Are Nail Primers & Dehydrators Necessary

In this article, we will be discussing both Nail Primers and Nail Dehydrators to help you to decide if they are really needed.

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Nail Primers and Nail Dehydrators are not essential when doing your nails whether it be applying acrylic nails, gel polishes, or regular nail polishes.

But they have some amazing benefits which in many cases make them worth using.

Benefits of Nail Primers & Dehydrators

1- Increases the Life Span of Your Manicures

The biggest benefit that nail primers and dehydrators have is that they make your acrylics, gel polishes and even regular nail polish adhere better to your nails.

And doing so increases the length of time your manicure can last without chipping, lifting, or peeling.

For acrylics and gel polishes nail primers and dehydrators can ensure that they last for 3 weeks or longer.

2- Keeps Your Nail Looking Consistent

Now because your manicures won’t peel, lift or crack so easily, your nails will look much more consistent and appealing for a longer period of time.

3- Saves You Money

Since Nail primers and Dehydrators allow your manicures to last a long time and still look consistent you won’t need to redo your nails in a hurry.

This helps you to save time and money and I don’t have to tell you this but acrylic nails and gel polishes can be very pricey especially if you use good brands.

You can click here to see my recommended nail primers and dehydrators.

Drawbacks of Nail Primers and Dehydrators

1- Can Potentially Damage Your Nails

Different types of nail primers work differently.

Acid-Based Primers use Methacrylic Acid which literally causes microscopic tears and holes on your nail bed to allow the acrylics or gel polishes to have a better grip onto your nails.

When used in small amounts and not frequently acid-based primers are perfectly safe but if used incorrectly and too often they will weaken your natural nails over time.

Most experts recommend that you use Nail Dehydrators and Non-Acid Based Primers. They are generally safer and less harsh on your nails.

You can click here to read my recommendations for nail dehydrators and primers.

2- Will Make Your Acrylic Nails Very Hard to Remove

Nail Primers are extremely good at making your acrylics and gel polishes adhere to your nails. They are so good that they actually make the removal process more difficult.

And this means that you would have to use more acetone to take it off, which will also damage your nails more.

So if you plan to change your nails very often like every week or so, I would advise you to not use a nail primer instead, just stick with a simple nail dehydrator.

3- Doesn’t Do Anything to Prevent Staining

Nail Primers and Nail Dehydrators won’t do anything to prevent your nails from being stained by the dyes in your nail polish like how some base coats do.

They might actually increase the risk of staining since primers actually force your polish to adhere more to your nails which might lead to a higher chance of staining.

So for gel polishes and regular nail polishes, I would advocate using a nail primer and then a good base coat to prevent your nails from getting stained.