There are acrylic nails and gel nails... the acrylics can be soaked off with acetone... the gels have to be filed off. I had them for about a year...and yes they do destroy your nail bed but BOY... were they fun. After I removed them... it took a long time for my nails to grow back properly... but they are fine now and very strong! As to the comfort level... yes, it does get better... you probably won't even know they are there by tomorrow!

LL