What does UV gel consistency have to do with the flexibility of the cured UV gel?
The consistency of UV gel is determined by the consistency of the ingredients used.
To explain more clearly, we need to explain how these products heal.
Only low-power UV energy sources are used to cure UV gels. This means that nail lamps emit only a very small amount of UV energy, so curing is not very efficient. This helps explain why the monomer liquids used to create two-part systems cannot be cured properly. Using a nail lamp won’t cure it in the right amount of time. To overcome this problem, UV gels are not based on monomers, but are made from short chains of pre-formed monomers called “oligomers.”
Monomers and oligomers and their effect on consistency
“Mono” is Latin for “one” and “mer” means “unit,” so monomers are individual “molecules.” “Oligo” means “few”, so oligomers are short chains of monomers, typically up to 3,000 monomers long.
Because monomers are small molecules, they move around more quickly and easily within a container, which is why they are fluid liquids. Because the oligomers are long and bulky, they can get in the way of each other and become temporarily entangled. Their bulky size slows them down, so they cannot move as quickly and easily as monomers. As a result, oligomers tend to be thicker and more threadlike, which is why they have a gel-like consistency.
Depending on the oligomer used, the UV gel will be a little thicker or thinner. Thickness is also called “viscosity.” The viscosity of the product may be increased or decreased by adding other additives. For example, titanium dioxide is a white pigment consisting of solid particles. Adding sufficient amounts of this white pigment can significantly increase the viscosity of the uncured UV gel.
In other words, you can see that the thickness of UV gel is determined by its ingredients.
UV Gel Flexibility: Beyond Thickness and the Importance of Proper Curing
The flexibility of the cured UV gel is not determined by the thickness of the uncured UV gel.
Flexibility depends on two things:
- Chemical structure of oligomers and other components used
- Cure rate. Unfortunately, poorly cured UV gels appear more flexible.
This leads some nail artists to believe that the UV gel is curing properly when it is not. It is important to note that insufficient curing will make the UV gel nail coating appear more flexible.
In addition, insufficient curing can cause nail files and dust to contain large amounts of unreacted components, increasing the likelihood of adverse skin reactions such as irritation and allergies. And when you soak those nails, these ingredients are released into the solvent, which can cause allergic skin reactions.
Therefore, the consistency of the UV gel is not related to the flexibility of the nail coating. There is clearly a lot to know about UV gels and proper curing.
