GA Nail Technician flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Disinfection

The process of destroying most pathogenic microorganisms, except bacterial spores, on hard nonporous surfaces and implements using an EPA-registered hospital-grade product at its labeled dilution and contact time.

Universal precautions

An infection-control approach in which every client's blood and body fluids are treated as potentially infectious, so gloves, hand washing, and barrier protection are used regardless of known health status.

Porous items

Absorbent implements such as emery boards, buffers, cotton balls, and wooden sticks that trap moisture and cannot be disinfected; they must be discarded after use on one client.

Tuberculocidal disinfectant

A hospital-grade EPA-registered disinfectant proven effective against the bacterium that causes tuberculosis; nail implements are commonly required to be immersed in one after cleaning.

Cleaning before disinfection

Scrubbing implements with soap and water and drying them completely before immersion, because debris left on a tool neutralizes the disinfectant and contaminates the solution.

Effleurage

A light, continuous, gliding massage stroke applied with the palms and fingers in the direction of the heart; it is used to open and close a hand or foot massage.

Natural nail filing grit

Fine abrasives rated 240 grit or higher are used on natural nails; coarser grits are reserved for artificial enhancements because they remove too much of the thin nail plate.

Base coat

The first coat of polish, designed to adhere to the nail plate, smooth minor surface pits, prevent pigment staining, and improve the wear of the color coats applied over it.

Pedicure basin disinfection

After each client the basin is drained, scrubbed, filled with properly diluted disinfectant, and the jets are circulated for the full labeled contact time before the basin is reused.

Petrissage

A kneading massage manipulation in which tissue is lifted, squeezed, and rolled between the hands; it is deeper than effleurage and follows it in a massage sequence.

Nail tip blending

Reducing the thickness of the tip's seam where it meets the natural free edge with a file or buffer so the transition is smooth, invisible, and does not catch on clothing.

Nail wrap

A fabric of silk, linen, or fiberglass bonded to the nail plate with resin or cyanoacrylate glue to strengthen the nail or repair a crack; the fabric must be fully saturated.

Monomer

The liquid half of a two-part acrylic system, usually ethyl methacrylate, which softens the polymer powder and then hardens through polymerization; it is flammable and gives off strong fumes.

Exothermic reaction

The release of heat that occurs as monomer liquid and polymer powder polymerize into acrylic; a wetter mix or a larger bead generates more heat and can burn the client.

Stress zone

The area of an enhancement near the sidewall at the free edge where the natural nail flexes most; it is built slightly thicker to resist breaking and lifting.

Onychomycosis

A contagious fungal infection of the nail plate causing thickening, discoloration, and separation; it is a disease rather than a cosmetic problem, and the client must be referred to a physician.

Paronychia

A bacterial infection of the skin around the nail that appears red, swollen, and painful and may contain pus; it is contagious, so service is refused and the client is referred.

Onycholysis

The painless separation of the nail plate from the nail bed, often caused by trauma, aggressive cleaning under the free edge, or infection; the gap can harbor moisture and microorganisms.

Leukonychia

Small white spots or streaks on the nail plate caused by minor matrix trauma or air trapped between cells; they are not a sign of calcium deficiency and grow out normally.

Matrix

The living tissue at the base of the nail beneath the proximal fold that produces nail plate cells; its length and shape determine the thickness and curvature of the nail.

Stratum corneum

The outermost layer of the epidermis, made of flattened keratinized dead cells that limit water loss and block entry of most microorganisms; it is the layer exfoliants remove.

Nail bed

The skin underlying the nail plate, extending from the lunula to the hyponychium; it contains blood and lymph vessels and nerves and appears pink through the translucent plate.

Hyponychium

The thickened layer of epidermis under the free edge of the nail that seals the plate to the fingertip and helps keep dirt and microorganisms out of the nail bed.

Sebaceous glands

Oil glands of the dermis, usually attached to hair follicles, that secrete sebum to lubricate skin and hair; they are absent on the palms, soles, and nail plate.

pH scale

A 0 to 14 scale measuring hydrogen ion concentration; 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is alkaline; skin and nails are mildly acidic at about pH 4.5 to 5.5.

Nitrocellulose

The primary film-forming agent in conventional nail polish; it creates the hard, shiny coating as solvents evaporate, and plasticizers are added to keep the film from becoming brittle.

Safety Data Sheet

A standardized 16-section document from the manufacturer listing a product's hazards, safe handling, first-aid measures, and spill procedures; it must be kept available in the salon.

Cyanoacrylate

The fast-setting adhesive used as nail glue and in wrap resins; it cures by reacting with moisture on the nail surface, bonds skin instantly, and is never used on broken skin.

Georgia Board of Cosmetology

The state board within Georgia's Professional Licensing Boards Division, under the Secretary of State, that sets licensing and sanitation rules for nail technicians, cosmetologists, estheticians, and salons.

Nail technician training hours

Georgia requires applicants for a nail technician license to complete 525 clock hours of instruction at a board-approved school before taking the licensing examination.

Salon license display

Georgia salons must hold a current salon license and post it, along with each practitioner's individual license, in a conspicuous place where clients and inspectors can see it.

Scope of practice

The legally permitted services a license covers; a Georgia nail technician may perform manicures, pedicures, and nail enhancements but may not cut hair or apply chemical hair or skin treatments.