How much product to remove during rebalance?

Question: During rebalance service (both UV gel and L&P enhancements), how much of the old product can be left (if no lifting is present)? And does the new product connect with the old product on a molecular level? 
Also, if there is a 3-week old product on the natural nail before rebalancing or infilling, how is it possible to expect further 3 weeks of good adhesion and strength/elasticity? Isn’t the old product already old and partially broken down/brittle? Isn’t the adhesion with the natural nail compromised after 3 weeks of wearing?

Answer: If there is no lifting and you can see the whole of the nail plate, then it just needs to have the apex removed so a new structure can be created. Obviously, the new nail growth needs prepping. However, the new overlay will adhere to the old one as, basically, plastic sticks to plastic. There could be a problem if it is a different system or brand, as the flexibility is likely to be different, so they won’t work together.

If the original application has been done correctly and efficiently, there is no reason it should be compromised. This is one of the many reasons why the client should be using nail oil. However, for a rebalance, the original overlay needs to be filed down to quite a thin layer. This in itself can create some lifting, so that will need to be removed. In theory, any enhancement can be worn until it becomes a ‘natural nail overlay’.