Polymerisation

Polymerisation is the chemical reaction that causes liquid monomer or oligomer molecules to transform into a solid, hard polymer.

It is a process driven by energy, either heat energy, in the L&P and Fibreglass systems, or UV energy in the UV Gel system.

There are several components in Polymerisation:

Energy – needed to activate the initiators within the reaction.
Initiators – these chemicals START the reaction, but only when exposed to the correct amount of energy.
Catalysts – these control the SPEED of the reaction.
Monomers or oligomers – these are the building blocks of the reaction, the base material that is transformed into the polymers.

The balance of these ingredients such as initiators and catalysts is carefully formulated in modern nail coating products, to maximise nail durability, and as a nail technician, you need to follow the instructions carefully and use matched products, to create safe, long-lasting nails.

The polymerisation process is heat releasing or exothermic. If the process is happening too quickly, clients may feel a heat spike, and in worse case scenarios, damage the nail bed.

If the process occurs too slowly, the nail coating won’t be as strong and there will be many unreacted monomers or oligomers left within the coating, and these allergens will be released during soak off removal or filing; possibly causing allergic reactions.