Get the gel nails! They are my fav, too. Less damage, thinner, more natural looking.
However I haven't gotten them done in about a year or so. I couldn't find anyone in Hiram that did a job worth a damn and wouldn't break, etc. Before I was getting them done in Chattanooga since that is where I was working, and I had them kept up for a loooong time.
have fun! It's so nice to get pampered like that!