Choose soak-off gel nails instead of acrylic nails. While gel nails can cause nail brittleness, peeling, and cracking, they're more flexible than acrylic nails. This means your own nails are less likely to crack. You'll want to ask for gel nails that soak off rather than ones that must be filed off.

Your nails are there to protect your hands, providing a strong shield as you work with them each day, as well as a barrier – the cuticle – which keeps out environmental pollutants.