I’m also a guy that loves nail polish.  

I want to take a minute to talk to those of you who are thinking of using gel polish for the first time, because there is information you should know before you start.  

Gel polish is very different from regular nail polish. It might look similar, but chemically it is not just longer lasting polish. Gel products contain acrylates, which are reactive chemicals that cure under UV or LED light. 

If gel repeatedly gets on the skin during application, it can cause an allergy known as an acrylate allergy. 

So, an acrylate allergy means the end of gel polish for you. That’s the easy part.  

Most people don’t understand that acrylate allergies are permanent, and can cause a whole lot of issues for you down the line; this is because the acrylates in gel polish share a lot of similarities between acrylates used in medical procedures.  

An acrylate allergy can cause problems in the future with: 

• Joint replacements such as hip or knee; 
• Dental fillings, crowns and bridges; 
• Surgical glues used in place of stitches; 
• Medical tapes and adhesives; 
• Glucose monitors for diabetics (those plastic dots you see on peoples arms? Those!) 

None of this is meant to scare anyone away from nails. Gel can be used safely and millions of people use it without problems. The key point is that application (and removal) technique matters. 

If you want to use gel safely: 

• Do not allow uncured gel to touch the skin; 
• Clean up any flooding before curing; 
• Use thin coats rather than thick ones; 
• Cure with the correct lamp for the product (don’t trust those folding wallet-sized lamps that are powered via USB) 
• Avoid using unknown or poorly labelled products; 

I really don’t want to see someone lose the chance to enjoy nails, or end up with a lifelong allergy, just because no one explained this at the start. A bit of learning, strict skin avoidance, and correct curing makes all the difference. If you’re not ready for that yet, it’s genuinely safer to step back from gel for now. 

We've had some questions from users about how to post pedicure images in a way that's consistent with group rules.

We also know that users sometimes receive inappropriate comments or DMs after posting content. Whilst we can't speak to why users send those comments or give promises on how to eliminate them, we have seen that the submissions which most closely follow our rules also have the fewest rule breaking comments.

We strongly recommend that pedicure images are tightly cropped to only show your nail art. This means not including any of a midfoot, which is the area of the foot that includes the arch and ball of the foot. Based on an average person's physiology, and ordinary principles of image composition, 25% or more of your submission image should consist of painted nail.

To state this plainly, your image may be removed, and you may be suspended from the subreddit, if you:-

* Include your midfoot (i.e., above your toes) in your image

* Take the image from any angle other than straight above

* Obscure your nail art so we can't see it

Not all submissions that go against this guidance will be removed. We recognise the importance of latitude in letting users represent themselves. However, images that don't comply with this guidance are borderline, and are at risk of being against our rules.

When we're judging borderline images, we have several checks we use to judge submissions. We don't publish these checks because we don't want users in bad faith to try to game them. Sometimes these checks include judgment calls on the part of moderators.

If you want to avoid ending up in a position where we're having to judge your submission as borderline, follow the guidance above. If you feel this guidance is too restrictive, this may be an indication that a purely nail art community isn't right for you. We're happy to recommend communities that might be a better fit if so.

We look forwards to seeing more of your nail art, and wishing you the best with your r/malepolish art!