The latest beauty accessory to become big business is fingernail extensions - and the competition is as sharp as a supermodel's elbows.

Nail bars and salons are springing up all over Brighton and Hove. Hairdressers, tanning salons and gyms are adding them in as an additional service to their image-conscious clients.

But rivalry for customers is stiff - phone book advertisements stretch to 11 pages.

And, while companies are not quite scratching each others eyes out, emery boards are drawn and ready for battle.

Long, glossy nails have been de rigeur in the States for decades while traditionally, British women only got out the nail polish for special occasions.

But now it doesn't matter if your nails snap like chalk or you nibble them back to the cuticle - you can stick on a false pair and have talons like Victoria Beckham.

You can have them natural, painted freehand, airbrushed or 3-D.

Alaina Pennifold began doing gel nails five years ago when they started to become fashionable in the UK. Now there is stiff competition on every street corner.

She said: "The market is saturated in Brighton and Hove. There are nail bars everywhere you turn.

"I think their popularity is all to do with living in Brighton. People here want to be stylish and fashionable and look their very best.

"And, of course, they see women on TV with long, perfect nails - even Pauline Fowler in EastEnders has them, though they don't suit her character at all.

"And, of course, the fellas like them - a lot of men notice a girl's hair and nails."

Alaina works from the Michael Joseph salon in Blatchington Road, Hove, just over the street from two George Street competitors, Diamond Nails and Apollo. She is also about to start doing nails for Ultimate Tanning in Portland Road.

Having your nails done used to be considered a luxury, often bought as a pampering gift. But now it is as routine as getting a haircut.

Alaina only does gel nails.

"You can get a lot of infections with acrylic," she says. "They are very strong but the nail underneath gets very damaged - your nails will never be the same again."

She works under the trade name of The Nail and Make-Up Designer.

Beth Cooper is one of three nail technicians at Apollo.

She said: "Lots of young girls have their nails done but it appeals to older women too.

"We do diamante nails and we are just getting an airbrush kit for even more variety but some people prefer to keep them natural looking.

"We try to keep our prices down in competition with other places because there are a lot of people doing the same thing."

Livia Taylor, a director of the Pink Pamper, was one of the early nail pioneers. She started doing them 13 years ago.

"I was a beauty therapist but much preferred the nail side of things - I'm passionate about them. And so are lots of people. Some women would rather miss a holiday than not get their nails done."

She is a firm believer in thorough company training.

"A lot of nail bars set up without adhering to training standards. You can get a full set for £20 but the quality isn't there.

"We sometimes scare people off with the price - ours start at £45 - but it is a professional treatment and I'm confident we will crack the market in Brighton. The smaller outfits will be gone soon."

Livia said whether you used acrylic, gel or fibreglass nails, the risks were the same.

"The products themselves don't do any damage. It is the way they are applied and the way people look after them - overfiling and pulling them off. If I don't think people will care for them properly, I won't do them."

Among the newest salons to file into town are Natural Nails and American Fashion Nails on London Road and Tommy in Queen's Road, Brighton.

American Fashion Nails, owned by London-based Vietnamese businessman MTV Tran, opened 12 weeks ago.

He said: "I am not worried by the competition. This is a good location. There are too many salons in London but there is still room in Brighton."

Michele Crawley is a course tutor in manicure, pedicure and nail extensions at City College Brighton and Hove.

"It is a huge growth industry - massive in the States and growing here all the time."

Michele has been teaching nail technology for the last four years and runs two 18-week courses a year.

She said: "They are always oversubscribed. Normally we have about 70 people chasing 18 places.

"Nails used to be an extra as a beauty therapist. Now it is a career option. Now you can work in films and TV."

Michele said prices for gel or acrylic nails ranged from around £25 to £100 in some London salons.

"If they are done well, they can give you a real lift. You can start with nothing and in two hours have a fantastic set of nails.

"They can be a real confidence-booster. People get into them and they get you like a bug.

"There are some fantastic nail technicians out there but you have to choose carefully because there have been some horror stories of things going wrong and people getting infections."