The Natural History of Gel Shellac

I had my very first manicure done in preparation for a friend's wedding, and I foolishly allowed the manicurist to talk me into getting gel shellac applied to my fingernails.  I am not particularly girly, and I rarely wear nail polish, so I am at a complete loss to explain what on earth possessed me to agree to a nail embellishment that would last for 3 weeks.  The manicurist failed to mention that gel shellac can only be removed by either:
A. industrial strength solvent (100% acetone, which--if I recall correctly from a couple of organic chemistry labs that I survived eons ago--has potential toxic effects on the skin, reproductive system, and central nervous system), or
B. sanding with a power tool (I'm guessing some type of ladylike Martha Stewart style Dremel rotary tool)

Week 1

See how shiny and delightfully perky it looks initially?  Gel shellac is baked on in several layers with the use of a special UV lamp, and it is designed to give you a manicure that won't chip or scratch during its entire 3 week tenure on your fingernails.  But what if your nails grow at a freakishly rapid rate and you really don't feel like going to a nail salon to have the gel shellac removed by either method A or B?






Week 2

By the second week, I've already experienced a brisk fingernail growth spurt that exposes the nail base.  But I will admit that the gel shellac still looks quite well preserved.






Week 4

Now you can really see the difference between the shiny gel shellac surface and the matte fingernail surface underneath...I start to develop a subconscious nervous habit of picking at the edges of the remaining gel shellac.  I've noticed that the shellac softens a little after a hot shower, making it easier to peel away in small bits.






Week 5

Hooray, my thumbnails are free at last!  I've still got gel shellac remnants on the other fingernails, and although I'm quite certain I look like a psychiatric inmate with too much time on my hands, I am fairly confident that I can peel away the rest of the gel shellac by the end of the week.