Nail Care and Services
Anatomy you must be able to label
The matrix produces the nail plate; the nail bed underlies it; the lunula is the visible portion of the matrix; the eponychium is the living tissue overlapping the base; the cuticle is the dead tissue on the plate; the hyponychium seals the free edge; the sidewalls are the lateral folds. Nails grow about 1/8 inch (roughly 0.1 mm) per month; fingernails faster than toenails.
Disorders, diseases, and referral
Disorders (you may work around): onychophagy (biting), onychorrhexis (ridges/splitting), leukonychia (white spots), agnail (hangnail), eggshell nails. Diseases (refer): onychomycosis (fungal), paronychia (bacterial infection), onychocryptosis (ingrown), onycholysis, and any inflamed, swollen, or discharging area. Cutting living tissue or pushing the eponychium aggressively is a violation of the scope of practice and an infection risk.
Service mechanics
File in one direction on the natural nail to avoid splitting; use a fine-grit file for natural nails, coarser for acrylic. Base coat protects and improves adhesion; two thin coats of polish beat one thick one. Pedicure equipment - bowls, jets, implements - must be cleaned, then disinfected with an EPA-registered product for the full contact time; single-use items are discarded.
Traps
"Nail molds are a common disease" is wrong - molds are rare and typically a sign of improper product application. "Cutting the cuticle is part of a manicure" is wrong. "Pushing back the eponychium hard" is wrong.
Worked example
A client with diabetes asks for a pedicure. Soak briefly, use a soft file, do not cut or push aggressively, do not treat a callus with a blade, and refer her to a podiatrist for anything beyond a basic service.