# Expected lifespan of acrylic nails? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 17, 2016, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expected-lifespan-of-acrylic-nails/752426 "2016-04-17T00:00:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expected-lifespan-of-acrylic-nails/752426/1 "2016-04-17T00:00:47Z")
I got acrylics about five weeks ago. Got a fill two weeks later, all seemed normal. Lost a nail a few days ago, didn’t have time to deal with it until today. Went in, discovered that several others were about to come off. Had them all removed and replaced with fiberglass, which will hopefully last longer. Shouldn’t the acrylics have survived longer? I’m wondering if I need to change nail salons (all listed nail maintenance was done at the same place). ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/expected-lifespan-of-acrylic-nails/752426/2 "2016-04-17T10:00:46Z")
A quick google indicates that about 2 weeks is the expected lifespan of acrylic, although fills can extend that slightly longer. Your natural nails keep growing out, of course, which moves the acrylics off the end of your finger making them more vulnerable to damage. Have a co-worker who is very much into getting her nails done and keeping up with them. I don’t recall her having a set longer than a month. Seems like your five weeks was longer than average survival.