Beauty Therapy: Manicure, Pedicure and Nail Enhancements
Manicure, Pedicure and Nail Enhancements tests nail anatomy, safe preparation, shaping, cuticle care, polish, gel and acrylic application, and infection control.
Core rules
- Identify nail plate, matrix, cuticle, eponychium and hyponychium. The matrix makes the plate; damage can cause ridges or distortion.
- File natural nails in one direction with a fine grit; avoid over-filing the sidewalls and surface. Never cut live cuticle; soften and gently push back.
- For gel or acrylic, remove surface shine, dehydrate, apply bonder or primer as directed, keep product off skin, and cure for the specified time and lamp.
- Sanitise hands and tools; use single-use files or disinfect reusable tools. Check contraindications: paronychia, fungal infection, broken skin, severe nail dystrophy.
Worked example
A gel overlay lifts at one sidewall after a week. Reasoning: likely cause is product on the skin, incomplete sidewall coverage, or under-curing. Remove the enhancement, assess the nail, re-prep carefully, keep a small margin from the skin, and cure fully. Do not simply fill over lifting.
Traps
Cutting cuticles, using a coarse file on natural nails, over-buffing the plate, missing sidewalls, using MMA liquid, and filling over lifted product. Also do not treat infected nails.