I've just redone my acrylics for the first time in a year, but I've them for a long time. I do have to have a full soak off and a new full set put on every 3 months. The acrylic gets brittle and yellow and looks icky. Your own nails should be grown out underneath, so they should have to just do the overlay, not the plastic tip as well. My guy is skilled enough that even when he is doing an extension on my nails, he does not even use the plastic tips. Your nail tech should be skilled enough with shaping to put a new even full set on without the need for tips if you have any nail length grown out.