Acrylic nails are fake nails especially finger nails that are commonly used by women to substitute their natural nails. 

According to an article by "Are acrylic nails bad for my health?” by Susan Sentry  that was published on health.howstuffworks.com, for years, acrylic, or artificial, nails have been the answer for anyone who has longed for well-manicured hands especially women.

The acrylic nails don’t chip, peel or crack, and you don’t have to wait weeks for your nails to grow to have fabulous fingernails. Aside from time and money necessary to maintain acrylic nails, there can be some downsides, which usually involve nail fungus or an allergic reaction to the polymer-based substances in the product.

The writer further highlighted the several health danger for acrylic nails such as some ingredients in acrylic nails are highly flammable, so they must be kept at a distance from hair straighteners, dryers or curling irons, as well as from heat and flames when cooking.

Infection is another potential health problem that can develop -- this is especially likely if you bump the nails or if they begin to separate from your natural nail. The moist, dark space between your nail and the acrylic is a perfect breeding ground for fungus and bacteria. You may not immediately notice the signs of infection because your nails are covered, so it’s best not to leave acrylic nails in place too long.

With the effect of artificial nails as stated by artificial-nails.blogspot.com when artificial nails are applied to the natural nail surface, minor types of trauma to the artificial nails which can happen from something as harmless as scraping a nail against a firm surface can cause separation of the nail from its nail bed.

Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D. of mayoclinic.com responding to a question "Can I harm my natural nails by wearing acrylic nails every day?” advised that if you opt to apply acrylic nails at home, follow the safety precautions printed on the package. Work in a well-ventilated area, and be careful to protect the skin around your nails from the chemicals used to apply acrylic nails.

He also advised that if you suspect a nail infection or have redness, swelling or pain around a nail, consult a dermatologist for an evaluation.